Configuring IPv6 Through A Tunnel Broker Service

This how-to is for super-newbie and may depend on your system's OS, but it has already been tested on Ubuntu (22, 23 and 24) with netplan.

Hello Tunnelbroker!

1. Create an account at Tunnelbroker

2. Create a new Create Regular Tunnel

3. Enter your server IPv4 and select the Tunnelbroker server with the lowest ping to your server. pingxxx.xxx.xxx.xxx

4. (Optional) Get IPv6 /48 block by clicking assign /48

5. Go to Example Configurations

6. Select Linux (netplan 0.103+)

7. Copy the whole config

[WARNING] xxxx or xxx for example: 2001:470:xxxx:xxx::2/64 is just for censoring real information PLEASE REPLACE IT WITH YOUR IPV6

➥ Example configuration generated from tunnelbroker.net

network:
  version: 2
  tunnels:
    he-ipv6:
      mode: sit
      remote: 216.218.142.50
      local: 195.xxx.xx.xxx
      addresses:
        - "2001:470:xxxx:xxx::2/64"
      routes:
        - to: default
          via: "2001:470:xxxx:xxx::1"

On your server, go to the netplan folder: cd /etc/netplan

Create a new file using your choice of text editor, but in this how-to, we will be using nano. nano 99-he-tunnel.yaml

Then paste the whole configuration into that file.

➥ Example configuration of 99-he-tunnel.yaml with /64

network:
  version: 2
  tunnels:
    he-ipv6:
      mode: sit
      remote: 216.218.142.50
      local: 195.xxx.xx.xxx
      addresses:
        - "2001:470:xxxx:xxx::2/64"
      routes:
        - to: default
          via: "2001:470:xxxx:xxx::1"

➥ Example configuration of 99-he-tunnel.yaml with /48

network:
  version: 2
  tunnels:
    he-ipv6:
      mode: sit
      remote: 216.218.142.50
      local: 195.xxx.xx.xxx
      addresses:
        - "2001:470:xxxx::2/48"
      routes:
        - to: default
          via: "2001:470:xxxx::1"

[Optional] You already had IPv6 but still want to use Tunnelbroker.

Most hosting providers will have an OS image that is generated configuration called 50-cloud-init.yaml.

Start edit that file: nano 50-cloud-init.yaml

➥ Example configuration from 50-cloud-init.yaml

network:
    ethernets:
        ens3:
            addresses:
            - 195.xxx.xx.xxx/23
            - 2402:xxxx:xxxx::xx/128
            - 2402:xxxx:xxxx:xxxx::a/56
            gateway4: 195.xxx.xx.x
            gateway6: 2402:xxxx:xxxx::1
            match:
                macaddress: 00:34:a0:e1:de:5d
            nameservers:
                addresses:
                - 8.8.8.8
                - 8.8.4.4
                - 2001:4860:4860::8888
                - 2001:4860:4860::8844
            routes:
            -   scope: link
                to: 195.xxx.xx.x
                via: 0.0.0.0
            -   scope: link
                to: 2402:xxxx:xxxx::1
                via: ::0
    version: 2

We will be removing

            addresses:
            - 195.xxx.xx.xxx/23
            - 2402:xxxx:xxxx::xx/128 <---
            - 2402:xxxx:xxxx:xxxx::a/56 <---
            gateway4: 195.xxx.xx.x
            gateway6: 2402:xxxx:xxxx::1 <---

And

            -   scope: link <---
                to: 2402:xxxx:xxxx::1 <---
                via: ::0 <---

Final configuration

network:
    ethernets:
        ens3:
            addresses:
            - 195.xxx.xx.xxx/23
            gateway4: 195.xxx.xx.x
            match:
                macaddress: 00:34:a0:e1:de:5d
            nameservers:
                addresses:
                - 8.8.8.8
                - 8.8.4.4
                - 2001:4860:4860::8888
                - 2001:4860:4860::8844
            routes:
            -   scope: link
                to: 195.xxx.xx.x
                via: 0.0.0.0
    version: 2

Applying netplan and checking your IPv6

Let try our new configuration: netplan try

Ignore the warning and if there is no error then just press enter to accept new configuration.

Reboot server one time: reboot

Try your IPv6 from Tunnelbroker: ping6 google.com Try curl to make sure that it is Tunnelbroker IPv6: curl -6 https://ifconfig.co And it should return 2001:470:xxxx:xxx::2 or 2001:470:xxxx::2 if you are using /48

Next, we're going to configure IPv6 for your system. Enable non local binding sysctl -w net.ipv6.ip_nonlocal_bind=1 And so the next time you don't need to type it again echo 'net.ipv6.ip_nonlocal_bind = 1' >> /etc/sysctl.conf

Now, we replace this command with our IPv6 from Tunnelbroker. ip -6 route replace local 2001:470:xxxx:xxx::/64 dev lo or if you are using /48 ip -6 route replace local 2001:470:xxxx::/48 dev lo

Now test your new configuration

using /64

ping6 -I 2001:470:xxxx:xxx:dead::beef google.com

or if you are using /48

ping6 -I 2001:470:xxxx:dead::beef google.com

congratulations🎉, Now you can use your new IPv6 2001:470:xxxx:xxx::/64 or 2001:470:xxxx::/48.