So I was looking into getting port forwarding set up and I realized just how closed-off the internet has gotten since the early days. It’s concerning. It used to be you would buy your own router and connect it to the internet, and that router would control port-forwarding and what-have-you.
Now, your ISP provides your router, which runs their firmware, which (in my case) doesn’t even have the option to enable port forwarding.
It gets worse - because ISPs are choosing NATs over IPv6, so even if you install a custom firmware on your router without it getting blacklisted by your ISP, you still can’t expose your server to the internet because the NAT refuses to forward traffic your way. They even devise special NAT schemes like symmetric NAT to thwart hole punching.
Basically this all means that I have to purchase my web hosting separately. Or relay all the traffic through an unnecessary third party, introducing a point of failure.
It’s frustrating.
I like to control my stuff. I don’t like to depend on other people or be in a position where I have to trust someone not to fuck with my shit. Like, if the only thing outside my apartment that mattered to my website was a DNS record, I’d be really happy with that.
Edit: TIL ISPs in the US don’t have NATs
Edit 2: OMG so much advice. My knowledge about computers is SO clearly outdated, I have a lot of things to read up on.
Edit 3: There’s definitely a CGNAT involved since the WAN ip in the router config is not the same as the one I get when I use a website that echos my IP address. Far as I can tell my devices don’t get unique IPv6 addresses either. (funnily enough, if I check my IP address on my phone using roaming data, there’s no IPv6 address at all). It’s a router/modem combo, at least I think since there’s only one device in my apartment (maybe there’s a modem managing the whole complex or something?). And it doesn’t have a bridge mode, except for OTT. Might try plugging my own router into it, but it feels like a waste of time and money from what I’m seeing. Probably best to just host services over a VPN or smth.
Edit 4: Devices do get unique IPv6 addresses, but it’s moot since I can’t do anything but ping them. I guess it wouldn’t be port forwarding but something else that I would have to do that my router doesn’t support
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Yes CGNAT is used quite a lot, but consider 95% of customers don’t care what their public address is and that “saves” the carrier address space.
We are the 5% that do care and if you call your ISP they likely have an option to exclude you from cgn and get an actual public IP.
And this is why I’m unlikely to change isp. I have a /29 ipv4 block and /48 ipv6 block. No extra charge. Grandfathered features from over a decade ago.
HOLY SHIT YOU HAVE A /29 IPV4 BLOCK???
That’s like having a change jar with copper pennies or something, nice
Yep. The ISP doesn’t offer it any more. They stopped, I think when RIPE officially “ran out” of new net blocks. But I’ve moved address twice so far and have kept the allocation. Well, on the last move they messed up and gave new a new single IP. I complained, and they asked why it matters so much to have my old IP. I pointed out I had a netblock, and they fixed it up pretty quickly.
Pretty soon, full fibre will be in my area and available on the same ISP. So, hoping for a smooth transition to keep it for a bit longer.
How does it feel hoarding IPs from 7 other people who want one?
You can’t get your own router?
You can. But it then has to route through their modem+router single piece unit.
E.g. I have my own router which handles everything I need. But I switched ISPs recently to save 70$ per month, and the new company router has parts of its functionality, like turning off the wifi, built into their smartphone app and disabled in the admin panel.
Also the username and password for the unit is, by default, admin/admin. In 2023.
Sounds like a (somehow even more) shit isp. I just tapped the “bring my own” when I signed up, and bought myself a modem/router combo at best buy.
Apologies if you’ve answered this elsewhere but I’m assuming there’s a reason you haven’t bought your own router?
i repeatedly petitioned our landlord (once a year) to allow an alternative isp to hook up to the building, and he eventually was so pissed from my requests that he threatened to press charges against me personally if the electrical box were ever opened
My internet is included in rent. Which is convenient for day-to-day use but gives me less capacity for customization. Like, I admit it, the system works really well for normal people, I’m just a weirdo who likes tinkering with technology, hosting websites, and whatnot
“My food is included in rent. Which is convenient for day-to-day eating but gives me less capacity for cooking my own meals. Like, I admit it, the system works really well for normal people, I’m just a weirdo who likes tinkering with recipes, hosting dinner parties, and whatnot”
There, I highlighted the absurdity even more for you. You’re not a wierdo, you’re a tech-chef.
In the US and I use my own personal modem and router. Renting their equipment is optional.
Can you recommend a good router that isn’t extremely expensive?
I did some research about a year ago and started using a router recommended by both random users and reviewers (TP-Link Archer AX-3000 I think) only to quickly find out it had a bad QoS implementation which broke applications sending IP packets with certain DSCP values (SSH by default, Mumble, VoWiFi on an iPhone, WhatsApp calls) so I switched back to an ISP provided router unfortunately. When I talked to TP-Link support they sent me firmware which would have allowed them to connect to my router using telent (absolutely insane IMO, especially since other users also complained about this issue).
Further research showed that many consumer-level routers have these kinds of issues, so I’m reluctant to try this again.
Roll your own
Yeah, as soon as I read the second paragraph my thought was “buy your own router”. Problem solved.
I bought my own cable modem and router for less than what my ISP would charge to rent them to me. They control nothing on my end.
