Symptoms
Consider the following scenario:
-
You start a Windows 8.1 tablet and connect to a mobile broadband connection by using Internet Protocol Version 6 (IPv6).
-
You set Airplane mode to ON and then set it back to OFF after 10–15 seconds.
-
You reconnect to the mobile broadband network.
In this scenario, the mobile broadband connection is disconnected after several seconds, and you have to reconnect in order to reactivate the connection.
Cause
This problem occurs because Windows 8.1 uses the previous unicast IPv6 address for a short time when the mobile broadband connection is initiated. Windows tries to use the previously assigned IP addresses so that existing applications with active TCP connections don't experience aren't disconnected from the network after a transient connection loss over a wired or wireless network. However, some 3GPP networks require the device to wait for a new IPv6 subnet ID from a router advertisement in order to form a new IPv6 unicast address whenever the mobile broadband connection is activated.
Resolution
Hotfix information
A supported hotfix is available from Microsoft Support. However, this hotfix is intended to correct only the problem that is described in this article. Apply this hotfix only to systems that are experiencing the problem described in this article. This hotfix might receive additional testing. Therefore, if you are not severely affected by this problem, we recommend that you wait for the next software update that contains this hotfix.
If the hotfix is available for download, there is a "Hotfix download available" section at the top of this Knowledge Base article. If this section does not appear, contact Microsoft Customer Service and Support to obtain the hotfix. Note If additional issues occur or if any troubleshooting is required, you might have to create a separate service request. The usual support costs will apply to additional support questions and issues that do not qualify for this specific hotfix. For a complete list of Microsoft Customer Service and Support telephone numbers or to create a separate service request, go to the following Microsoft website:http://support.microsoft.com/contactus/?ws=supportNote The "Hotfix download available" form displays the languages for which the hotfix is available. If you do not see your language, it is because a hotfix is not available for that language.
Prerequisites
To apply this update, you must first have update 2919355 installed in Windows 8.1 or Windows Server 2012 R2.
Restart requirement
You must restart the computer after you apply this hotfix.
Hotfix replacement information
This hotfix does not replace any previously released hotfix.
The English (United States) version of this hotfix installs files that have the attributes that are listed in the following tables. The dates and the times for these files are listed in Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). The dates and the times for these files on your local computer are displayed in your local time together with your current daylight saving time (DST) bias. Additionally, the dates and the times may change when you perform certain operations on the files.
Windows 8.1 and Windows Server 2012 R2 file information and notesImportant Windows 8.1 and Windows Server 2012 R2 hotfixes are included in the same packages. However, only "Windows 8.1" is listed on the Hotfix Request page. To request the hotfix package that applies to one or both operating systems, select the hotfix that is listed under "Windows 8.1" on the page. Always refer to the "Applies To" section in articles to determine the actual operating system that each hotfix applies to.
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The files that apply to a specific product, milestone (RTM, SPn), and service branch (LDR, GDR) can be identified by examining the file version numbers as shown in the following table.
Version
Product
Milestone
Service branch
6.3.960 0.17 xxx
Windows 8.1 and Windows Server 2012 R2
RTM
GDR
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The MANIFEST files (.manifest) and the MUM files (.mum) that are installed for each environment are listed separately in the "Additional file information for Windows 8.1 and Windows Server 2012 R2" section. MUM and MANIFEST files, and the associated security catalog (.cat) files, are extremely important to maintain the state of the updated components. The security catalog files, for which the attributes are not listed, are signed with a Microsoft digital signature.
