Tracking 3G public IP - How?

[xplicet]

I have a rather large scale requirment that needs remote users to connect to a device hosted on a 3g router.

Example A user on an ADSL or other 3G connections needs to type in a IP address/dyndns address in a browser to connect to a device connected to the Host 3G router.

Problem is that MTN cannot offer me fixed IP's. With ADSL i just use a dyndns service to track the IP but the problem i have is that the 3G routers i will use will be moved around daily, sometimes multiple times in a day meaning the are recconecting and therefore changing IP's.

The only solution i can think of is to have MTN inform me of the re-connection IP via SMS/email so that we no what address to use to connect to again. Dunno if they can do this?

Has any one got any idea's?

P.S There will be no PC's connected to the 3G router, just an IP type appliance that we need to connect to.

 

[w1z4rd]

You are going to have to ask for a rout-able IP. Not sure why the cell networks have this fetish for one IP.

 

[xplicet]

how will this "Routable IP" work? They will update me on IP changes? Or give me a list of address?

 

[Gambit]

You are going to have to ask for a rout-able IP. Not sure why the cell networks have this fetish for one IP.

I reckon they use NAT because they would literally need millions of ip addresses for all the phones that have gprs/3g capability.

 

[TeleGuru]

Solution Exists

Hi There

There is an existing slution for your problem. I only know the detail on how to get this working on Vodacom, although I do remember MTN having similar solutions.

Anyway, here goes:
1.) You need a Public IP Address to be assigned to the 3G Modem. The default setting used my both MTN and Vodacom is, to use the "internet" APN which assigns a Private 10.x.x.x IP address to your 3G modem. This address is obviously a NATed address, and is therefore not addressable from the internet.
Vodacom has an additional APN called "unrestricted" for which you have to apply first (See http://www.vodacom.co.za/services/unrestricted_apn/unrestricted_apn.jsp). Once you have been granted access, you will be assigned a Public IP address every time you connect using 3G.

2.) Combine this with a DynDNS Update utility, you should have what you need. I'm currently running this solution using the new Billion 7300GX ADSL/3G Modem, and a Vodafone Huawei E620 PCMCIA Card. It works like a charm!

Hope this helps.

Cheers

 

[xplicet]

Excellent, thanks guys!! Ecpecially thank you Teleguru!