Can I get a static IP address (Zyxel NR5103EV2)?

I recently moved house, and ordered Three 5G Mobile Broadband.
Seems quite good, but ... a problem occurs when using email clients (other than my email host's webmail).

The outgoing emails usually get blocked by spamhaus because the sending IP address is a spammer.
Lengthy discussions with a bot and then a human at Three resulted in them saying I should contact the router company as Three is "only providing the service" - which isn't true as they provided me with the router!

So no progress there. The email hosting company strongly suggest I need a static IP address as the router picks a random IP when it powers up (according to Three).
If I switch my phone's WiFi off then outgoing emails are fine.

My question is: can I do anything in the router settings to get a static IP address?

Thanks!

no, you can't change anything in the router to get that. The best you can get is a public IPv4 address on the 3internet APN. It normally doesn't change for weeks but it won't be guaranteed.

If you need a static IP address, your best option is to get a VPN which provides a static IP address. Alternatively, there are some specialist retailers which will sell you a SIM that gives you a static IP on any of the four UK networks, but these comea at a price (just google "4g static ip uk").

Interesting to read about your e-mail problem. I am using 3internet and have no problems sending e-mails from my Thunderbird mail client. I am using SMTP2GO https://www.smtp2go.com/ as my SMTP provider and had absolutely no problems with bouncing e-mails (I did have problems in the past while on Plusnet ADSL using their SMTP server).

Hi @kafue,

I have NEVER (AFAICR) had this issue having been emailing for over 30 years. I may have had a couple of emails bounce and being marked as spam but no issues like yours. However, if I was in your position I would consider using a VPN to appear as if your emails are coming from a different IP address.

HTH,

Thanks @essex_man.
I'm a bit out of my depth here re VPN. Is that something my email host (fasthosts) would provide?

It may be fasthosts themselves that has a dodgy ip.

As Essexman has said, Three either uses cgnat or a standard ip4/ip6 address but never a static one for your line. Which Spamhous is it?... Also i'd try the same recipient email address but a different email address that you send from.

if the email is via your own domain - check that domain is not blacklisted

In reply to a post by kafue:

The outgoing emails usually get blocked by spamhaus because the sending IP address is a spammer.
Lengthy discussions with a bot and then a human at Three resulted in them saying I should contact the router company as Three is "only providing the service" - which isn't true as they provided me with the router!

Email is rated on various topics, not just IP. The fact you are sending email (SMTP?) directly from a consumer 4G/5G connection is going to increase the "likely problem" score.

The only real solution is to use an outgoing mail service that hides your original IP, so the mail looks to have come from the mail server itself. You may be able to create and host one (if you're a Linux sysadmin/wizard type) or you can make use of the services on the internet from Google, Yahoo, or Outlook.com (Microsoft).

If you are using a domain name hosted by your web-host company, and using their email service, then the problem is they are not removing your computer/IP from the headers when it passes through their service. This is a relatively new phenomonon, but it is not going away.

At the moment we don't know whats causing it - if its domain blacklisting or smtp blacklisted or ip blacklisting.

As you said, there isn't a single thing that can elevate to black listing (well sending 2million emails in 10 minutes will but lets not into that) with normal usage.

In reply to a post by Taras:

At the moment we don't know whats causing it - if its domain blacklisting or smtp blacklisted or ip blacklisting.

Mobile is mostly all CGNAT, on Three the public addresses are recycled quite fast, so they all have "cellular personal" or "home broadband" level of reputation in the many many systems. A decent authenticated & TLS smarthost will stip the first Received set, so the email looks to come from the smarthost.

If it is just e-mail that is causing you problems, then a VPN would be a complete overkill.

I would suggest that you try the "3internet" APN, then at least you have the same public IP address for several weeks so it is less likely that it ends up in spammer lists (unlike a CGNATed IP which potentially serves thousands of users who keep changing as well, so a high probability of a spammer among them.

Failing that, I would suggest you have a look at a SMTP service provider like SMTP2GO. There are several such providers with different plans so you should be able to find one that suits your needs. SMTP2GO have a free service that allows you to send 1.000 emails per month, if that is not enough, then there are paid plans as well.

These providers are less likely to make it onto the spam lists, as it could easily ruin their business. They do verify the authenticity of their customers, i.e. on sign up, they send you a verification e-mail to prevent fake sender addresses.