For all supported x86-based versions of Windows 8.1
File name |
File version |
File size |
Date |
Time |
Platform |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Fwpkclnt.sys |
6.3.9600.17278 |
286,528 |
16-Aug-2014 |
03:03 |
x86 |
Tcpip.sys |
6.3.9600.17343 |
1,858,368 |
16-Sep-2014 |
02:28 |
x86 |
For all supported x64-based versions of Windows 8.1 and Windows Server 2012 R2
File name |
File version |
File size |
Date |
Time |
Platform |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Fwpkclnt.sys |
6.3.9600.17278 |
428,864 |
16-Aug-2014 |
03:57 |
x64 |
Tcpip.sys |
6.3.9600.17343 |
2,497,856 |
16-Sep-2014 |
03:12 |
x64 |
Additional file information for Windows 8.1 and Windows Server 2012 R2
Additional files for all supported x86-based versions of Windows 8.1
File name |
Package_1_for_kb2992405~31bf3856ad364e35~x86~~6.3.1.0.mum |
File version |
Not Applicable |
File size |
1,837 |
Date (UTC) |
16-Sep-2014 |
Time (UTC) |
12:03 |
File name |
Package_2_for_kb2992405~31bf3856ad364e35~x86~~6.3.1.0.mum |
File version |
Not Applicable |
File size |
2,057 |
Date (UTC) |
16-Sep-2014 |
Time (UTC) |
12:03 |
File name |
Package_3_for_kb2992405~31bf3856ad364e35~x86~~6.3.1.0.mum |
File version |
Not Applicable |
File size |
1,837 |
Date (UTC) |
16-Sep-2014 |
Time (UTC) |
12:03 |
File name |
Package_for_kb2992405_rtm_gm~31bf3856ad364e35~x86~~6.3.1.0.mum |
File version |
Not Applicable |
File size |
1,957 |
Date (UTC) |
16-Sep-2014 |
Time (UTC) |
12:03 |
File name |
Package_for_kb2992405_rtm~31bf3856ad364e35~x86~~6.3.1.0.mum |
File version |
Not Applicable |
File size |
1,476 |
Date (UTC) |
16-Sep-2014 |
Time (UTC) |
12:03 |
File name |
X86_3a1843f478ed0933bfea931f5f37d1f3_31bf3856ad364e35_6.3.9600.17343_none_50432085ad73d6b4.manifest |
File version |
Not Applicable |
File size |
702 |
Date (UTC) |
16-Sep-2014 |
Time (UTC) |
12:03 |
File name |
X86_microsoft-windows-tcpip-binaries_31bf3856ad364e35_6.3.9600.17343_none_47e7ff7781e066ba.manifest |
File version |
Not Applicable |
File size |
3,883 |
Date (UTC) |
16-Sep-2014 |
Time (UTC) |
12:03 |
Additional files for all supported x64-based versions of Windows 8.1 and Windows Server 2012 R2
File name |
Amd64_e9eb51484cb3550e31cf0f8d15bc0aa5_31bf3856ad364e35_6.3.9600.17343_none_827fa87812f5aaca.manifest |
File version |
Not Applicable |
File size |
706 |
Date (UTC) |
16-Sep-2014 |
Time (UTC) |
12:06 |
File name |
Amd64_microsoft-windows-tcpip-binaries_31bf3856ad364e35_6.3.9600.17343_none_a4069afb3a3dd7f0.manifest |
File version |
Not Applicable |
File size |
3,887 |
Date (UTC) |
16-Sep-2014 |
Time (UTC) |
12:06 |
File name |
Package_1_for_kb2992405~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~~6.3.1.0.mum |
File version |
Not Applicable |
File size |
1,847 |
Date (UTC) |
16-Sep-2014 |
Time (UTC) |
12:06 |
File name |
Package_2_for_kb2992405~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~~6.3.1.0.mum |
File version |
Not Applicable |
File size |
2,291 |
Date (UTC) |
16-Sep-2014 |
Time (UTC) |
12:06 |
File name |
Package_3_for_kb2992405~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~~6.3.1.0.mum |
File version |
Not Applicable |
File size |
1,847 |
Date (UTC) |
16-Sep-2014 |
Time (UTC) |
12:06 |
File name |
Package_for_kb2992405_rtm_gm~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~~6.3.1.0.mum |
File version |
Not Applicable |
File size |
1,969 |
Date (UTC) |
16-Sep-2014 |
Time (UTC) |
12:06 |
File name |
Package_for_kb2992405_rtm~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~~6.3.1.0.mum |
File version |
Not Applicable |
File size |
1,484 |
Date (UTC) |
16-Sep-2014 |
Time (UTC) |
12:06 |
Status
Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed in the "Applies to" section.
More Information
When Windows 8.1 leaves Airplane mode, it uses the previous IPv6 address over the mobile broadband connection because the address still has a valid lifetime. However, RFC 6459 indicates that 3GPP devices should not use the IPv6 address following a layer 2 connection drop and should instead wait for the IPv6 router to provide a new IPv6 subnet address. Because Windows 8.1 does not support this behavior over a 3GPP connection, the mobile broadband network disconnects Windows when it tries to use the old IPv6 address. Therefore, the user must manually reactivate the mobile broadband interface in order to reconnect to the mobile broadband network. This special IPv6 requirement for 3GPP mobile broadband connections is described in Section 5.2 of RFC6459 (IPv6 in 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP)). This RFC also indicates that an "old" IPv6 Unicast prefix should be timed out after a Level-2 connection failure, even if the Router Advertisement lifetime for the prefix is still active. However, Windows 8.1 does currently not support this RFC guidance.
References
Learn about the terminology that Microsoft uses to describe software updates.