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Accepted
David Schmitt
Asked: 2011-05-26 09:11:17 +0800 CST

How to remove autoconfigured IPv6 Addresses in Windows 7/2008?

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I'm in the process of exploring IPv6 deployment in my network. I've changed the advertised subnet and now my windows PCs have IPs from the new and the old network.

I was able to reset the adapter by unplugging the cable, but this is of course no long-term solution.

How can I force windows to forget the "wrong" IPs?

I'm using Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 as clients, and radvd on squeeze as router.

I've tested ipconfig's /release and /release6, but both do not affect the autoconfigured addresses.

windows ipv6 radvd

6 Answers

  1. Once you change the prefix your router is advertising, addresses in the old subnet will be deprecated and eventually removed without any intervention on your part. The address will be deprecated for the difference between the preferred and valid lifetimes advertised by your router. (On my network this works out to 90 minutes, but it depends on how you configured radvd.)

    To see deprecated addresses on your Windows network interfaces you can use netsh interface ipv6 show address, or PowerShell Get-NetIPAddress -AddressFamily IPv6.

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  2. Powershell with Administrator Rights

    Show ip addres: netsh interface ipv6 show address
    Delete ip/use Interface name: netsh interface ipv6 delete address Ethernet0 200x:x:x:x:x:x:x:x
    netsh interface ipv6 delete address (Interface index or name) (ipv6address)

    Show routes: netsh interface ipv6 show route
    Delete route: netsh interface ipv6 route delete 200x:x:x:x::/64 Ethernet0 store=persistent
    netsh interface ipv6 route delete (ipv6prefix::/64) (Interface Index or Name)

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  3. Best Answer

    IPv6 has a more explicit support for migrating IP addresses. Changing your advertised subnet is supposed to be transparent to your users. When a new address is available new connections will use that new IP address. Old connections will still use the old address. Eventually the address should be removed but not before all old connections have stopped using the address.

    You might need to make sure that no connections are listening on the old IP address (netstat is your friend here).

    In any case as long as the old address is not causing any harm it should not be a problem. What is the metric for this address? Is it being used for new connections?

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  4. You'll need to remove all cached/autoconfigured IPv6 settings then let them repropagate. The command on Windows is

    netsh int ipv6 reset

    You'll need to restart for the changes to take effect.

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  6. The only way that worked for me was to physically unplug the network cable and then plug it back in.

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