Reef pi and with no static ip

[fishmonkey]

So I’m getting prepared to set up my reef pi controller and I came upon the fact that you need to assign a static IP address to your raspberry pi in order to access it over the internet.

The problem is I don’t think my internet service provider (spectrum) will allow me to do that because it is not spectrum business.

Is there a work around this if you can only use dynamic ip? I’ve read about VNC or what not but I’m not very familiar with networking tbh. The more I read, the more confused it get.

 

[KStatefan]

Are you sure they are saying you can not have a static local IP?

 

[fishmonkey]

Are you sure they are saying you can not have a static local IP?

Pretty sure. I can’t even access the router without using a mobile app. Says on their website you need spectrum business to have a static ip

 

[KStatefan]

Good reason not to use an ISPs router. I do not understand why they would restrict LAN static IPs

 

[dmsc2fs]

You can buy a domain name for $10 and configure dynamic dns. Find your pi via name instead of ip. If you can’t access your firewall to write a new rule you won’t be able to open a port to your pi anyway?

https://www.techcoil.com/blog/how-t...in-when-your-homes-public-ip-address-changes/

 

[Eagle_Steve]

Pretty sure. I can’t even access the router without using a mobile app. Says on their website you need spectrum business to have a static ip

I previous had spectrum and had no issues using static ips on any of my devices. All my devices used a static ip, as “I am that guy” lol. Typically static ip for business is the main address for your router. This allows remote access to devices more easily. It is also useful alt related to external and not internal. For you, the router uses dhcp to assign ips (within a set scheme) to devices connecting to it.

Here is something you can do.

open cmd in your laptop if pc and terminal in a Mac.

for pc, type ipconfig/all

for Mac, type ipconfig getifaddr en0 and hit enter

This will result in all ip info being displayed.

You can then use the first 3 octets of the IP address as your first 3 and then make up the forth in relation to what your subnet mask is.

For example, if the subnet is 255.255.255.0 (reported when you do ipconfig) then you have 256 available numbers to choose from. 0-255.

Typically 1 is the gateway with most dhcp and the router should not assign the ip you set statically, as long as it sees that ip from time to time. That can sometimes not be true though, and you would end up with an ip conflict.

Either way, checking on your pc and then your phone connected to it, you should able to see a pattern with what ip range the router is set to assign first. Usually will be lower numbers due to a simple algorithm in the router, so something towards a higher number should never be an issue. More than likely your current “internal” will be something along the lines of 192.168.1.xxx or similar.

 

[fishmonkey]

I previous had spectrum and had no issues using static ips on any of my devices. All my devices used a static ip, as “I am that guy” lol. Typically static ip for business is the main address for your router. This allows remote access to devices more easily. It is also useful alt related to external and not internal. For you, the router uses dhcp to assign ips (within a set scheme) to devices connecting to it.

Here is something you can do.

open cmd in your laptop if pc and terminal in a Mac.

for pc, type ipconfig/all

for Mac, type ipconfig getifaddr en0 and hit enter

This will result in all ip info being displayed.

You can then use the first 3 octets of the IP address as your first 3 and then make up the forth in relation to what your subnet mask is.

For example, if the subnet is 255.255.255.0 (reported when you do ipconfig) then you have 256 available numbers to choose from. 0-255.

Typically 1 is the gateway with most dhcp and the router should not assign the ip you set statically, as long as it sees that ip from time to time. That can sometimes not be true though, and you would end up with an ip conflict.

Either way, checking on your pc and then your phone connected to it, you should able to see a pattern with what ip range the router is set to assign first. Usually will be lower numbers due to a simple algorithm in the router, so something towards a higher number should never be an issue. More than likely your current “internal” will be something along the lines of 192.168.1.xxx or similar.

I’m not an IT guy but if that’s a solution I’ll look into it.

but what you are saying is that even without a business spectrum account I can assign a static ip?

also what about just using vnc?

 

[fishmonkey]

You can buy a domain name for $10 and configure dynamic dns. Find your pi via name instead of ip. If you can’t access your firewall to write a new rule you won’t be able to open a port to your pi anyway?

https://www.techcoil.com/blog/how-t...in-when-your-homes-public-ip-address-changes/

I might just get my old net gear router and see how that works.

 

[ColoredRock]

Your IP is not going to change unless you reboot your router/modem/ONT. and then even not likely to happen even after that.

But maybe lets look at this a different way. Would you leave your front door open (not unlocked) but open. When you are not home?

 

[fishmonkey]

Your IP is not going to change unless you reboot your router/modem/ONT. and then even not likely to happen even after that.

But maybe lets look at this a different way. Would you leave your front door open (not unlocked) but open. When you are not home?

Yea that’s another reason I want to find an alternate way to do this. I might just end up using my dynamic ip and just changing it on the rare occasion it changes

 

[ColoredRock]

So I’m getting prepared to set up my reef pi controller and I came upon the fact that you need to assign a static IP address to your raspberry pi in order to access it over the internet.

So to clarify.. you want to be able to connect to the Reef-Pi from another location outside of your house...Correct?... if so that is a whole ball of wax you probably dont want to get into. (leaving your front door open analogy)

If you just want to connect to it from with in your house your router will provide the ip to the Reef-Pi and we can help you find that. once to get it hooked up.

