--- title: "Configuring IPv6 on a Public Cloud instance" description: "Learn how to configure an IPv6 address on a Public Cloud instance." url: https://docs.us.ovhcloud.com/en/public-cloud/network-services/ipv6-configuration lang: en --- > For AI agents: the complete documentation index is available at https://docs.us.ovhcloud.com/en/llms.txt, the full documentation bundle is available at https://docs.us.ovhcloud.com/en/llms-full.txt. # Configuring IPv6 on a Public Cloud instance **Learn how to configure an IPv6 address on a Public Cloud instance.** Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6) is the latest version of Internet Protocol (IP). It is designed to solve the long-anticipated exhaustion of IPv4 addresses by using 128-bit addresses rather than the standard 32-bit IPv4 addresses. Each Public Cloud instance is delivered with an IPv4 address and an IPv6 address. **Note:** Floating IP and Gateway currently do not support IPv6. You can only use IPv6 with instances in [Public Mode](https://docs.us.ovhcloud.com/en/public-cloud/network-services/networking-concepts.md#public-mode-a-public-ip-is-attached-directly-to-the-instance).   ## Requirements - A Public Cloud instance (any model) - Administrative access (root) via SSH or remote desktop (Windows) to your server - A basic understanding of networking OVHcloud Control Panel Access - **Direct link:** [Public Cloud Projects](https://manager.us.ovhcloud.com/#/public-cloud/pci/projects/) - **Navigation path:** `Public Cloud` > Select your project   ## Instructions The following sections contain configurations for the distributions we currently offer, as well as the most commonly used distributions/operating systems. The first step is always to log in to your server via SSH or a GUI login session (RDP for a Windows instance). **Warning:** **NOTE:** On recent Linux distributions, IPv6 is configured by default on Public Cloud instances. Be sure to check your OS configuration file before making any changes.   ### Glossary Here is a short glossary of the terms used in this tutorial: | | | | ------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | **Glossary** | **Description** | | YOUR\_IPV6 | The IPv6 address assigned to your service. | | IPV6\_PREFIX | The prefix of your IPv6 block (e.g. 2607:5300:60:62ac::/128 -> netmask = 128) | | IPV6\_GATEWAY | The gateway of your IPv6 block. |   ### Retrieve your network information In your Public Cloud project, click on `Instances` in the left-hand menu. Click the _more options_ `...` button next to the corresponding instance and choose `Instance details`. All the information you need is in the **Networks** section.   ### Examples of persistent configuration **Note:** **Examples** - The information below is provided as an example. - Since you are the admin of your services, you will need to adapt the information to match your distribution or operating system. **Warning:** **NOTE:** Before modifying a configuration file, always create a backup of the original. First of all, connect to your instance via SSH. **Tip:** **Select the tab corresponding to your operating system.** #### Debian (excluding Debian 12) #### Debian (excluding Debian 12) By default, the configuration files are located in `/etc/network/interfaces.d/`. The best practice is to create a separate configuration file in the `/etc/network/interfaces.d/` directory to configure IPV6. In our example, our file is called `51-cloud-init-ipv6`: ``` sudo nano /etc/network/interfaces.d/51-cloud-init-ipv6 ``` This separates the IPv6 configuration and lets you revert changes easily if needed. Add the following lines to the file. Replace the generic elements (i.e. `YOUR_IPV6`, `IPV6_PREFIX` and `IPV6_GATEWAY`) as well as the network interface (if your server is not using **eth0**) with your specific values: ``` iface eth0 inet6 static address YOUR_IPV6 netmask IPV6_PREFIX post-up /sbin/ip -6 route add IPV6_GATEWAY dev eth0 post-up /sbin/ip -6 route add default via IPV6_GATEWAY dev eth0 pre-down /sbin/ip -6 route del default via IPV6_GATEWAY dev eth0 pre-down /sbin/ip -6 route del IPV6_GATEWAY dev eth0 ``` ##### Configuration example ``` iface eth0 inet6 static address 2607:5300:201:abcd::7c5 netmask 128 post-up /sbin/ip -6 route add 2607:5300:201:abcd::1 dev eth0 post-up /sbin/ip -6 route add default via 2607:5300:201:abcd::1 dev eth0 pre-down /sbin/ip -6 route del default via 2607:5300:201:abcd::1 dev eth0 pre-down /sbin/ip -6 route del 2607:5300:201:abcd::1 dev eth0 ``` Then restart your network service with one of the following commands: ``` sudo service networking restart ``` ``` sudo systemctl restart networking ``` ###### Ubuntu and Debian 12 #### Ubuntu and Debian 12 The network configuration files are located in the `/etc/netplan/` directory. The best practice is to create a separate configuration file in the `/etc/netplan/` directory to configure IPV6. In our example, our file is called `51-cloud-init-ipv6.yaml`: ``` sudo nano /etc/netplan/51-cloud-init-ipv6.yaml ``` This separates the IPv6 configuration and lets you revert changes easily if needed. Add the following lines to the file. Replace the generic elements (i.e., `YOUR_IPV6`, `IPV6_PREFIX`, and `IPV6_GATEWAY`) as well as the network