IPv6 is the new technology in internet protocol that allows the users to get more advantages over the old IPv4 technology. However, the one big drawback of this technology is that the adoption rate of it is very slow. It will take years for most users nowadays to switch to IPv6 from the old IPv4 technology. Thus, there are still many services online that use the IPv4 technology instead of the newer IPv6. As a VPN user, though, it could be a problem for you if you choose to use the newer internet protocol.
Why would there be a problem for VPN users? That’s because if your device is using Internet Protocol version 6 to connect to the internet, whereas your VPN software is still using the Internet Protocol version 4 technology, then you might leak your IP to the public while using the private connection. This is because of the difference of internet protocols that you are using, and therefore, there will be conflicts in the way the VPN protects your IP address. Here are 5 steps to prevent IPv6 leak in your VPN connection:
1. Make Sure That Everything Is Configured Properly
The thing about the new IPv6 protocol is that in order for it to work perfectly, you need to configure everything in the same way. It means that you need to have a device that supports this new protocol and configure your OS to use this newer protocol instead of the older one. Then, you need to ensure that your VPN configuration is configured to use the Internet Protocol version 6 as well. Once everything is configured in the same way, you should be able to prevent any leak when using this new protocol.
Even if there is only one mismatch in the configuration, the VPN connection might use the default IPv4 protocol and causes leaks for the newer IP technology. So, beware.
2. If You Are Not Sure, Use The Old IPv4 Configuration
You won’t need to experience any problem with your IPv6 protocol if you simply stick to the older IPv4 protocol instead. This is especially true if you don’t know about how to configure your device and VPN to work in sync using the newer protocol. Using the older protocol is still a good thing to do, and anyway, the majority of the users out there are still using the old IPv4 configuration.
So, to save you from a risky IPv6 leak later, you simply need to use the older protocol until you can configure everything properly.
3. Keep Everything Up To Date
Since IPv6 uses the latest security system and the latest technology in internet protocol system, you need to ensure that everything is up to date before using this protocol as your main IP address. First of all, you need to have the modern hardware to accommodate the new technology. Then, you need to have your operating system updated to the latest version as well. Lastly, your VPN software needs to be updated to its latest version that supports this protocol.
Remember that there are still many VPN software that don’t use the newer protocol as their default IP address, so make sure that your VPN supports it.
4. Check If There Is An Option To Prevent IPv6 Leak
If you are using a good premium VPN service, chances are they already offer the IPv6 leak protection system in the Settings. You just need to check whether you can protect your IP address from the IPv6 leak with your VPN software or not. There should be the option to enable IPv6 leak protection in the Settings menu, and it is usually left disabled by default. If you want to use the newer IP address, you need to set this option enabled to get the benefit of the leak prevention.
If you are not sure, you can always ask the tech support of your VPN service whether there is such an option available. However, be aware that this usually doesn’t apply if you are using a free VPN connection.
5. Use VPN That Supports IPv6 And Has Modern Security Protection
If your VPN software doesn’t support the use of IPv6, which many VPN services still do, then it might be the time for you to start looking for another VPN service that supports IPv6 security and privacy protection system. It also needs to have a modern security protection system that keeps being updated regularly. You need to ensure that you are using the service that is best for you to protect your security and privacy.
Those are the steps to prevent IPv6 leak in your VPN connection. Be aware that you need to know the type of IP address you use before connecting to your private connection, and if you are unsure, you need to check your IP address regularly to spot whether you are truly protected with the private IP address from your VPN or not.