Request: Public IP APN (O2 Details)

[Comben]

Hi O2 community,

I recently bought an O2 sim card to use as my main internet and asked the sales staff member if O2 use public IP addresses for mobile data. (I was asking so that I can game on xbox or even work from home on my work’s secure network.)

They assured me O2 use public IP addresses for mobile data but that they don’t provide a static public IP address. That would be fine for me because usually the IP address won’t change during a session while using the data at a fixed location - It just needed to be a public IP. The sales advisor also said to speak to customer services if I have any problems with the connection.

Now that I have the sim, I’m realising that O2 don’t seem to use public ip addresses because my WAN is showing as 10.xx.xx.xx which is a private IP address and restricts my ability to game/ work from home.

From my understanding with forum + google searches, there is a way to get a public IP address which involves potentially using a VPN (I believe I saw a post from MI5 on the forums here, but this was resolved via private message. See here)

So my question is: Am I able to use a different O2 APN that is capable of offering a public IP address so that I’m able to game and log onto my work computer remotely? (maybe using a VPN)

Thanks for any help you are able to offer and sorry to waffle, it means so much to me because I live in a residential area that somehow doesn’t have cable broadband so I’m reliant on my mobile data.

[O2Georgina · Accepted solution]

Thanks for the tag @lewys-gp 

@Comben  I will send you a Private message now

[Lukeishere02]

can the method to resove this be posted on here please as i have the same issue and cant port forward due to this @O2Georgina 

[Lukeishere02]

@Comben did this get fixed ??

[madasaf1sh]

@Lukeishere02 

It cant be done on o2 due to CGNAT been used across all segments of the o2 network, which means you are double NAT'd. 

Their are 3 options 1 of which will not be acceptable to Consumers as it requires a Private APN, where o2 route data through an Enterprises Network.. 

The other is to create a L2TP tunnel between the application and the device accessing said application. 

As I said back in 2022, there are some niche MVNO's that offer a Public IP either IPv6 or v4 but they are expensive and not on o2, AAISP do one... https://www.aa.net.uk/voice-and-mobile/data-sims/  

[Lukeishere02]

@madasaf1sh  im on a O2 business so would i be able to get option 1 i have had some sort of vpn turned on my sim and other options but they did not send me any info on how to use this   (vpn.o2.co.uk)

[madasaf1sh]

Option 1 costs upwards of £10,000 to establish a Private APN,  this is the infrastructure you would need in place, as well as an Enterprise Contract, and  not just a business contract. and its not really viable if you only have under 500+ phones...

I have never come across that APN (vpn.o2.co.uk) its not pingable / reachable 

[Comben]

@Lukeishere02 In answer to your question to me, I never got my original issue sorted, O2 customer service were completely useless and often didn't or couldn't help. I eventually spoke to a person who told if I was an O2 business customer they could do it so I looked into switching to O2 business but every time I rang then they would pass me off to another team or disconnect me when transferring making me go through the whole process three or four times before I gave up. I will be ending my contract as soon as the year is over because it's of no use to me and no one at O2 customer services can/ will help.

[Comben]

As a side note the O2 community and Community Managers are really helpful and are pretty much the main reason I didn't cancel my contact in the cool off period. Also worth nothing the O2 aren't partially forward with this knowledge which was the biggest frustration, I understand it's not possible but be upfront and train your staff to let them know and maybe make exceptions for certain people depending on individual scenarios. (I don't know, maybe they can't do anything at all but it was handled so poorly it left a bad taste in my mouth)