Unrestricted APN

Do you want/need an APN that allows connections initiated from outside the APN?

  • No thanks, no idea what this means - don't think it applies to me

    Votes: 17 8.5%

  • No thanks, I know what it means and I will never need it

    Votes: 15 7.5%

  • Yes please, for [desktop or other] remote support

    Votes: 110 55.3%

  • Yes please, for hosting

    Votes: 61 30.7%

  • Yes please, for some other reason explained in my post in the thread

    Votes: 27 13.6%

  • I clicked a 'Yes' option above, and am prepared to accept the risk of being hacked

    Votes: 93 46.7%

  • I clicked a 'Yes' option above, and am NOT prepared to accept the risk of being hacked

    Votes: 6 3.0%
  • Total voters
    199
FarligOpptreden said:
OK, downloaded and it's pretty cool. Used the USSD interface but got the response for 3G 3.6 to contact the service provider to enable it... :rolleyes: So I gotta phone Vodacom now? 155?

EDIT: Done via Vodacom4me.co.za... Does it really take 24 hours to activate? Sheesh...
Click to expand...

Not normally, the 24-hours is a standard disclaimer. Should be minutes.
 
Correct me if I'm wrong, but ... a problem with this "unrestricted" APN is that somebody / something may latch onto your connection and send you tons and tons of rubbish data, which you will then be paying for, whereas, on the normal "Internet" APN, Voda would block the rubbish before it gets to you.
 
stoke said:
Correct me if I'm wrong, but ... a problem with this "unrestricted" APN is that somebody / something may latch onto your connection and send you tons and tons of rubbish data, which you will then be paying for, whereas, on the normal "Internet" APN, Voda would block the rubbish before it gets to you.
Click to expand...

The unrestricted APN in essence places you in the same boat as ADSL users. Any unsolicited connections like ports scans will reach your machine and generate traffic. This is why Vodacom makes you sign a disclaimer in order to active the unrestricted APN and why it is a good idea to have a solid firewall and anti-virus software.
 
Update: Well, the activation was indeed within minutes as V3G said. I actually achieved a download peak of 2.89mbps at one point! :D

Still have to put the new speed through its paces, but so far I'm pretty impressed... Now I need to get my hands on an HSUPA modem to try out the 1.4mbps upload.
 
Last edited:
When I used the unrestricted APN, I used to get a message from Kaspersky about something called a Helkern or some hacker attack... so I can confirm 100% that I get funny messages when all the ports are opened. I wouldn't do it.
 
Hi All,

Firstly I know there is another Unrestricted APN thread but it is very old and long. That is why I created this new one.

I need Unrestricted APN for online gaming. My question is does Telkom ADSL also block all incoming ports and you have to apply for an Unrestricted APN for Telkom ADSL? Why is the APN different between ADSL and HSDPA ? Is Vcom 3G more safer by default than Telkom ADSL because of this ?

Secondly what is the safest software I can get to protect myself from attacks when my Unrestricted APN on Vcom gets activated? I have just installed Comodo Internet Security and seems to work pretty well.

I will be doing internet banking so I am really worried about security.
Should I rather get another SIM card and just use than one for online banking with the restricted APN ?

Any extra advise will be highly appreciated.

Thanks in advance :cool:
 
Telkom does not block incoming ports.

All the internet APN (what you are on by default with Vodacom) protects your from is external probes. If you download something with a virus and execute it there is nothing Vodacom can do about it. Once the unrestricted APN is activated your can switch between it and the internet APN, so you can only use it when you need it.

I don't have much experience with Anti-Virus/Internet Security software for PC's. You will however get very different opinions. I know a number of people who are very happy with Norton Internet Security 200X and others hate it. You can always download a few trial versions and try them for yourself.

Note: We try and keep things in one long thread so it's all in once place, that makes searching for it much easier (as you found).
ic: Will you please merge this.
 
vodacom3g said:
Why do you need this APN for gaming? Are you hosting?
Click to expand...

Yes. I just want to host some private games on Warcraft. Not really worried about lag because it will only be my cuz and I playing on some RPG maps. Also I want to try my PS3 on online gaming and apparently you need this.

Thanks.
 
There was another thread with a guy playing COD on xbox that had problems until he switched over the unrestricted APN. So it does seem (although it doesn't make sense) that some games need unsolicited inbound connections to be allowed even if you are client side (i.e. not hosting a game).
 
With regards to playing on the PS3, I suspect that the unrestricted APN is needed because of Sony's software specifically. Perhaps it's the same on the Xbox and Microsoft has some software of their own that requires the unrestricted APN.

Don't know for sure though.
 
Talen3 said:
Hi guys I have the unrestricted apn activated on my contract. I have no clue on how to make the PC use this apn. I know i have to change settings on the cell but were and what ?
Click to expand...

By default you would have used the 'internet' apn. You now need to change your settings to use the 'unrestricted' apn, and then you should be fine
 
Talen3 said:
OK I have managed to get the settings. for the phone and also the PC now i can remote desktop YAY. now for the next question am i abel to have a static IP.
Click to expand...

No,

But by using DDNS (Dynamic DNS) you can get a 'static' URL which will work for you.

Not sure though how it would be configured on your setup.
 
vodacom3g said:
No,

But by using DDNS (Dynamic DNS) you can get a 'static' URL which will work for you.

Not sure though how it would be configured on your setup.
Click to expand...

There are DynDNS clients for Windows that I have used with ADSL and PPPoE. It might work in a similar fashion with 3G.
 
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