[woody239]

So after trying to setup a simple 2 PC network in Vista using a Linksys switch, I've ran into some problems...Namely, one PC having an outside connection to the internet and the other PC not, while both of us still being able to recognize/share files between each of our PCs with ease. All kinds of steps have been taken here.

Making the networks private, disabling our firewalls, disabling file sharing between each other's PCs (which has to be an irrelevant step, but figured it was something to try...), and of course resetting the modem/switch several times and trying different ports, ethernet cables, just about as much as we could think of.

This is the first time either of us have tried to setup a network using Vista. Oh and BTW, we are using Vista Ultimate. Anyway, after reading some help files, I've thought about installing the NIC card that was given to me when we got our internet hooked up at our new place here and using the ICS feature to network our computers, that is something that Vista gave as a step to do if the user did no wish to purchase any additional hardware.

Anyway, we also have a 1 port Linksys router which used to we would run the switch through the router but since the move haven't had much luck finding the power chord for the router but we haven't looked extremely hard either, we figured it shouldn't be too hard to have both of us connect to the net using just a regular switch.

After doing yet more research, I've found that disabling TCP/IPv6 is something that should be done. Here are a couple of websites I've ran across regarding some registry hacks as far as this goes (sorry, I never really bothered learning HTML and am too lazy/frustrated to look up how to do a direct link to these sites):

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/com...uy/cg0506.mspx

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/com...005.mspx#ENAAC ***

http://www.bluetack.co.uk/forums/ind...ded&show=&st=&


Each one of these sites have steps on making changes to the registry to disable TCP/IPv6 in Vista. Thing is, I haven't done very much registry editing in my time, and when i have it's something that I've either had step by step instructions (even though these are, and i'm getting close, but this edit is a litle more advanced for me) or I would just get one of the programmers at my job to write me a little script to make a quick registry change. I'm just not a fan of programming I guess you could say. Anyway, I've moved and burned some bridges to say the least at my fomer place of employment, but anyways.

Here is my question as far as the registry editing goes. I'm not quite sure what to do when it says change bits 0-5 from 0 to 1 and changing the hex value to 0xFF. When I create the DWORD value of DisabledComponents and edit it, I can change the value data in either hex or decimal, and when I try to change the value to 0xFF with the hex option selected, the letter X is not a valid letter to be entered. I'm familiar with the concept of binary and how it works, but when I go to modify the binary data in regedit, I try changing the values to 1 and I know I'm not doing it properly because I get regedit giving me an error under the Data field in the main regedit window saying it is invalid. I am going to post what the registry change is at the bottom in case any of you guys do not feel like copy/pasting those websites and looking through the instructions which are all really the same anyway.


So, any suggestions on whether I should try to make these changes to disable IPv6 or throw in the extra nic card I have and turn on ICS and network our PCs that way? I've setup so many home networks and small business networks in XP this simple procedure that has turned into a fiasco has given me nothing but a headache and I'm ready to jump out of my window. Also if there is any further details needed as far as specs on our equipment goes feel free to ask...the 2 PCs we are running are as follows:

1st PC - Intel 3.0ghz HT, 1GB RAM, XP SP & Vista Ultimate as OS's (although I do like Vista enough to where I do not want to go back to XP, it's just this network thing that's giving me a headache), onboard Intel(R) PRO/100 VE network card, I couldn't imagine the other specs being relevant but will give them if requested

2nd PC - This one isn't mine but I believe it has an Athlon processor that runs at at the equivalent of 1.7ghz w/1.5GB RAM, also using an onboard NIC but not sure what brand since it isn't my PC, also Vista Ultimate is the only OS on that PC. Any other info needed let me know.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Unlike Windows XP, IPv6 in Windows Vista cannot be uninstalled. To disable IPv6 on a specific connection, you can do the following:
•

In the Network Connections folder, obtain properties of the connection and clear the check box next to the Internet Protocol version 6 (TCP/IPv6) component in the list under This connection uses the following items. This method disables IPv6 on your LAN interfaces and connections, but does not disable IPv6 on tunnel interfaces or the IPv6 loopback interface.

To selectively disable components and configure behaviors for IPv6 in Windows Vista, create and configure the following registry value (DWORD type):
•

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Servic es\tcpip6\Parameters\DisabledComponents

DisabledComponents is set to 0 by default.

The DisabledComponents registry value is a bit mask that controls the following series of flags, starting with the low order bit (Bit 0):
•

Bit 0 Set to 1 to disable all IPv6 tunnel interfaces, including ISATAP, 6to4, and Teredo tunnels. Default value is 0.
•

Bit 1 Set to 1 to disable all 6to4-based interfaces. Default value is 0.
•

Bit 2 Set to 1 to disable all ISATAP-based interfaces. Default value is 0.
•

Bit 3 Set to 1 to disable all Teredo-based interfaces. Default value is 0.
•

Bit 4 Set to 1 to disable IPv6 over all non-tunnel interfaces, including LAN interfaces and Point-to-Point Protocol (PPP)-based interfaces. Default value is 0.
•

Bit 5 Set to 1 to modify the default prefix policy table to prefer IPv4 to IPv6 when attempting connections. Default value is 0. For more information about the prefix policy table, see Source and Destination Address Selection for IPv6, the February 2006 The Cable Guy article.

