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An Internet Protocol (IP) network node attempts to establish and maintain connectivity to both the Internet Protocol version 4 (IPv4) and Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6) networks on initialization of one of the operating system and a program application. The IP node includes program instructions for determining IP addresses of all network interfaces associated with the node; program instructions for identifying all usable Internet protocols available on the node; program instructions for determining whether one of IPv4 and IPv6 are usable for communications with other IP nodes; and program instructions for establishing a tunnel through one of the IPv4 and IPv6 networks to a gateway for the other of IPv4 an IPv6 networks if the program instructions determine that either one of the IPv4 and IPv6 networks are not usable for communications with the other IP nodes.