Why can't I remotely access my router using IPv6 or DS-Lite Tunnel?

# LUPUS XT1 PLUS, LUPUS XT2 PLUS, LLUPUS XT4, PORT FORWARDING


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Why can't I remotely access my router using IPv6 or DS-Lite Tunnel?

It is technically not possible to access a router with an IPv6 address or a DS-Lite tunnel from outside as long as the infrastructure of a country is based on IPv4.
This affects all devices from all manufacturers (e.g. VPN access).

The reason for this lies in the German infrastructure, as an IPv4 address is currently still required for remote access. An IPv4 address has been a standard since the Internet was created. As soon as all communication can take place via IPv6, remote access with IPv6 will no longer be a problem.

Currently, however, IPv6 has only achieved 15% coverage worldwide and therefore a router with an IPv6 address cannot be reached from the IPv4 network (eg your smartphone). The same applies to a DS-Lite tunnel. The tunnel only suggests an IPv4 address, but your router cannot be reached via this address because this IPv4 address does not exist.

In order to set up remote access, your device (e.g. smartphone) must communicate with your router. The router then forwards you to the target device in your network (e.g. our XT). However, if your router uses an IPv6 address or a DS-Lite tunnel, your smartphone cannot establish a connection to your router from the German IPv4 network, and the router cannot forward us to the target device either.

IPv4 and IPv6 both have their advantages and disadvantages. The IPv4 protocol is a standard that can be accessed by devices with both IPv4 and IPv6 - so it has a very high level of compatibility. The big disadvantage of IPv4 is the maximum number of available addresses (maximum around 4.3 billion).
The big advantage of IPv6 is the number of available addresses (around 340 sextillion - a 39-digit number with enough space for 600 quadrillion addresses per square millimeter of the earth's surface) and the direct and fast way of assigning individual devices. The big disadvantage of IPv6 is that this protocol is not backwards compatible. This means that with IPv6 communication, all devices involved in the communication must communicate using IPv6. Due to the demand for more IP addresses, a switch to the IPv6 protocol is currently underway.

This is currently causing access problems because providers are issuing cheaper IPv6 addresses (these are cheaper because there are so many of them), but network operators have not yet adapted their networks to this new and necessary technology across the board. As soon as this adaptation has been made across the board, remote access using IPv6 will also be possible without any problems.
Switching the XT to IPv6 would not change this problem at the moment, as communication between your end device (e.g. smartphone) and your router is not established - the XT is therefore completely unaffected.
Furthermore, a change at this point in time would mean that anyone with a router without IPv6 support would no longer be able to reach the headquarters (this is caused by the lack of backward compatibility of IPv6).

How can you solve this problem promptly?

The easiest way for you to solve this problem quickly is to call your provider and request an IPv4 address for your connection using a “Dual Stack” ( not Lite) or “Bridge Mode” for remote access.

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