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
I've got Unrestricted APN activated on my account. It worked fine until this morning. I cannot ping any international websites like Facebook.com or dyndns.org which is suppose to update my IP. I cannot even access these sites via the browser. Phone Vodacom but they said everything is fine on their side. I've turned off Windows Firewall and have uninstalled my ZoneAlarm Firewall but still no luck. I've tested the USB modem on my desktop PC as well...ans still no luck.

You clever guys have any idea what it could be??

Thanks
Can you access websites using either of the other APs: internet or internetvpn?
 
This might sound stupid but I found that every now and then I cannot use the unrestricted apn... not even a reboot of the 3g router helps. Then I figured out while just rebooting doesn't help if I leave it off (do not connect to any apn) for about 5 - 10min and then turn it on it reconnects and works fine.... almost like there is some connection or something on the tower that doesn't disconnect until I leave the sim of the network for a few minutes.
 
I can access and ping all sites on 'internet' and also on 'internetVPN'. Its only on 'unrestricted' that I cannot access or ping International sites.

Phoned Vodacom just now and they logged a call but I'll try your suggestion as well. Thanks Pieter!
 
I've got Unrestricted APN activated on my account. It worked fine until this morning. I cannot ping any international websites like Facebook.com or dyndns.org which is suppose to update my IP. I cannot even access these sites via the browser. Phone Vodacom but they said everything is fine on their side. I've turned off Windows Firewall and have uninstalled my ZoneAlarm Firewall but still no luck. I've tested the USB modem on my desktop PC as well...ans still no luck.

You clever guys have any idea what it could be??

Thanks

prepaid or contract?
 
prepaid or contract?

Contract!

This morning I am in Bellville. When I tried the 'unrestricted' APN it was working fine again. Over the weekend it didn't work when I was in Kuilsrivier. Do you think it might be the Vodacom tower in that area? I think it showed "Water Tower" on my cellphone.

I will test again tonight when I'm back in Kuilsrivier.

Thanks for the help so far!
 
vodacom vpn

Vodacom has 3 APN's

internet, incoming ports blocked, and IP not live IP
internetvpn, incoming ports blocked, but IP live
unrestricted, no port blocking but IP not live, it has some strange 41.x something IP.


Does this mean as a vodacom user, we cannot get a live public dynamic routable IP?

The reason being because I want an external application on the internet to push updates directly to my phone, but I need a live ip, with all ports unblocked. Even if the IP is dynamic, it would still work.

Any ideas anyone?
 
Contract!

This morning I am in Bellville. When I tried the 'unrestricted' APN it was working fine again. Over the weekend it didn't work when I was in Kuilsrivier. Do you think it might be the Vodacom tower in that area? I think it showed "Water Tower" on my cellphone.

I will test again tonight when I'm back in Kuilsrivier.

Thanks for the help so far!

Don't think so, the APN is issued at a higher layer, at one of 4 (or 5) points across the country. So if it fails, it should fail over a larger area than covered by one tower.

I did not manage to test when you first reported the problem, but it sounds like it's now resolved? Let me know.
 
vodacom unrestricted vpn

I logged on using my mobile pocket pc using the unrestricted APN.

The IP I got was 41.192.137.x
I have a webserver and ftp server running on my mobile phone.

I then fired up my laptop and connected to the internet using my 3G card. Tried to access the website on my mobile phone and it worked.

Then tried from work, using an ADSL service. NOTHING.
Asked a couple of buddies overseas to do the same,...NOTHING.
Tried some webftp sites, NOTHING. Am I missing something guys?

Because then my assumptions is correct?
 
vodacom unrestricted

Ok, excuse my ignorance, then would someone be able to explain to me then why I cannot hit the webserver or ftp server on my mobile phone?

If the IP is routable and live on the internet, then why could I access it only on my other 3G datacard, and not on the ADSL?
 
unrestricted APN, port issue?

I am using standard ports for web port 80, for ftp port 21.
I am not using anything special. When I use the 3G card, then I can suddenly access the webserver and ftp server. No problems. But anything outside the vodacom network, and I get dead air.

I called the 082 555 for more information, and some guy said it was only accessible on the GSM network. Now that really did not make sense to me.
 
unrestricted APN, port issue?

I am 100% sure it is set to unrestricted, the reason being because when I change it to "internetvpn" I get a 196.x.x.x IP address which looks more like a "live" ip to me.

When I use the normal "internet" APN I get the typical NAT'd "10.x.x.x"


So I am really lost with the real purpose of the "unrestricted" APN
 
if you are on pre paid the unrestricted apn has been down for over three days now wonder when this apn is ever gonna get stable??????????? and when it does work you have to keep refreshing your connection every two hours or you have completely lost the connection.
 
Last edited:
I can connect to my prepaid sim at home using works adsl line as well as my contract sim in my laptop. no issues.
 
Is it just me?

Now I feel very stupid if others is getting it to work.

