Home Internet Static IP

You may as well ditch them lol.

I am calling them again today to check on the static public IP option.

I see some are a bit confused about what's going on in the backend with this TMHI tech. 

So let me offer some light in the matter.

Traditional ISPs give you a public/external IP (attached to your ISP provided device usually a gateway router modem/Wireless Access Point).

You don't need an external IP to have a network, but you need it for internet access.

This Public IP then passes through the interconnectivity to your local network IP, providing internet access to all your local network devices.

The local network is the one at your home/office, Created by your own wifi router/sometimes ISP provided device. Even if you have a single device provided by your ISP you will have a public and a local/private IP.

The public IP is used to communicate with the world outside of your physical network, like Google, Netflix, social media, or anything internet connected. Most of the time this is a dynamic IP, meaning it changes every so often, but your devices have direct access to that IP dynamic or static.

The local IPs are used for your devices to talk to each other locally on your network not requiring external Internet access like say network printer, local shares and stuff.

The issue (double NAT) is due to they way TMHI devices access the internet *before* passing it onto our home TMHI device. They do not assign an IP to each modem/router directly, instead it shares it by some to complex to describe network wizardry for the purpose of this post. Just know that is shared amongst other TMHI devices then translated/routed to your TMHI device as needed then finally passed on to your home. So you may be in Colorado physically but using an Arizona IP and 10minutes from then you may be using a Nevada IP, then Utah in the next 10m after that. Which confuses the heck out of some network services, like Hulu, netflix, Online gaming, some remote access solutions, cloud services.

Because the translation happen before the connection gets to your home/TMHI device it happens behind/in the TM network, it is not something that getting a better router, or hooking it up differently is going to fix. It will only create an additional translation later between your TMHI device and your own (double NAT), which will probably give you more aches in the end and end up right where you started.

You have 2 options maybe 3 if they start offering static IPs for home users, which I doubt given the world at large is running out of IPs, and the US is reluctant/slow in migrating to IPv6 (but that's a story for another time).

1. Get a different or even second ISP for critical devices needing traditional IP setups.

2. Use a VPN on your own personal router if it supports it. This will make all your devices route traffic through that VPN network instead bypassing TMOs CGNAT. You will take a performance hit with any VPN but your issues will be gone.

3. Try to get a static/traditional IP config from TMO, good luck with that tho.

I have had TMHI for over a year now, when I signed up it was an issue, still is today. I am in the same boat as others, tired of giving traditional ISPs money for sub par/capped/overpriced service.

However my options have changed, hopefully you guys have some too.

Cox has revised their prices to be a bit (just a tad bit) more reasonable, still holding on to that data cap tho (the one reason I stayed with TMHI).

However. Because of Coxs price adjustment it's *now* cheaper to get Cox w/ their STUPID data cap (as a 2nd ISP) for my more critical devices needing traditional public IP access.

While still keeping TMHI for general use devices consuming tons of data. (Still more affordable than going full on Cox+unlimited+a plan with similar performance as TMHI). It's just cheaper to keep them both in my situation at this point.

I am going to check w/TM again (about them offering direct public IP) before making that decision.

I know they offer it w/their business hotspot plans

*But they required a legit business license before they could give me those services (the rep may have been the special kind tho, so I'll have to check on that again too cause he did not seem very competent or confident for that matter).

I did not have a business license but I did work f I'm home, so... Anyways, moving on.

TMobile has a great value offer, but crap delivery.

The performance (speed/connectivity) has been stellar, much more stable and faster than coxs traditional services, also no data cap, it's great value offer.

However this CGNAT BS has to be addressed or they risk loosing current customers and also preventing larger adoption. At the very least they should offer trading IP/static IPs as an add on for those who need it.