Static IP Address on a Vodafone 3G data card?

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redjet

299 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 1

#22858 10-Jun-2008 15:47

Hi all,

Does anyone know if this is possible? I require a static IP Address when I'm travelling in order to access a secure server but my Vodafone 3G card has dynamic IP allocation. It's a Merlin XU870 express card.

Thought I'd check here first before calling Vodafone.

Thanks in advance.

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eXDee

4033 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 1070

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#137063 10-Jun-2008 16:29

Can you use a domain instead?
no-ip.org
dyndns.org

jree

13 posts

Geek

#137066 10-Jun-2008 16:47

I dont believe vfnz assign static ips for public apn's (www, internet)

What about a vpn from your mobile device?

redjet

299 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 1

#137072 10-Jun-2008 17:02

Yeah VPN is my only real option if I can't get a static IP Address. Only problem is that at the other end they charge an arm and a leg for VPN access but don't charge anything to restrict access to static IP Addresses.

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cisconz

cisconz
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#137082 10-Jun-2008 17:24

I have tried to get one to no avail, How I got aroud this was I had a VPN to my server at home.
I routed all traffic via this VPN then had the rules setup to allow my server's static IP address.

Hmmmm

redjet

299 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 1

#137128 10-Jun-2008 19:34

cisconz: I have tried to get one to no avail, How I got aroud this was I had a VPN to my server at home.
I routed all traffic via this VPN then had the rules setup to allow my server's static IP address.

Cheers for that - I think it's my only solution so will try the same.

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Kemyst

23 posts

Geek

#139055 18-Jun-2008 20:41

Due to the way mobile networks allocate IP addresses. its really difficult to route static IP addresses. When you connect, you can end up on any GGSN access router in the network due to the way APN's are routed. That means its really hard for your static IP address to follow you around. In the fixed/DSL world, its a lot easier, as your connection always turns up on the same BRAS access router. There are some new access routers coming to Vodafone later this year that can do a lot more stuff, so maybe it will be possible then. For the time being, static IP addresses are not going to fly.

For a reasonably large amount of money you can buy a private VPN service from Voda with an IPSec tunnel back to any static IP host. However, that's not a whole lot of point when you could just IPSec VPN from your 3G card back to the same place.

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pressF1

77 posts

Master Geek

#139066 18-Jun-2008 21:19

Kemyst: Due to the way mobile networks allocate IP addresses. its really difficult to route static IP addresses. When you connect, you can end up on any GGSN access router in the network due to the way APN's are routed. That means its really hard for your static IP address to follow you around. In the fixed/DSL world, its a lot easier, as your connection always turns up on the same BRAS access router. There are some new access routers coming to Vodafone later this year that can do a lot more stuff, so maybe it will be possible then. For the time being, static IP addresses are not going to fly.

For a reasonably large amount of money you can buy a private VPN service from Voda with an IPSec tunnel back to any static IP host. However, that's not a whole lot of point when you could just IPSec VPN from your 3G card back to the same place.

Please take this with a grain of salt as it is what I was told (as opposed to it being represented as fact)

Static IP address are not allowed on devices which are not fixed (in other words if it aint on a fixed DSL/copper/cable/fibre line then you can't have a fixed IP address). I had a client who wanted to use Cisco's WWAN cards for failover backup on their one office network, but their security requirements meant they had to have static IP's, I simply could not get them allocated because of the reason above.

Now if this is total BS, then my apologies and I shall go and kick some backsides at the office

I no nothing!!

jree

13 posts

Geek

#139092 18-Jun-2008 23:38

Please take this with a grain of salt as it is what I was told (as opposed to it being represented as fact)

Static IP address are not allowed on devices which are not fixed (in other words if it aint on a fixed DSL/copper/cable/fibre line then you can't have a fixed IP address). I had a client who wanted to use Cisco's WWAN cards for failover backup on their one office network, but their security requirements meant they had to have static IP's, I simply could not get them allocated because of the reason above.

Now if this is total BS, then my apologies and I shall go and kick some backsides at the office

You dont need fixed infrastructure for statics.
All you really need is a central point of address allocation (radius, dhcp, hlr).

In saying that...Your running into the problem that this thread is about.
If you are using WWAN cards (i'm assuming GSM ones) over a public apn then you're WWAN card/s at each site will get a dynamic address each time it connects... this is obviously problematic as no site will know the address of its peers, so I can see the point of their requirement.

You could solve this by having a private apn with mobile to mobile connectivty allowed and static ip's, however as kemyst said earlier this will cost $$... the point is it can be done.

Chrs J