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 My knowledge about computers is SO clearly outdated, I have a lot of things to read up on.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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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.
Same, never use their equipment if possible, cheaper and you are in control.
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? How would that even work? Does openwrt have a feature where it can hack into the ISP’s infrastructure and modify their QoS settings?
I can do whatever I need to.
edit: if it wasn’t clear, I didn’t buy them from my ISP, so my ISP had nothing to do with the firmware on it.
That’s not what modems or routers do. Your ISP sets your speed somewhere else, not at the modem/router level.
Apologies if you’ve answered this elsewhere but I’m assuming there’s a reason you haven’t bought your own router?
Is that possible with something like T-Mobile Home Internet?
idk that’s why I asked
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?
That’s fucking awesome.
I had a fun little issue a while back where my isp replaced our fiber modem to one that didn’t allow for port forwarding. The settings were missing but when I set up dmz host on that to allow our equipment to work again, I noticed it was behind some nat in their system. I found out I could call them to get functionality restored for a fee, but instead I plugged in the old box and still keep an external ip with port forwarding enabled and no nat. To be honest the old one has been a lot less stubborn as it doesn’t drop every 10th packet on the network. I switched back about 6 months ago, and I’ve not had any issues, so we’ll see when they call demanding me to plug in the new one. Their explanation for switching systems was that their old one wasn’t powerful enough for gigabit speeds, even though both have interfaces for gigabit sfp. After some testing, the old one was more capable and stable at those speeds. I assume they wanted to switch systems due to some licensing thing, or to get more money from the .5% of people who care about these features.
In my country we just buy a router and ask the ISP to set the modem/router in bridge mode
In my country, the ISP rents you a modem and router. I told them I had my own modem and router during setup and my monthly cost is slightly less than their advertised price.
I am fortunate that my ISP gives me a routable address, but it is still only dynamic and may change a couple times a year. I would have to pay for a commercial plan if I want a static IP. Some other local ISPs use carrier grade NAT, but you can still request a publicly routable static IP with a business plan. Maybe you can ask your ISP for that?
Cheapest vps plus “sshuttle” may work, host everything on your home server but have dedicated ip of your vps
First time hearing about sshuttle, thanks! What I did some time ago is to order small VPS in Linode, hosted wireguard server and let my router connect to it. Since connection is established - I’ve port-forwarded all ports (except 22) from VPS to my router via established wireguard connection.
Then all I have to do is to manage port forwarding on my router, but if I want to connect to my router from outside - I must use VPS IP.
Worked great, except the fact that I used to have mobile internet and as a rule of thumb - upload speed of mobile internet suck ass…
Check this out https://github.com/MHSanaei/3x-ui
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.
why not bridge the router and use your own?
the router doesn’t have one?
which ISP is it?
No matter how much you think you know, there’s always something everyone knows that you’ve never heard of…
That said, if bridge mode is something that you can enable in the config (going to 192.168.0.1 in web browser and all that) then it’s not possible.
It’s through China Mobile
You could get an ONU like this
https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256804134894710.html
Use it to clone every bit of authentication from ur current ONU to it, the realtek chip in it is very customizable.
Sometimes it’s configurable through the web interface, sometimes it requires a call to the ISP if you’re using their locked-down modem.
I’m not familiar with IT norms in China though.
I’m honestly amazed the internet isn’t locked down even more for you then. I was under the impression that the Golden firewall would be complemented with strict local network rules
sounds like his router is locked down, and even then, if the isp puts him behind nat, there isnt much he can do on his side even if he could theoretically forward those ports.
yes, cgnat is very common in many countries due to IPv4 shortage, bypassing the ISP Router and using your own along with a self hosted VPN Server (for China, Hong Kong or Tokyo works great) is the best choice.
ipv6 is nice to use too if they dont also NAT it (which looks rare?)
Standard IPv4 NAT or CGNAT?
Are you using their modem AND router? Or just their modem? If it’s a modem router combo, can you place it in bridge/passthrough mode?
Even if it’s CGNAT and no bridge mode, their are solutions available.
Are you looking to host private services like NextCloud? Or public services like a website?
Far as I can tell there’s no bridge mode, and there’s only one device in the space that connects me to the internet. Pretty sure it’s a CGNAT, and I wanna host a website
It’s really shitty. My isp offers a static ip plan but it costs a lot more, so I try using tailscale and it works ok. It’s a shame though
Use cloudflare tunnel.
On the flip side, direct open ports to your home network isn’t really a great idea anyway.
At one time it wasn’t as bad, but today I’d be hesitant because of the number and capability of bad actors and I’m not a network security expert (though I have a lot of training in networks, just shy of that kind of expertise).
In a way, these restrictions have promoted the use of even more secure approaches, like using Cloudflare tunnels, VPS’s with VPN connections to your network, or things like Wireguard/Tailscale, which provide a virtual (encrypted) network layered on top of the public (untrusted) network.
All of these can provide an externally controlled (secured and encrypted) access to specific resources within your own network. As mentioned, VPS with VPN, Cloudflare tunnels, or Tailscale Funnel or Share.
Are you trying to offer a port for peer sharing (XDCC/BT)? I’ve never tried using it like this but I think Tailscale Funnel could work.
It’s a sort of reverse VPN, I guess you could call it. Tailscale maintains the public IP and when someone connects to your advertised port they tunnel it to you through (encrypted) WireGuard. It passes through NAT because connections are outgoing to their servers.
The catch is that wireguard is easily detectable through deep packet inspection so if your ISP is a real asshole they can kill the connections, but if they go that far then NAT traversal is the least of your worries.
Might not be ideal but perhaps simpler, do you have the ability to upgrade your service to business class? Usually the business tiers allow such things and they will support self hosting and open up the ports for you if you ask. It will likely cost more for the same speed you currently have. Another option to consider
