Fixed IP on Vodafone mobile?

[Highland Mule]

Trying to set up my lambing camera, which is a Swann unit with pan, tilt etc. and want to run it over the Vodafone 4G this year, rather than the very slow BT broadband. Trouble is that the camera lasts a day or two and then will fall over, requiring reset etc, which is a ball ache.

I think that the problem may be due to Vodfone not giving me a fixed IP address or something, but I have reached the limit of my understanding. Is there anything that can be done?

 

[Pheasant Surprise]

Have you contacted Swann technical support or checked the support section of their website? That would be my first port of call. Make sure their remote viewing capability fully suppports the internet connnection method of the camera that you have.

If you are trying to remotely access a camera that is 3G or 4G internet connected, it can be trickier than a regular (cabled) broadband connection. This is due to the way mobile broadband networks are structured. Fixed or dynamic public IP address are part of it, but it’s ususlly more complicated with a mobile broadband service.

Some systems and cameras are specifically set to deal with this - they can create a secure tunnel connection from your camera back to your remote phone - automatically and without you realising it. This can overcome obstacles such as mobile broadband connections, dynamic IP addresses at the host (camera) etc. But it’s very much down to what the camera (or system) vendor supports.

 

[Notquiteretired]

Is it a router with 4G SIM? Check if the router supports Dynamic DNS
Eg. https://www.noip.com/free

 

[Pheasant Surprise]

Is it a router with 4G SIM? Check if the router supports Dynamic DNS
Eg. https://www.noip.com/free

Unfortuately DDNS won’t always work with the way mobile broadband network handle IP addressing. Been there with both EE and Voda and got the T-shirt.

A lot of 4G networks now use two layers of NAT (also known as double NAT or carrier grade NAT or CGNAT) due to the scarcity of IPv4 addresses. This means the public IP address the router sees is not the “real” public IP address. Your real public IP address is actually shared with multiple other wireless subscribers on the network.

This link probably explains it better:
http://www.4gsupport.co.uk/ddns-over-4g/

Most really ‘robust’ commercial devices like smart thermostats, doorbells etc that require a remote connection basically use variations of reverse SSH tunnel which is able to provide a secure remote connection over most types of broadband connections including traditional wired/DSL/cable as well as wireless broadband connections. DDNS just isn’t reliable enough these days with wireless connections.

 

[Highland Mule]

Have you contacted Swann technical support or checked the support section of their website? That would be my first port of call.

Not yet - but now I have an idea what to ask, I will do.

Is it a router with 4G SIM? Check if the router supports Dynamic DNS
Eg. https://www.noip.com/free

Will do - away from home this week, but will get a look at the weekend. But yes, it's a router with 4G card, and both wired and wireless output.

Unfortuately DDNS won’t always work with the way mobile broadband network handle IP addressing. Been there with both EE and Voda and got the T-shirt.

A lot of 4G networks now use two layers of NAT (also known as double NAT or carrier grade NAT or CGNAT) due to the scarcity of IPv4 addresses. This means the public IP address the router sees is not the “real” public IP address. Your real public IP address is actually shared with multiple other wireless subscribers on the network.

This link probably explains it better:
http://www.4gsupport.co.uk/ddns-over-4g/

Most really ‘robust’ commercial devices like smart thermostats, doorbells etc that require a remote connection basically use variations of reverse SSH tunnel which is able to provide a secure remote connection over most types of broadband connections including traditional wired/DSL/cable as well as wireless broadband connections. DDNS just isn’t reliable enough these days with wireless connections.

Many thanks - will do my research on that. Can always go back to BT, but the 4G gives a much better picture, when running.

 

[MissSteak]

Ooh high techy techy.

 

[rollestonpark]

I think EE offer 4G SIM with a fixed static Public IP these days, however it's not a cheap way to go. If you can use the broadband, would be way cheaper.
Chris

 

[Pheasant Surprise]

I think EE offer 4G SIM with a fixed static Public IP these days, however it's not a cheap way to go. If you can use the broadband, would be way cheaper.
Chris

They don’t and can’t unfortunately, without going to someone like Wireless Logic.

 

[rollestonpark]

https://www.4gon.co.uk/ee-blank-4g-sim-card-p-6884.html
so what this? that their offrering?

 

[Pheasant Surprise]

https://www.4gon.co.uk/ee-blank-4g-sim-card-p-6884.html
so what this? that their offrering?

Sure EE is the carrier, but you won’t be contracted to them/can’t get this via EE themselves. Hence my reference to WL.

These types of services are offered by third party company operators that host the private/public IPs on either their own or (for some coins) your own APN.

For what it’s worth, you can achieve similar with other “base” carriers such as Vodafone or o2/Telefonica but as a little guy (I’m assuming your not a Telco) then you buy/contract via a 3rd party.

 

[Ukjay]

Would a dynamic host help here?

 

[Pheasant Surprise]

Would a dynamic host help here?

Not on 4G, because the network connection is generally double NATed. Have a google of “CGNAT” or Carier Grade NAT if you want the ins and outs.

Therefore there’s no way for a dynamic DNS service to resolve the ‘internal’ IP address of the SIM.

The only way is to purchase an agreement with a third party machine-2-machine hosting provider that offers either private or public fixed IP address SIMs but they are comparably expensive on rental and data usage compared to a bog standard consumer grade SIM. Unless of course you have a “fleet” of SIMs and you negotiate a bespoke contract.

 

[rollestonpark]

As usual the mobile network completely sucks.
They talk about 5G etc... blah blah blah etc.
I'd settle for just 1 network where even 2G actually worked properly.

 

[Pheasant Surprise]

As usual the mobile network completely sucks.
They talk about 5G etc... blah blah blah etc.
I'd settle for just 1 network where even 2G actually worked properly.

The networks overpaid for their 3G licenses (at least the exchequer benefited, but it was the crazy noughties) and then once implemented it was an overblown disappointment anyway.

4G on the other hand has been outstanding! It is superb. Absolutely brilliant.

When our local masts were upgraded at end of 2013 to support it, not too long after I bought a (then) newfangled 4G router - that was near enough 5 years ago now.

Well that enabled me to dump that heap of sh!t copper line and I’ve not looked back since. Now 9 months and counting into getting a FTTP connection. It better be f**king good because the 4G has been brilliant.