---
title: "How to disable IPv6 on Linux? | Nordlayer Help"
slug: "how-to-disable-ipv6-on-linux"
status: "update"
updated: 2026-09-08T13:48:17Z
published: 2026-09-08T13:48:17Z
canonical: "help.nordlayer.com/how-to-disable-ipv6-on-linux"
---

> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://help.nordlayer.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# How to disable IPv6 on Linux?

In most cases you no longer need to disable IPv6 manually. While connected, the NordLayer application automatically blocks IPv6 traffic to prevent leaks, and restores it again when you disconnect. The steps below are only needed if you want to disable IPv6 system-wide for troubleshooting or to satisfy a specific requirement of your own.

IPv6 is the newer version of the Internet Protocol used to address devices on a network. On some setups, leftover IPv6 configuration can interfere with VPN routing or cause traffic to bypass the tunnel — known as an IPv6 leak. NordLayer handles this for you automatically while connected, but if you would still prefer to turn IPv6 off across your whole system, this guide shows how to do it on a Linux operating system.

1. Open the Terminal using the `Ctrl+Alt+T` keyboard shortcut and enter:

```
sudo nano /etc/sysctl.conf
```

This opens the `sysctl.conf` file.

1. Scroll to the bottom of the file and add these lines:

```
net.ipv6.conf.all.disable_ipv6 = 1
net.ipv6.conf.default.disable_ipv6 = 1
net.ipv6.conf.lo.disable_ipv6 = 1
```

Save the changes by pressing `Ctrl+O`, then exit with `Ctrl+X`.

1. Apply the changes:

```
sudo sysctl -p
```

1. Check the status of IPv6:

```
sudo cat /proc/sys/net/ipv6/conf/all/disable_ipv6
```

If the reply is `1`, IPv6 is disabled on your device.

> If you previously added a line for a specific VPN interface (for example `net.ipv6.conf.tun0.disable_ipv6`), note that the NordLayer interfaces are now `nlx0` (NordLynx) and `ovpn0` (OpenVPN). Disabling IPv6 on the interfaces above (`all`/`default`) already covers them.

---

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