IPv6 disappeared on CommunityFibre after rebooting pfSense..

Have had my CF connection for around 4 years now, been rock solid from day 1, apart from IPv6 not working, but was sorted with intervention from CF a month after installation. Really good bloke from their actual networks team helped and didn't give me the usual "use the Linksys" rubbish.

Fast forward to now, I've had to reboot my pfSense router twice in a couple of hours (process of swapping out a UPS, and then realising it needed the dust blown out of it). First reboot, IPv6 comes back with the same prefix, IPv4 doesn't connect properly for a couple of minutes but then fine. Second reboot, v4 fine, v6 nowhere to be seen. No settings were changed, everything is exactly as it is. I've tried all sorts of combinations of power cycling the ONT, letting pfSense come up then turning on the ONT, vice versa etc. Nothing.

No other routers have been connected to the line in the last year and a half at least, so doubt it would be something to do with their end not assigning DHCP properly on the line. I've also rebooted after 48 hours as well as after 7 days in case DHCP6 is holding onto a stale lease on their end. Nothing.

Anyone have any advice/troubleshooting steps that could help? I have another property with the basic 20Mb CFL CGNAT service, and the v6 comes up fine (admittedly, using a MikroTik hEX) but this one is a nightmare. The usual settings are applied, DHCP6 as method, send prefix hint at /56, do not wait for an RA. No prefix is ever assigned.

Worth also mentioning that it's a legacy 1G symmetrical package without CGNAT. CFL support has become horrific - have tried emailing but no response, despite getting confirmations they've recieved my message through their contact form.

I would make sure that the MAC Address being used for both DHCP Client for both IPv4 and IPv6 are the same. CFL uses MAC Addresses to issue your IP, so they need to match.

I use a MikroTik CCR2004-1G-12S+2XS Router and MikroTik CRS326-24S+2Q+RM + Mikrotik CSS326-24G-2S+RM Switches (yes I know its OP) but it works fine on the 2.5Gbit connection we have here. But I did notice that when I first renewed my old 1Gbit with them that I lost my Public IP (sticky IP) and IPv6 was hit and miss and that I was put on CGNAT.

So I upgraded to their 2.5 Gbps Premium WiFi Package to get that Public IP back, once again had issues with IPv6 where my Routers DHCPv6 Client was failing to get a response. And after a day of just waiting I just dug into testing stuff on my Router, where I then saw that the MAC being used for IPv6 was different (may have been due to copying settings from my old router that was used on 1Gbit that had a different MAC so I reset the MAC for the WAN Port for IPV6 and it just popped up.

I know that you said no setting had been changed, but might be worth checking the MAC.
Also try booting both up without the WAN cable in, then once both are fully booted then plug in that cable. CFL Network can be fussy sometimes.

Also just a heads up that when you renew next if you stay on the 1Gbit Package you will be put on CGNAT. I found out the hard way when the sales person lied to me when I asked about 4 times on the phone if I would lose my Public IP when renewing and they said no 4 times.

That was the only bad issue that I have had with CFL in the 4 years being with them, now in the 5th year (2nd renewal) I would phone them up and speak to their Tech Support Team. Hopefully you get a person that knows their job.

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Paul

Cheers Paul - I managed to get through to someone who was actually useful! They sorted it out with a "reactivation"/"reprovision" - ONT lost both v4 and v6, and then came back all working! pfSense doesn't separate MAC for v4/v6 the same way ROS does (it's interface bound) but was one of the first things I checked.

Aware re renewal pushing onto CGNAT. In a way, it wouldn't be a big deal as I have the AAISP L2TP service so could just use CFL as carrier only, and route everything via AAISP - but, truthfully, I can't be bothered changing things right now...

Probably will be moving to an area that doesn't have CFL, so don't want to commit to a contract! Will likely move my parents into the property and regrade at that point to 150Mbit on CFL.

OR FTTP has rolled out to the bit of Manor Park served by the Upton Park exchange, so that's an option too, albeit without symmetrical speed.