Yes, it is just email that gives a problem. And it is only when I use the Three Mobile Broadband.
If I use internet from my phone cellular signal (which is on Three, via ID Mobile) then there is no problem with email.

There's a screenshot of an error message (on sending from the email client) here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/109JQKhfB6QMnYYByA1_...
Briefly it says "Error: 544.5.7.1 Service unavailable' Client host [188.30.83.116] blocked using sbl.spamhaus.org; Listed by CSS, see....

Does this help?

If you are using a domain name hosted by your web-host company, and using their email service, then the problem is they are not removing your computer/IP from the headers when it passes through their service. This is a relatively new phenomonon, but it is not going away.

It's a bit complicated! My domain and email hosting is with fasthosts, I moved them there from Inmotion (who still have my web hosting). Could that be a factor?

That's a complete load of ***** from Three - Your public IP is provided by your ISP.
If you want a static IP, then you need to talk to your ISP.
Looking on Three's website, they state that "Static IP addresses are only available for customers on specific business broadband plans."

In reply to a post by kafue:

It's a bit complicated! My domain and email hosting is with fasthosts, I moved them there from Inmotion (who still have my web hosting). Could that be a factor?

fasthosts just manage your domain (and incoming e-mail), for sending e-mail, you can use a different provider. My domain is with tsohosts (formerly daily.co.uk) but that does not stop me from sending outbound e-mails via SMTP2GO.

have you tried using the "3internet" APN?

"Static IP addresses are only available for customers on specific business broadband plans."

Oh that's interesting!

fasthosts just manage your domain (and incoming e-mail), for sending e-mail, you can use a different provider. My domain is with tsohosts (formerly daily.co.uk) but that does not stop me from sending outbound e-mails via SMTP2GO.

have you tried using the "3internet" APN?

That (SMTP2GO) sounds like the way to go.
Confession - I don't know what APN does. I tried some research - it's a phone/device setting?
What does it do?

apn is basically an authentication service, and sets your device up on the mobile network for data.

if you login into the router and go to network settings > broadband



Mine's set to 3internet

on a side note, why haven't you just rebooted the router to get another ip address.

Edited by Taras (Mon 26-Feb-24 09:05:17)

Update - I'm on SMTP2GO and it looks just fine. Thanks to all for the help!

In reply to a post by Taras:

apn is basically an authentication service, and sets your device up on the mobile network for data.

APN = Access Point Name. Most mobile networks only have one APN for end users, whereas Three has two. Some mobile networks offer direct links for customers into corporate services, these would be on "private APN" and limited to specific SIM cards.

on a side note, why haven't you just rebooted the router to get another ip address.

Given its CGNAT, no guarantee this would give a new IP on the public side.

In reply to a post by jchamier:

on a side note, why haven't you just rebooted the router to get another ip address.

Given its CGNAT, no guarantee this would give a new IP on the public side.

From my understanding Three.co.uk apn uses cgnat and 3internet doesn't. I'm able to use sip fine with 3internet. That said i'm using a business data sim from three.

Re CGNAT, on Three I have the same problem posting to a site that uses spamhaus. Unsurprisingly it seems to be a range of IP addresses, which however are accepted everywhere else I post. Rebooting my Three router rarely helps.

I don't often post to the specific site, but solve it temporarily by turning on hotspot on my phone, also on Three, and avoiding the router. Emails aren't affected as those are not via the site.

I also still have my previous phone, so stuck an EE PAYG Sim in it on £9pm, (£10 reduced by being on d/d), in case I lose or damage my Pixel one. Or as happened a couple of weeks ago Three goes down completely.

(As the only regular use of the old phone is to update Play Store the £5GB rolls over to some extent so 12GB is usually available).

I'd forgotten all about the APN aspect for the (5G) router. I'll have a look at mine sometime. I must have changed it on the previous 4G one.

In reply to a post by Taras:

From my understanding Three.co.uk apn uses cgnat and 3internet doesn't. I'm able to use sip fine with 3internet. That said i'm using a business data sim from three.

Yep, works with Three consumer and business contracts, and even Three PAYG. Does not work with SMARTY or ID Mobile and probably won't work with Superdrug mobile. The change of APN is stored and the modem connects, but the other side is still CGNAT.

The other networks (O2, Vodafone, EE) don't have any public IP option for end users. Maybe for businesses.