 

[fishmonkey]

So to clarify.. you want to be able to connect to the Reef-Pi from another location outside of your house...Correct?... if so that is a whole ball of wax you probably dont want to get into. (leaving your front door open analogy)

If you just want to connect to it from with in your house your router will provide the ip to the Reef-Pi and we can help you find that. once to get it hooked up.

so all this came up when i was reading a manual about how to set up my robo-tank controller.
here is what i read

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1tjz9fLcwKz_VgTcj1oM2Nvs4kynVYJLV/edit#

i assume what im asking is to connect reef pi to another location outside of my house.

but maybe im wrong.

i only assumed that because if my raspberry pi is wired by ethernet cable to my router why would it need to worry about dynamic vs static?

as you can see im pretty new to this lol. so thank you all for bearing with me

 

[ColoredRock]

no Problem.. happy to help.. if no one else jumps in a can help you thru it in the morning.

 

[fishmonkey]

no Problem.. happy to help.. if no one else jumps in a can help you thru it in the morning.

well ill be getting my robo-tank controller probably some time next week. i was just preparing because i know its going to be complicated for a newbie like me and this final part about networking really just confused me

 

[HuduVudu]

So I’m getting prepared to set up my reef pi controller and I came upon the fact that you need to assign a static IP address to your raspberry pi in order to access it over the internet.

The problem is I don’t think my internet service provider (spectrum) will allow me to do that because it is not spectrum business.

Is there a work around this if you can only use dynamic ip? I’ve read about VNC or what not but I’m not very familiar with networking tbh. The more I read, the more confused it get.

You don't need to buy a static IP, though you can if you want. You can port forward from your router. Your DHCP lease from your ISP doesn't change that often so you can use your IP, but you need to be aware that it may change. Most ISPs frown on you using their dynamic IPs but for what you are doing you shouldn't attract attention.

Just note opening your LAN to the internet poses security issues and you need to understand firewall basics at the router level to keep things secure.

This is definitely doable, just proceed with caution.

 

[fishmonkey]

You don't need to buy a static IP, though you can if you want. You can port forward from your router. Your DHCP lease from your ISP doesn't change that often so you can use your IP, but you need to be aware that it may change. Most ISPs frown on you using their dynamic IPs but for what you are doing you shouldn't attract attention.

Just note opening your LAN to the internet poses security issues and you need to understand firewall basics at the router level to keep things secure.

This is definitely doable, just proceed with caution.

thanks!

im not sure if you read what i said 3 posts ago, but at this point i dont even know if what i was asking/reading on the reef pi user manual doc was for viewing reef-pi from a different location away from home or just connecting it to my router at home. i assumed that since it was connected directly through an ethernet cable on my router that a static ip wouldn't matter but another poster got me questioning myself.

what i read was the last part of this manual

Reef-pi User Manual.docx

docs.google.com

 

[Eagle_Steve]

You don't need to buy a static IP, though you can if you want. You can port forward from your router. Your DHCP lease from your ISP doesn't change that often so you can use your IP, but you need to be aware that it may change. Most ISPs frown on you using their dynamic IPs but for what you are doing you shouldn't attract attention.

Just note opening your LAN to the internet poses security issues and you need to understand firewall basics at the router level to keep things secure.

This is definitely doable, just proceed with caution.

This right here.
@fishmonkey I thought you just needed a static IP to access from inside your network. If wanting to access away from home, a lot more involved to get it going without having a severely vulnerable home network. But not super complicated.

 

[ColoredRock]

well ill be getting my robo-tank controller probably some time next week. i was just preparing because i know its going to be complicated for a newbie like me and this final part about networking really just confused me

Dont worry about the network stuff until you get the robo tank... follow Rob's instructions.. they are pretty straight forward....

Stay away from connecting to the controller from outside your home.. unless you have a BIG reason that you need to. Get it all setup internally.. then once you have that down.. contemplate your need to have to connect to it from outside your home.

Never give your public ip address out ( you can find that by going to https://www.whatismyip.com/)

One thing you can do is find out how to connect to your router and look at what devices are on your network.. i.e. the computer you are using right now. If you can find out how many devices our on you home network that is a really good start.

 

[HuduVudu]

thanks!

im not sure if you read what i said 3 posts ago, but at this point i dont even know if what i was asking/reading on the reef pi user manual doc was for viewing reef-pi from a different location away from home or just connecting it to my router at home. i assumed that since it was connected directly through an ethernet cable on my router that a static ip wouldn't matter but another poster got me questioning myself.

what i read was the last part of this manual

Reef-pi User Manual.docx

docs.google.com

Hmmmm ...

I get it, networking can be confusing to a new person.

So the hard part for setting up any device on the network is finding the IP. Setting a static IP makes that a bit easier because you know exactly what the IP is always but it makes it hard in that the router loses the flexibility of assigning the address.

So, before you get your reef-pi then you should be doing some research on how to find IPs on your network. Most routers have a way for you to see the IPs that are assigned to the network. FInd out how your router does this. This information should be available with a quick search using the router's name and model. Once you figure out how to do this log into your router and take a gander at all of the IPs that are there. This is where you will find the IP of your reef-pi when you get it. I would just allow DHCP (auto assignment) to do it's thing. These leases don't really change and if they do you now know how to find them.

Eventually they will implement or I will figure out how to do a local DNS this would definitely make things easier, but until then this should get you going.

 

[fishmonkey]

Dont worry about the network stuff until you get the robo tank... follow Rob's instructions.. they are pretty straight forward....

Stay away from connecting to the controller from outside your home.. unless you have a BIG reason that you need to. Get it all setup internally.. then once you have that down.. contemplate your need to have to connect to it from outside your home.

Never give your public ip address out ( you can find that by going to https://www.whatismyip.com/)

One thing you can do is find out how to connect to your router and look at what devices are on your network.. i.e. the computer you are using right now. If you can find out how many devices our on you home network that is a really good start.

So should I basically ignore the last part of Rob’s instructions about the static ip?