To determine the value of DisabledComponents for a specific set of bits, construct a binary number consisting of the bits and their values in their correct position and convert the resulting number to hexadecimal. For example, if you want to disable 6to4 interfaces, disable Teredo interfaces, and prefer IPv4 to IPv6, you would construct the following binary number: 101010. When converted to hexadecimal, the value of DisabledComponents is 0x2A.

The following table lists some common configuration combinations and the corresponding value of DisabledComponents.
Configuration combination DisabledComponents value

Disable all tunnel interfaces
-----
0x1

Disable 6to4
-----
0x2

Disable ISATAP
-----
0x4

Disable Teredo
-----
0x8

Disable Teredo and 6to4
-----
0xA

Disable all LAN and PPP interfaces
-----
0x10

Disable all LAN, PPP, and tunnel interfaces
-----
0x11

Prefer IPv4 over IPv6
-----
0x20

Disable IPv6 over all interfaces and prefer IPv4 to IPv6
-----
0xFF

You must restart the computer for the changes to the DisabledComponents registry value to take effect.

[Tipstaff]

I just spent the better part of the evening trying to get a Vista Premium machine, using both wireless (find a network card that would work, another nightmare on it's own), and wired card to STOP FRAKKING MY ROUTER!!

<cough> Sorry about that. Anyways, for some stupid ass reason the Vista machine would lockup the router everytime I either tried to connect to it wirelessly using any one of 3 cards I tried, or using the onboard ethernet card. Sometimes I could connect wirelessly, but if I disconnected the router would lockup. Hard. Each time I connected I noticed that both IPv4 and IPv6 were 'Limited', and that got me thinking the same thing: disable it. First though I decided to switch over to a Linksys VPN wireless router. This time IPv4 fine, but IPv6 was 'Limited'. However, NOT ONE disconnection or lockup.. Then I decided to put back the old router (an SMC 2804WBR), but instead disabled IPv6. Sure enough, no disconnections or lockups. I still have more testing to do (tomorrow), but so far so good.

And Realtek: Either get your Vista drivers F'ing working, or don't put them on your site!

God damn I hate Vista.

Edit: to IvP or IPv... that is the question.

[woody239]

So I want to disable IPv6 using that registry edit but I need a little bit of help with the instructions listed above in the first post. Besides modifying a value from 0 to 1 or something in the registry, I haven't really done any editing in the registry, especially when it says change the value from bit 0 to bit 5 to the value 1. I'm sure I go to edit the binary value but I'm not quite sure exactly which values to change at that point...Not quite sure what a bit is considered when going to edit the DisabledComponents value. I know that is probably a stupid question to a lot of people on the board here but it's just something I've never had to do before. I just need to be pointed in the right direction or given some kind of reference where I could go to find more info on that kind of registry editing or something if any of you guys wouldn't care to help me out. It would be greatly appreciated

[Ferret_Style]

i just disable it from all adaptors using the control panel interface and it increased my speeds. Other then that had 0 problems on my desktop or my laptop even with my xp machines on the same connection. Up to date drivers and firmware really helps i would imagine.

[BWX]

Things like this is why I still use XP and will for a long long time.

[Ferret_Style]

I have to do just as many tweeks to XP to get it how i like it as vista

[woody239]

Yeah, I definitely still have a copy of XP running and will for a long time because of things like this, but for the most part I like Vista, it's just these kind of headaches that make me stay with XP for the majority of the time. I have up to date drivers and firmware for everything and I disabled the IPv6 from the properties on my network card but from what I've read that doesn't actually uninstall it, that registry tweak is the only way to truly disable it, but it's not that big of a deal really, I was more or less just wondering if anyone has done that registry tweak and could give a hand on how to go about changing the bit 0-5 settings to the value 1 after creating the DWORD DisbaledComponents in the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Servic es\tcpip6\Parameters
location in the registry.

After reading the help in Vista, I think I'm going to put another NIC card I have laying around and enable ICS and see if I can get both of the PCs connected to the internet using that method. I kind of doubt that will work but according to what I've read in the Vista help it's a way to create a simple home network in Vista without having to have any additional hardware like a switch or router (even though I have both) to connect multiple PCs to the internet. So I guess we'll see how that works out.

These kind of problems with Vista are headaches in a way, but in a way I have fun tweaking Vista to make it work the way I want & need it to, the same kind of way it was with XP when it first came out. Guess I'm just kind of a dork in that sense. I will be keeping XP however, there's still too many little nuances with Vista for anyone to completely ditch XP quite yet IMO.