interface (if your server is not using **eth0**) with your specific values: ``` network: version: 2 ethernets: eth0: dhcp6: no match: name: eth0 addresses: - YOUR_IPV6/IPv6_PREFIX routes: - to: ::/0 via: IPv6_GATEWAY ``` It is important to respect the alignment of each element in this file as represented in the example above. Do not use the tab key to create your spacing. Only the space key is needed. ##### Configuration example ``` network: version: 2 ethernets: eth0: dhcp6: no match: name: eth0 addresses: - 2607:5300:201:abcd::7c5/128 routes: - to: ::/0 via: 2607:5300:201:abcd::1 ``` You can test your configuration using this command: ``` sudo netplan try ``` If it is correct, apply it using the following command: ``` sudo netplan apply ``` ###### RedHat / CloudLinux / Rocky Linux (8 & 9) / AlmaLinux (8 & 9) #### RedHat / CloudLinux / Rocky Linux (8 & 9) / AlmaLinux (8 & 9) The network configuration files are located in the `/etc/sysconfig/network-scripts/` directory. We recommend that you start by backing up the relevant configuration file. In our example, our file is called `ifcfg-eth0`, so we make a backup of the `ifcfg-eth0` file using the following commands. Remember to replace **eth0** with your actual interface if necessary. ``` cd /etc/sysconfig/network-scripts/ sudo mkdir backup sudo cp ifcfg-eth0 backup/ifcfg-eth0 ``` You will then be able to revert the changes, using the commands below: ``` sudo rm -f /etc/sysconfig/network-scripts/ifcfg-eth0 sudo cp /etc/sysconfig/network-scripts/backup/ifcfg-eth0 /etc/sysconfig/network-scripts/ifcfg-eth0 ``` Then we edit the `ifcfg-eth0` file, adding only the lines for the IPv6 configuration of the server. Replace the generic elements (i.e., `YOUR_IPV6`, `IPV6_PREFIX`, and `IPV6_GATEWAY`) with your specific values. ``` IPV6INIT=yes IPV6ADDR=YOUR_IPV6/IPV6_PREFIX IPV6_DEFAULTGW=IPV6_GATEWAY ``` We have omitted the IPv4 configuration to avoid confusion, but the IPv6 configuration is made in the same configuration file. ##### Configuration example ``` IPV6INIT=yes IPV6ADDR=2607:5300:201:abcd::7c5/128 IPV6_DEFAULTGW=2607:5300:201:abcd::1 ``` Restart the network interface using one of the following commands: ``` sudo service networking restart ``` ``` sudo systemctl restart networking ``` ###### Fedora / Rocky Linux (10) / AlmaLinux 10 #### Fedora / Rocky Linux (10) / AlmaLinux (10) The network configuration file is located in the `/etc/NetworkManager/system-connections/`. We recommend that you start by backing up the relevant configuration file. In our example, our file is called `cloud-init-eth0.nmconnection`, so we make a copy of the `cloud-init-eth0.nmconnection` file using the following commands. Remember to replace **eth0** with your actual interface if necessary. ``` cd /etc/NetworkManager/system-connections/ sudo mkdir backup sudo cp cloud-init-eth0.nmconnection backup/cloud-init-eth0.nmconnection ``` Then we edit the `cloud-init-eth0.nmconnection` file, adding only the lines for the IPv6 configuration of the server. Replace the generic elements (i.e., `YOUR_IPV6`, `IPV6_PREFIX`, and `IPV6_GATEWAY`) with your specific values. If we assume that your interface is eth0, the configuration should look like this: ``` [ipv6] method=manual may-fail=true address1=YOUR_IPV6/IPV6_PREFIX route1=::/0,IPV6_GATEWAY ``` We have omitted the IPv4 configuration to avoid confusion, but the IPv6 configuration is made in the same configuration file. ##### Configuration example ``` [ipv6] method=manual may-fail=true address1=2607:5300:201:abcd::7c5/128 route1=::/0,2607:5300:201:abcd::1 ``` ###### Windows #### Windows By default, IPv6 is not configured on Windows Servers. To enable it, perform the following steps: Go to `Network Connections` in Windows. Then go to `Properties` for your network card by right-clicking on it. Next, click on `IPv6`, and `Properties`. Lastly, enter your IPv6 details.   ### Diagnostic Have you configured your IPv6, but found that nothing works? There is a simple operation to determine whether the error is in your configuration, or on the OVHcloud network. Firstly, [put your instance into rescue-pro mode](https://docs.us.ovhcloud.com/en/public-cloud/compute/activating-rescue-mode-public-cloud-instance.md). Next, use the template commands below to configure your IP non-persistently, replacing ‘YOUR\_IPV6’, ‘IPV6\_PREFIX’, etc. with your own details: ``` ip addr add YOUR_IPV6/IPV6_PREFIX dev eth0 ip -6 route add IPV6_GATEWAY dev eth0 ip -6 route add default via IPV6_GATEWAY dev eth0 ``` Test your network again via a ping6, for example: ``` ping6 ipv6.google.com ``` If your instance responds, there is likely an error in one of the steps taken for your initial configuration. In any case, please feel free to reach out to our support team with the elements tested above, and we can perform an analysis on our end.   ## Go further Browse all the [Networking guides](https://docs.us.ovhcloud.com/en/public-cloud/network-services/landing-page-network-services.md). Browse the rest of the [OVHcloud US documentation](https://docs.us.ovhcloud.com/en/index.md) for guides on our other products and services. Learn more about [Public Cloud Network](https://us.ovhcloud.com/public-cloud/network/) on the OVHcloud US website.