Overview
Box will now support customer access via Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6) addresses. This will benefit customers that have upgraded to IPv6 for security, as well as US government customers who are required to transition to IPv6 in accordance with the federal mandate. Box also supports dual stack operations (i.e., access via IPv4 and IPv6 in parallel). Note that some of your devices (e.g., most of modern smartphones) could have IPv6 enabled by default, and it will be preferred over IPv4 when connecting to Box.
Why are we doing this?
IPv6 has seen large adoption in the last five years.
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Address abundance: IPv4 provides a limited number of unique addresses for global device use, while IPv6, with its 128-bit structure, offers 340 undecillion IP addresses. This ensures an ample address space.
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Security: IPv6 supports end-to-end encryption and integrity-checking for enhanced security.
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End-to-end transparency: IPv6 removes the need for conservation measures like multiple levels of NATs (network address translators), promoting transparent connectivity, streamlined troubleshooting, and easier tracking of illicit activities.
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Ease of management: The management of IPv6 networks is simplified with flatter architectures, fostering scalability, flexibility, and overall efficiency.
Do I need to do anything?
Box will support both IPv4 and IPv6 versions of the protocol going forward. Some devices (e.g., smartphones) have IPv6 enabled by default, and that means that it will be preferred over IPv4 when connecting to Box. If a device only supports IPv4, then IPv4 will be used to connect to Box. Also, if you are using the Box IP Allowlist, please contact Box Support to make sure it is set up correctly.
How to connect to Box using IPv6?
If you wish to connect to Box using IPv6, you need to make sure it is appropriately configured in your environment. There are multiple areas to consider, including your ISP support for IPv6, VPN configuration, firewall configuration, and even the configuration of your computer. You can use websites like https://ipv6-test.com/ and https://ipv6.google.com/ to test your readiness for IPv6 connectivity.