This topic

Static IP address ?

Justin_UK — Sat, 22 Apr 2023 20:11:39 GMT

Would like to take control of my own email and run my own mail server from a raspberry pi ubuntu server rather than use/be reliant on third party services like gmail

I have a domain name, which I am paying hosting for and would like to host my own websever for it too, I know that can be done with DDNS but hear there could be problems with mail.

I have looked into this, and suspect I need a static IP address for this to work properly without appearing spammy with a Dynamic IP.

My question is can I get a Static IP address with BT, I believe it is possible with PlusNet who are owned by BT after all on their residential plan so very much the same.

This is not a business so don't want/need a business account but that seems only option unless I am wrong. I am doing this much for my personal email more than anything else so not commerical anyway.

Re: Static IP address ?

imjolly — Sat, 22 Apr 2023 20:32:07 GMT

You cannot get a static IP address with BT residential broadband

Re: Static IP address ?

Justin_UK — Sat, 22 Apr 2023 22:15:16 GMT

Interestingly the IP has just changed again and instead of getting a IPv4 address I have been assigneda IPv6 address instead

I know nothing about IPv6 other than they are replacing IPv4 which are very limited in number and the reasoning behind why they are so stuck in the last century when it comes to issuing static IP's Wondering if these IPv6 are static IP's and if I can then work with them instead to set up these servers?

Re: Static IP address ?

jac_95 — Sat, 22 Apr 2023 22:51:39 GMT

@Justin_UK

I advise not running a mail server on a dynamic IP address and on a residential broadband connection as it as you have seen will be blocked by email servers.

BT Consumer's WAN IP Address will be both IPv4 and IPv6 but both are dynamic.

If you must run your own email server you need to move to a proper cloud provider or a virtual server in a data center with a static IP address.

See my other response to someone else who tried this and got the same: https://community.bt.com/t5/Email/Policy-Blocklist-PBL/m-p/2225684/highlight/true#M100581

All residential based dynamic IP address are on a Blocklist from sending unauthenticated emails.

If you also really want a static IP address you will need to move to a business grade broadband connection that offers static IP address such as BT Business.

More resources on why you may not want to run your own mail server:

https://www.digitalocean.com/community/tutorials/why-you-may-not-want-to-run-your-own-mail-server

https://webdock.io/en/docs/webdock-control-panel/recommendations-and-guidelines/why-you-should-not-run-your-own-mailserver

https://skiff.com/blog/private-email-server

I would also look into things such as AWS SES, EC2, Sendgrid, and business grade mail exchanges such as office 365/Google workspace ect...

Re: Static IP address ?

agogo — Tue, 16 Jul 2024 09:05:08 GMT

Why not? If static IP is available with PlusNet (for a small fee), why not BT?

The company I work for has many users working remotely with Intune MDM. Dynamic IP addresses cause us problems and waste time. We can't tell users what broadband provider they should be using at home, but we definitely would advise against BT because of the IP address issue.

Re: Static IP address ?

naylor2006 — Tue, 16 Jul 2024 09:27:26 GMT

Ive not heard of Enterprise Mobile Device Management solutions having problems with client machines because they are using dynamic IP's, not least Intune which we are using for 1000's of users.

There is no way a solution would be designed and not account for end user devices IP's changing, consider mobile phones for example which can also be enrolled in MDM.

BT arent saying no they are just offered static IP's to business customers which is fairly typical, PlusNet could be an exception to that where you can add it on, thats not BT's model, its hardly the worst thing in the world.

No company is going to be able to put on its job description that you can only work for us if you have a static IP..... 🙂

Re: Static IP address ?

Keith_Beddoe — Tue, 16 Jul 2024 10:12:25 GMT

@agogo

BT Business offer static IP addresses.

Re: Static IP address ?

naylor2006 — Tue, 16 Jul 2024 10:15:09 GMT

As already stated running dynamic IP's on a mail server is not going to work regardless of dynamic DNS.

Re: Static IP address ?

agogo — Tue, 16 Jul 2024 10:42:37 GMT

It is not Intune that has the problem. We are an ISV and have developers and admins that work in Azure. I don't want to go into the complexities, but it is the managements of Azure firewalls that is one of the main issues. There are other solutions, that cost money, but I am asking BT why don't they offer the same option as PlusNet? A potential employee's not having a static IP would not be a problem. I was merely referring to recommendations to existing employees. But this is a problem for our business, not the employees to solve.

Re: Static IP address ?

agogo — Tue, 16 Jul 2024 10:44:25 GMT

@Keith_Beddoe

I know, on their business accounts. That is not what I was asking.

Re: Static IP address ?

agogo — Tue, 16 Jul 2024 10:45:59 GMT

@naylor2006

I was not referring to mail servers.

Re: Static IP address ?

naylor2006 — Tue, 16 Jul 2024 11:02:26 GMT

@agogo this part wasnt aimed at you, there was a post that has since been deleted, looks like it was a bot, they were recommending DDNS again.

Re: Static IP address ?

licquorice — Tue, 16 Jul 2024 12:34:18 GMT

@agogo what BT residential do or don't offer is entirely up to them as a business.

If you want static, move to business account.

Re: Static IP address ?

Justin_UK — Tue, 16 Jul 2024 13:01:23 GMT

Simple answer to suppliers

Give the customer what they want or they will go elsewhere

Ended up going to plusnet who supply static IPs

Re: Static IP address ?

licquorice — Tue, 16 Jul 2024 13:05:16 GMT

I guess you have a better insight into BT's business model than their accountants do.

How many BT residential customers do you think want a static IP address?

Only about 0.001% would even know what it was let alone need it.

Re: Static IP address ?

naylor2006 — Tue, 16 Jul 2024 13:19:46 GMT

We are all free to choose so many different ISP's, we dont need to **bleep** on BT in the process if we dont like them, if you've left then good for you.

Really static IP's are not required for residential customers for nearly all use cases, and those few use cases can be remediated using dynamic DNS.....then the even smaller subset of people who want to setup their own Mail Server can go to an ISP that gives static IPs. Its not a huge deal.

Also @licquorice why have you accepted that post as the solution? 🙂 are you trolling?

Re: Static IP address ?

licquorice — Tue, 16 Jul 2024 13:22:36 GMT

Not aware that I had, unless I did it by mistake.

Re: Static IP address ?

siu4 — Mon, 02 Sep 2024 18:34:05 GMT

lol all of my developer friends know never use BT because of the static IP issue.

Re: Static IP address ?

naylor2006 — Mon, 02 Sep 2024 18:35:17 GMT

Good for them.

Re: Static IP address ?

licquorice — Mon, 02 Sep 2024 18:44:35 GMT

@siu4 wrote:

lol all of my developer friends know never use BT because of the static IP issue.

Wow, I guess 'all of your developer friends' would make up a huge majority of BT's customer base if they did.