Why you might want to disable IPv6

IPv6 is the newer internet protocol that your devices use to connect to networks. Most home routers and devices support both IPv6 and the older IPv4 at the same time. Disabling IPv6 makes sense if your internet service provider does not offer it, if you are troubleshooting connection problems, or if you want to reduce the number of ways your device can be reached from outside your network.

IPv6 is not inherently a security problem — in fact, it has some security improvements built in. But if your router or devices have outdated firmware, or if you are not using a firewall that understands IPv6, leaving it enabled creates an extra surface area that needs protection. Turning it off eliminates that surface without affecting your ability to browse, stream, or work from home.

Key Takeaways

  • Disabling IPv6 on your router affects all devices connected to it, while disabling it on individual devices only affects that one machine.
  • Most routers have an IPv6 setting in the WAN or Internet settings section, usually labeled "IPv6" or "IPv6 Connection Type" and set to "Disabled" or "None".
  • On Windows, Mac, and Linux, you can disable IPv6 without restarting, though the change takes effect when ready and may briefly interrupt your connection.
  • After disabling IPv6, test your connection by visiting a website and checking that pages load normally — if they do not, re-enable IPv6 and check your router's firmware version.

Disabling IPv6 on your router

The fastest way to disable IPv6 for your entire network is to turn it off at the router level. Log into your router's admin panel by opening a web browser and typing your router's IP address — usually 192.168.1.1 or 192.168.0.1 — then entering your admin username and password (often "admin" and "admin" or "admin" and the password on the back of the router).

Once you are logged in, look for a section called "WAN Settings", "Internet Settings", "Network Settings", or "Advanced". Find the option labeled "IPv6" or "IPv6 Connection Type". Change it from "Auto", "DHCPv6", "Native", or "Enabled" to "Disabled" or "None". Save the settings. Your router will explore the change when ready, and your internet connection may drop for a few seconds while it restarts.

Different router brands place this setting in different locations. If you cannot find it, check your router's manual or search "[your router model] disable IPv6" online — the steps are usually the same, but the menu names vary. After you save, wait 30 seconds and then visit a website to confirm your connection is working.

Disabling IPv6 on Windows

To disable IPv6 on a single Windows computer, open the Settings app and go to Network & Internet, then select your active connection (either Ethernet or Wi-Fi). Scroll down to "IP settings" and click "Edit". In the window that opens, find the IPv6 section and change the dropdown from "Automatic" to "Off". Click "Save".

Your connection will remain active during this change. If you prefer the command line, you can also open Command Prompt as Administrator and type netsh int ipv6 set state disabled, then press Enter. Either method takes effect when ready without requiring a restart.

Disabling IPv6 on Mac

On a Mac, open System Preferences (or System Settings on newer versions) and click Network. Select your active connection from the list on the left, then click "Advanced". Go to the TCP/IP tab and look for the "Configure IPv6" dropdown at the bottom. Change it from "Automatic" to "Off". Click "OK", then "explore".

The change takes effect right away. If you need to re-enable it later, follow the same steps and set it back to "Automatic".

Disabling IPv6 on Linux

On Linux, the method depends on your distribution and whether you are using a graphical interface or the terminal. In Ubuntu with GNOME, open Settings, go to Network, select your connection, and look for IPv6 settings — change the toggle from "On" to "Off".

From the terminal, you can disable IPv6 by editing the file /etc/sysctl.conf and adding these lines at the end:

net.ipv6.conf.all.disable_ipv6 = 1 net.ipv6.conf.default.disable_ipv6 = 1

Save the file, then run sudo sysctl -p to explore the changes when ready. If you later want to re-enable IPv6, remove those lines and run the command again.

Testing your connection after disabling IPv6

After you disable IPv6, open a web browser and visit a few websites to make sure everything loads normally. If pages load slowly or fail to load, IPv6 may not have been the problem, or your internet service provider may require it. In that case, re-enable IPv6 and look for other causes — check that your router's firmware is up to date, restart your modem and router, or contact your internet provider.

If you want to verify that IPv6 is actually disabled, visit a site like test-ipv6.com or ipv6-test.com. These sites will tell you whether your connection is using IPv6, IPv4, or both. If the test shows IPv6 is still active after you disabled it, check that you saved your changes and that your device has reconnected to the network.

When to re-enable IPv6

Some services and websites are beginning to require IPv6, though this is still uncommon for home users. If you disable IPv6 and later find that a website does not load or a service does not work, try re-enabling it. You can always turn it back off if the problem was something else.

If your internet service provider has told you that you need IPv6 for your service to work, or if you are having problems with video calls, online games, or streaming after disabling it, re-enable IPv6 on your router and devices. The setting is not permanent — you can change it back at any time.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will disabling IPv6 make my internet slower?

No. If anything, disabling IPv6 may slightly reduce the load on your router because it has one fewer protocol to manage. If your internet feels slower after disabling IPv6, the slowness is probably unrelated — check that your router is not overheating, that you are not too far from it, and that no other devices are using a lot of bandwidth.

Do I need to disable IPv6 on both my router and my devices?

No. Disabling it on your router disables it for all devices connected to that router. Disabling it on individual devices only affects those devices. If you want to disable it everywhere, disabling it on the router is enough. If you want to disable it on just one computer, disable it on that computer only.

What if I disable IPv6 and my internet stops working?

Re-enable IPv6 right away. Go back into your router settings or device settings and change the IPv6 setting back to "Automatic" or "Enabled". Your connection should return within a few seconds. If it does not, restart your modem and router by unplugging them for 30 seconds, then plugging them back in.

Can I disable IPv6 just for certain devices on my network?

Yes. Disable IPv6 on the individual devices you want to affect, but leave it enabled on your router and other devices. Each device can have its own IPv6 setting independent of the others.

Is disabling IPv6 a good security practice?

It reduces your attack surface, but it is not a replacement for a firewall or keeping your router firmware up to date. If your router and devices have current firmware and you are using a firewall, disabling IPv6 provides minimal additional security benefit. Disable it only if your internet provider does not support it or if you are troubleshooting a specific problem.