On my prepay unrestricted, I get the following information. I got this information from a website dnsstuff

TRACERT

<code>
Hop T1 T2 T3 Best Graph IP Hostname Dist TTL Ctry Time
1 0 * * 0.5 ms

74.53.59.130 AS0
IANA-RSVD-0 82.3b.354a.static.theplanet.com. 255 US Unix: 14:41:29.491
2 0 * * 0.5 ms [+0ms]

12.96.160.9 AS21844
THEPLANET-AS vl1.dsr01.dllstx2.theplanet.com. 0 miles [+0] 254 US Unix: 14:41:29.509
3 0 * * 0.7 ms [+0ms]

70.87.253.117 AS21844
THEPLANET-AS 75.fd.5746.static.theplanet.com. 0 miles [+0] 253 US Unix: 14:41:29.538
4 0 * * 0.8 ms [+0ms]

70.85.127.37 AS21844
THEPLANET-AS 25.7f.5546.static.theplanet.com. 0 miles [+0] 61 US [Router did not respond]
5 10 * * 10 ms [+9ms]

63.218.23.25 AS3491
BTN-ASN ge5-3.br02.dal01.pccwbtn.net. 0 miles [+0] 251 US Unix: 14:44:46.163
6 47 * * 36 ms [+26ms]

63.218.94.18 AS3491
BTN-ASN telkomsa.pos2-0.cr02.ash01.pccwbtn.net. 0 miles [+0] 247 US Unix: 14:41:29.719
7 45 * * 36 ms [+0ms]

196.43.9.206 AS5713
AFRINIC-ASNBLOCK-5713 ash-ip-dir-equinix-ge-0-0-2.telkom-ipnet.co.za. 0 miles [+0] 247 ZA Unix: 14:41:29.780
8 36 * * 36 ms [+0ms]

196.43.9.205 AS5713
AFRINIC-ASNBLOCK-5713 ash-ip-dir-equinix-ge-0-3-0.telkom-ipnet.co.za. 0 miles [+0] 247 ZA Unix: 14:41:29.802
9 280 * * 280 ms [+243ms]

196.43.18.133 AS5713
AFRINIC-ASNBLOCK-5713 unknown.saix.net 0 miles [+0] 247 ZA Unix: 14:41:30.193
10 296 * * 296 ms [+16ms]

196.43.23.246 AS5713
AFRINIC-ASNBLOCK-5713 wbs-ip-esr-3-gig-6-0-0.telkom-ipnet.co.za. 0 miles [+0] 247 ZA Unix: 14:41:30.238
11 296 * * 296 ms [+0ms]

196.25.133.14 AS5713
AFRINIC-ASNBLOCK-5713 vodacom--gw.telkom-ipnet.co.za. 0 miles [+0] 247 ZA Unix: 14:40:23.686
12 298 * * 298 ms [+1ms]

196.207.40.210 AS29975
AFRINIC-ASNBLOCK-29975 vc-196-207-40-210.3g.vodacom.co.za. 0 miles [+0] 247 ZA Unix: 14:41:30.323
13 * * * 99999 ms [+99999ms]

[Unknown] [Unknown - Firewall did not respond] 0 miles [+0]
14 * * * 99999 ms [+0ms]

[Unknown] [Unknown - Firewall did not respond] 0 miles [+0]
15 * * * 99999 ms [+0ms]

[Unknown] [Unknown - Firewall did not respond] 0 miles [+0]
16 * * * 99999 ms [+0ms]

[Unknown] [Unknown - Firewall did not respond]
[4 hops with no response:
assuming we hit a firewall
that blocks pings] 0 miles [+0]
</code>


any idea guys?
 
nope it still down at the moment i am typing this message using the internet apn and soon as i change it to unrestricted it connects but no data in or out ???? And according to V3G the contract clients and the pre paid clients are on two different systems. My dyndns account keeps giving me the error message "dns domain name resolve fail" which it aint connecting to theirs servers but as soon as i change it over to internetvpn or internet , boom dns updated successfully.
 
still having problems with my unrestricted apn i can connect to it but i am gatting no data coming in or going out ???? My dyndns keep telling me domain name resolve fail , once again when i change to internet or internetvpn the domain name says updated successfully. Is nobody else having problems with this apn using Prepaid?
 
I have to agree with you, that it is still not working. I called one of the vodacom guys yesterday about the issue. They are going to try and resolve the issue. Will keep you informed.
 
I have to agree with you, that it is still not working. I called one of the vodacom guys yesterday about the issue. They are going to try and resolve the issue. Will keep you informed.

Jason, can you explain more on what is not working?

I just got 1233/349 on the unrestricted apn in Plattekloof. I'm using the exact same network elements/paths as you. I've not tested incoming ports. Can you connect on the internet apn?

carlito777, I'll check with someone in JHB to test there as well. Where exactly are you located?
 
Hey v3g updated location information tried with unrestricted again tonight but still same hic-cup can connect but no data in or out ? internet and internetvpn are working fine.
 
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