Airport Extreme IPv6 Roaming Setup

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Level 1

76 points

Airport Extreme IPv6 Roaming Setup

I currently have the following setup:

Comcast Cisco Gateway in Bridge mode ->cat6-> Airport Extreme (latest gen running 7.7.7) ->cat6-> Airport Extreme in bridge mode (latest gen running 7.7.7)

Setup has been working great. I decided to finally flip the switch on IPv6 on the Airports as both were local link only before.

I followed the Comcast doc where it said to turn on IPv6 - set it Automatic, Native and enable Connection sharing. I also went into the Network options and checked the Block incoming IPv6 connections box.

Now my question is on the setup of the second Airport Extreme. I'm assuming I also set it to Automatic, Native and enable Connection sharing. But where I have a question is the Block incoming IPv6 connections. I've read where you only need this enabled on the Airport that connected directly to the Gateway?

Should I leave this option unchecked on the second Airport?

Main reason I ask is - I started running things with that option checked on the second Airport. Initially everything was fine. But after a while, I could see the Airport in Airport Utility - it wouldn't show up without a manual reboot. I was wondering if that setting was the cause of it.

Right now I'm running with it unchecked on the second one and am waiting to see it it helps.

Thanks for any help.

-Kevin

Mac Pro, OS X Mountain Lion, 2010 - 2.8 Quad

Posted on Jul 20, 2016 7:36 AM

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Answer 1

Bob Timmons

Level 10

185,126 points

Jul 20, 2016 9:03 AM in response to netnothing

Comcast Cisco Gateway in Bridge mode ->cat6-> Airport Extreme (latest gen running 7.7.7) ->cat6-> Airport Extreme in bridge mode (latest gen running 7.7.7)

The Cisco gateway and the "main" AirPort Extreme cannot both be in Bridge Mode. One of them has to be providing DHCP and NAT routing services for your network in order for your network devices to obtain an Internet connection.

If the AirPort Extreme is in Bridge Mode....(Apple calls this setting "Off (Bridge Mode)"....then your gateway is acting as a router. Perhaps you meant to say that you turned off the wireless on the Cisco gateway and that you are using the wireless on the AirPort Extreme.

If that might be the case, then the Cisco device is still acting as a wired router for your network....and it is not configured in Bridge Mode as you might have thought. Another way to say the same thing would be that if the Cisco really was set up in Bridge Mode, then the main AirPort Extreme has to be set up using a Router Mode of DHCP and NAT.

Please check the Router Mode setting for the "main"AirPort Extreme in AirPort Utility under the Network tab and report on the current setting for your AirPort Extreme. Then, we can work on an answer to your original question about the correct IPV6 settings for your second AirPort Extreme.

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Answer 2

netnothing Author

Level 1

76 points

Jul 20, 2016 9:09 AM in response to Bob Timmons

The main Airport is not in bridge mode.

Comcast Gateway - in bridge mode, providing a public IP, wireless is off

-connected to via ethernet-

Airport Extreme #1 - DHCP active, wireless on

-connected to via ethernet-

Airport Extreme #2 - Bridge mode extending the network

My question isn't about the general roaming network setup. That is all working fine and has been. My question is about the IPv6 settings, as that is what I just setup.

On Airport #1, I have the following setup for IPv6

Automatic

Native

Sharing enabled

Block incoming enabled (checked)

On Airport #2, I have the following setup for IPv6

Automatic

Native

Sharing enabled

Block incoming disabled (unchecked)

Only reason I'm trying this is before when I had Airport #2 with Block incoming checked, I would lose the connection to the Airport from within Airport Utility only. Seems that clients would still connect to it. No errors. Just lost the connection to it in Airport utility (both on iOS and my Mac).

I read somewhere that only the first device in the chain from the Gateway needs that Block option checked. Trying to figure out if that's true. If so, running it unchecked on Airport #2 doesn't open it up to security issues does it?

-Kevin

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Answer 3

Bob Timmons

Level 10

185,126 points

Jul 20, 2016 9:23 AM in response to netnothing

Sorry, I took things at face value when you said.....

Comcast Cisco Gateway in Bridge mode ->cat6-> Airport Extreme (latest gen running 7.7.7) ->cat6-> Airport Extreme in bridge mode (latest gen running 7.7.7)

Things would be simpler if you could leave the second AirPort Extreme powered off for now and verify that IPv6 is working correctly on the main AirPort Extreme.

Have you run a check using a site like.....IPv6 test - IPv6/4 connectivity and speed test.....to check on the score as far as compatibility? Another popular site is......http://test-ipv6.com/

Sorry for the questions, but it does not make much sense to work on settings for the second AirPort Extreme if the main AirPort is not fully functional, or close to functional.

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Answer 4

netnothing Author

Level 1

76 points

Jul 20, 2016 9:30 AM in response to Bob Timmons

No worries - just want to make sure I'm clear.

As far as I know, IPv6 is working fine - even on both Airports. IPv6 tests online all pass, and I can see devices when they connect to either Airport that they get both an IPv4 and IPv6 DNS server - so I'm fairly confident IPv6 is working.

My issue is mainly with Airport Utility. After some amount of time (as short as a few hours) - if I load Airport Utility with the second Airport having the Block incoming IPv6 connections checked - Airport Utility can't connect to it. It sees it.....but only shows hardware details and eventually times-out where it says this device cannot be found.

When this happens, devices can still connect to it, both wired and wireless. I know this because I can see the details on Airport #1 and see that my iPad for example isn't in the client list, yet it has internet access, so I know it's connected to Airport #2.

I only post this because there isn't any clear instructions from Apple on this setup. And I read on these forums from a person where they mentioned the second device shouldn't have Block incoming turned on.

Just trying to confirm if anyone knows.

-Kevin

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Answer 5

Bob Timmons

Level 10

185,126 points

Jul 20, 2016 9:38 AM in response to netnothing

My advice would be to set the second AirPort Extreme up with a setting for Link Local Only, then make sure that your Mac is connected to the second AirPort Extreme either via wireless or direct Ethernet connection.....then run the Ipv6 "Test" again.

If things are good, leave the second AirPort Extreme set at Link Local Only.

Link Local Only works much better than any other combination of settings that I have tested on a second AirPort in Bridge Mode on a network behind another AirPort that is set up to use DHCP and NAT.

The second AirPort will not disappear nearly as often if you set it up as Link Local Only.

Apple's IPv6 settings are extremely basic....designed 4+ years ago. We'll have to wait for the next model of the AirPort to get fully functional IPv6 settings and options.

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Answer 6

netnothing Author

Level 1

76 points

Jul 20, 2016 9:56 AM in response to Bob Timmons

Thanks for the advice. Here's what I did:

Kept Airport #1 setup the same.

On Airport #2, I switched IPv6 to Link-Local Only. I did a full restart on Airport #2.

I connected to Airport #2 directly via ethernet (with WiFi) off....and sure enough, I got both an IPv4 and IPv6 address. Going to the IPv6 test sites worked as well. I also tried via wireless, making sure I was connected to Airport #2 and that passed the tests as well.

I'll keep an eye on this and report back - but sounds like at least in the current setup setting to Link-Local Only on #2 will still pass through all IPv6 settings.

Thanks for the help!!

-Kevin

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Answer 7

Bob Timmons

Level 10

185,126 points

Jul 20, 2016 10:00 AM in response to netnothing

but sounds like at least in the current setup setting to Link-Local Only on #2 will still pass through all IPv6 settings.

You are correct.

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