ipv6 on G.Fast FTTC

[dcrdev]

I’ve just spoken to EE technical support about setting up IPv6 on my router. Initially, I was told that all EE customers should have IPv6 enabled, but we ended up speculating that it might not be available for G.Fast connections. Unfortunately, the guy I spoke to wasn’t certain and couldn’t provide any concrete information.

To give some context, I’ve recently transitioned from using the Smart Hub + OPNsense (dual NAT) to a setup with OPNsense + modem over PPPoE. Now, I’m trying to configure IPv6 for the first time.

This is my WAN config

This is my DHCPv6 config:

No matter what I try I cannot get it to delegate any prefix to me:

dominic@hell01-router01:~ $ sudo dhcp6c -d -D -f pppoe0
Dec/01/2024 13:42:56: extracted an existing DUID from /var/db/dhcp6c_duid: 00:01:00:01:2e:de:88:d6:00:e2:69:7e:50:87
Dec/01/2024 13:42:56: cfparse: fopen(/usr/local/etc/dhcp6c.conf): No such file or directory
Dec/01/2024 13:42:56: reset a timer on pppoe0, state=INIT, timeo=0, retrans=45
Dec/01/2024 13:42:56: Sending Solicit
Dec/01/2024 13:42:56: a new XID (97f5db) is generated
Dec/01/2024 13:42:56: set client ID (len 14)
Dec/01/2024 13:42:56: set elapsed time (len 2)
Dec/01/2024 13:42:56: transmit failed: Network is down
Dec/01/2024 13:42:56: reset a timer on pppoe0, state=SOLICIT, timeo=0, retrans=1061
Dec/01/2024 13:42:57: Sending Solicit
Dec/01/2024 13:42:57: set client ID (len 14)
Dec/01/2024 13:42:57: set elapsed time (len 2)
Dec/01/2024 13:42:57: transmit failed: Network is down
Dec/01/2024 13:42:57: reset a timer on pppoe0, state=SOLICIT, timeo=1, retrans=2120
Dec/01/2024 13:42:59: Sending Solicit
Dec/01/2024 13:42:59: set client ID (len 14)
Dec/01/2024 13:42:59: set elapsed time (len 2)
Dec/01/2024 13:42:59: transmit failed: Network is down

I'm really starting to think that it isn't supported - does anyone have any experience with this on g.fast?

[XRaySpeX]

Sorry, @Mustrum , I'm not asking how to configure the router. I'm just trying to know how you would see IPv6 actually in operation in anger w/out using 1 of these checker sites.

[JimM11]

@XRaySpeX If you have or using a win PC/Laptop, you can also see it about your nic device properties, from mine, sample below. Info passed through the EE router to the device.

SSID: ??????????
Protocol: Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac)
Security type: WPA2-Personal
Manufacturer: Intel Corporation
Description: Intel(R) Wireless-AC 9560 160MHz
Driver version: 22.120.0.3
Network band: 5 GHz
Network channel: 100
Link speed (Receive/Transmit): 1733/1733 (Mbps)
IPv6 address: 2a00:23c8:a45b:f100:XXXX:21a8:d376:XXXX
XXXX:4c15:XXXX::112
XXXX:4c15:XXXX:0:710e:61aa:932f:ecad
Link-local IPv6 address: fe80::XXXX:76d9:XXXX:XXXX%17
IPv4 address: 192.168.1.112
IPv4 DNS servers: 192.168.1.254 (Unencrypted)
Physical address (MAC): F4-D1-XX-55-17-XX

[Mustrum]

Thanks @JimM11   

I found this which I am working my way through, but I need to plug the EE router back in and make a note of ...

[XRaySpeX]

Is it such a daft Q? I just want to know a way of seeing IPv6 actually in operation on an actual connection to the Net, not just the settings of your devices,.

[JimM11]

@XRaySpeX Ping the ipV6 address or DNS lookup will return IPV6 when working, think you seen it on mine when i did a ping to the BBC couple weeks back.

Microsoft Windows [Version 10.0.22631.4541]
(c) Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

C:\Windows\System32>ping bbc.co.uk

Pinging bbc.co.uk [2a04:4e42:600::81] with 32 bytes of data:
Reply from 2a04:4e42:600::81: time=16ms
Reply from 2a04:4e42:600::81: time=17ms
Reply from 2a04:4e42:600::81: time=20ms
Reply from 2a04:4e42:600::81: time=58ms

Ping statistics for 2a04:4e42:600::81:
Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 4, Lost = 0 (0% loss),
Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds:
Minimum = 16ms, Maximum = 58ms, Average = 27ms

[Mustrum]

@XRaySpeX   think about it another way. How do you know that IP4 is working?

There are a few IP6 only sites, so if you don't have it you won't be able to connect to them - mostly game sites.

But otherwise for day to day use you may be connected to a site via IP4 or 6 if both you and the site have both, but underneath the workings you won't really know.

[dcrdev]

I plugged in my EE router today and definitely not getting an ipv6 address. Interesting to see from the above that for those that do have on FTTC it's configured through SLAAC as opposed to DHCPv6 over ipv4; that was the configuration I was able to gleam from other forum posts, but maybe it's different for FTTP.

So I guess it's not rolled out yet widely to FTTC customers 🤔

Would be nice to get an official statement from EE on the rollout for FTTC, ipv6 in general seems to be shrouded in mystery for EE.

[Mustrum]

@dcrdev  iy maybe that they are not going to bother with G Fast customers as it will soon disappear?

Or maybe it is a Geographic thing, the other customer appeared to be in Kent, I am in Dorset

Or perhaps it a Fibre Only thing.

[dcrdev]

Yeah maybe

I'm holding onto G.Fast for dear life, at the moment because they have discontinued it, if I want to re-contract I lose g.fast and am down to 60mbps from 150, no FTTP in my area.