VPN may not be enough if IPv6 gives away your location

A VPN is an essential tool for protecting yourself online. But this may not be enough. IPv6 can betray you. Here’s how to turn it off on macOS.

A well-known and recognized virtual private network is an indispensable tool for the protection and security of many users on the network, regardless of your device. While there are plenty of VPNs on the market today, even the best ones struggle to overcome one of the biggest weaknesses in protecting your privacy: your IPv6 address.

IPv6 is the successor to traditional IPv4. But IPv6 can also potentially expose your personal location data. This is why all the best VPNs offer IPv6 leak protection. However, sometimes if another software or device configuration conflicts with your VPN, you can no longer take full advantage of this IPv6 protection.

Disabling IPv6 in Windows is done in a few clicks, it is very easy to find a guide on this on the Internet. It’s a bit more complicated on a macOS device. And the method depends on your device configuration.

Below are the two most popular methods for disabling IPv6 on macOS, along with steps to re-enable the protocol if necessary.

How to disable IPv6 in macOS via System Preferences

1. From the Apple menu, open System Preferences.

2. Click the Network globe icon. A new window will appear. On the left side, you’ll see a list of networks you’ve connected to before, including the one you’re currently on with a green dot. Click on it to highlight it.

3. Click the Advanced button at the bottom of the window. A new window will open with several tabs. Select TCP/IP.

4. There are two drop-down lists on the TCP/IP tab. Click one of them under “Configure IPv6″and select “Disable”.

5. Click OK in the lower right corner of the window. After closing the window and returning to the “Network”window, click “Apply”in the lower right corner of the screen and close the window.

If your version of macOS doesn’t have a Disable option in the menu, you can disable it through the Terminal.

These steps allow you to disable IPv6 and also re-enable it if needed.

1. Open a Finder window and click Applications.

2. Scroll down to the Utilities folder, click to open it, and select Terminal.

3. When the terminal opens with a black window, enter the command below to see the list of current networks:

sudo networksetup -listallnetworkservices

The terminal may ask you to enter a password. This is the one you enter every time you wake up your car.

4. Find the network you are on. So we are going to tell the computer to disable IPv6 for this particular connection.

If you are connected via Wi-Fi, enter the command below:

sudo networksetup -setv6off WiFi

5. You will not receive any confirmation that you have disabled IPv6, but the Terminal may ask you for your password again. After entering IPv6 can be disabled. You can close the terminal and you’re done.

If you change your mind for some reason and need to re-enable IPv6 on your macOS, you can follow the same steps with a slight change in the command. Open Terminal and enter the command below:

sudo networksetup -setv6 automatic wifi