static ip or another secure way?

unwashed potato! · 16 Jan 2009 at 16:17

for security reasons the company i am working for only allow access to the sites admin area based on a list of ips they allow in the .htaccess file.

unfortunately i am with virgin so mine is dynamic and they don't have the time to constantly update my new ip into the allow list.

I am wondering if there is a cheap broadband supplier that will give me a static ip but very little speed so i can use my current broadband for every day stuff but when i need to access the admin area i switch over to the cheaper broadband and access it with the static ip.

I am also wondering if there is another secure way for me to access the site without needing a static ip?

thank you

rick827 · 16 Jan 2009 at 16:24

That seems a bit naive of them, let me guess.. its not even https?
I guess you could use a DynDNS provider and have their system do a lookup on that?
Do you have any control over their systems? Like setup a proper VPN?

Wiggins · 16 Jan 2009 at 16:29

I'm sure Eclipse Internet provide a static IP if needed for free. Not entirely sure what package you have to get though.

wij · 16 Jan 2009 at 16:35

Some sort of DynDNS type thing may be your best bet.

You say you're on Virgin but don't mention if it is cable or ADSL, bear in mind that if you wanted to get an ADSL provider that allows a static IP you're going to need to pay for a BT line to be installed/reconnected.

unwashed potato! · 29 Jan 2009 at 23:21

ok i have set up an account with www.dyndns.com but a little lost as to what do now.

could someone just briefly explain how this works, how it's secure, what i need to do to get it set up?

thanks a lot

Tequila · 29 Jan 2009 at 23:54

Mammalian said:
for security reasons the company i am working for only allow access to the sites admin area based on a list of ips they allow in the .htaccess file.

unfortunately i am with virgin so mine is dynamic and they don't have the time to constantly update my new ip into the allow list.

I am wondering if there is a cheap broadband supplier that will give me a static ip but very little speed so i can use my current broadband for every day stuff but when i need to access the admin area i switch over to the cheaper broadband and access it with the static ip.

I am also wondering if there is another secure way for me to access the site without needing a static ip?

thank you

Very sorry if this was not included beforehand.

If you are with virgin media on cable, you need to wait about two weeks before they solidify your mac address and routing and give you static IP address, another way of achieving this is to get a router where you can emulate a mac address, make one very similar to the one you currently have (available by opening command prompt, and typing ipconfig /all and base it off that, maybe adjust it +a letter or +a number.

It works for me.

If you're on virgin ADSL i'm sorry, but the way that works is that it'll always be dynamic, unless you can find a router that can maintain an open connection.

Ben643 · 30 Jan 2009 at 00:10

Mammalian said:
ok i have set up an account with www.dyndns.com but a little lost as to what do now.

could someone just briefly explain how this works, how it's secure, what i need to do to get it set up?

thanks a lot

It's basically just a free domain name which can point to your home IP. You can run a piece of software on your pc (or router if it's compatible) which listens out for changes on your IP.

Say your IP is - 88.45.2.3 dyndns will just make your chosen dyndns address point to your ip. If/when your ip changes, the software running on your pc will say "Ok, your ip is now 75.45.32.4... make your chosen dyndns address point to that instead".

In short, your company will just need to put your dyndns address in, which will then point to your dynamic ip. Instead of constantly having to keep up with your ip changes.

I'm sure I could have explained that far better in fewer words... but meh. It's late. haha

unwashed potato! · 30 Jan 2009 at 00:30

Ben643 said:
It's basically just a free domain name which can point to your home IP. You can run a piece of software on your pc (or router if it's compatible) which listens out for changes on your IP.

Say your IP is - 88.45.2.3 dyndns will just make your chosen dyndns address point to your ip. If/when your ip changes, the software running on your pc will say "Ok, your ip is now 75.45.32.4... make your chosen dyndns address point to that instead".

In short, your company will just need to put your dyndns address in, which will then point to your dynamic ip. Instead of constantly having to keep up with your ip changes.

I'm sure I could have explained that far better in fewer words... but meh. It's late. haha

thank you for that very very helpful indeed clears up a lot for me. i think i have it all sorted now, bascially i have downloaded an updater program and then made a new host e.g. mammalian.ath.cx

is this my dyndns which i need to give to the company which then gets updated with my latest ip address?

Ben643 · 30 Jan 2009 at 18:19

Mammalian said:
thank you for that very very helpful indeed clears up a lot for me. i think i have it all sorted now, bascially i have downloaded an updater program and then made a new host e.g. mammalian.ath.cx

is this my dyndns which i need to give to the company which then gets updated with my latest ip address?

That would be it yeah... I was sure I'd seen it working before but having just tried it on my own host, it doesn't seem to :confused:

weird.

oddjob62 · 30 Jan 2009 at 18:47

I'd be surprised if this works. As you are initiating the connection, the remote server will only see the incoming IP address. Even if they do a reverse lookup it won't come up as your dyndns address, it will come up as whatever pointer record your ISP has set for that IP (if any).

Always happy to be wrong and learn something new though.

unwashed potato! · 30 Jan 2009 at 20:51

oddjob62 said:
I'd be surprised if this works. As you are initiating the connection, the remote server will only see the incoming IP address. Even if they do a reverse lookup it won't come up as your dyndns address, it will come up as whatever pointer record your ISP has set for that IP (if any).

Always happy to be wrong and learn something new though.

from what i have read it seems like my ip is bascially stored online at say sadsdd.cddf.com, my works server goes to that address for me ip, so when i connect to my work server it will check the allowed ip addresses and then check the ip stored at sadsdd.cddf.comand if i match any allow me access.

may be wrong though

decto · 30 Jan 2009 at 21:52

If you are with Virgin Cable then the IP is officially dynamic but I've only had two in three years and I think it only changed when I had a new modem to get 10mbit.

I access a vhost which I've locked to my IP for all except one connection type so it would show up fairly quickly.

AD

unwashed potato! · 30 Jan 2009 at 22:17

decto said:
If you are with Virgin Cable then the IP is officially dynamic but I've only had two in three years and I think it only changed when I had a new modem to get 10mbit.

I access a vhost which I've locked to my IP for all except one connection type so it would show up fairly quickly.

AD

hi there, thats very interesting will let the guy know, and yes i am on virgin cable. thanks the help guys he seems to say it's all updated now