Airtel static IP is a scam?

[Jee]

@kiran6680

So, finally I figured out, Airtel static IP scheme is indeed a scam. But only for certain people, who have been provided routers that don’t even support static IP! I was one of those. Obviously I couldn’t find any option for static IP in my router configuration. After months of complains, one “engineer” came to configure and he realised this router doesn’t support static IP.

They changed the router, and now it works fine. Though the new router is pathetic in many other ways - horribly locked up. Even changing SSID, password etc. is not possible, we are supposed to beg Airtel customer support to do it. I don’t care much, I disabled Wi-Fi on Airtel provided router and user my own router for running the home network.

How old is that box lol? Never heard of a router that doesn’t support static IP, maybe its the method they use for static config that isn’t supported but glad you got it somewhat sorted.

[kiran6680]

@Jee

How old is that box lol? Never heard of a router that doesn’t support static IP, maybe its the method they use for static config that isn’t supported but glad you got it somewhat sorted.

It was a Huawei one, 3-4 years old. Yeah, I agree there must be nothing in that hardware that fundamentally doesn’t support static IP, but the firmware/OS/interface on top of it surely didn’t expose the option to configure it.

[Sandeep_yadav]

Can’t we be able to use port forwarding without Static IP? Do we need Static IP even to use cloudflare ? Someone using Cloudflare (with IP/Port) for remote assess of local NAS without subscribe Static IP? I am not able to use cloudflare on my Synology NAS for remote access

[napsterlabs]

@Sandeep_yadav

Can’t we be able to use port forwarding without Static IP? Do we need Static IP even to use cloudflare ? Someone using Cloudflare (with IP/Port) for remote assess of local NAS without subscribe Static IP? I am not able to use cloudflare on my Synology NAS for remote access

There are many ways to achieve the same functionality, like with Tailscale, Zerotier, Ngrok, Cloudflare tunnels etc.

[kiran6680]

@Sandeep_yadav

Can’t we be able to use port forwarding without Static IP? Do we need Static IP even to use cloudflare ? Someone using Cloudflare (with IP/Port) for remote assess of local NAS without subscribe Static IP? I am not able to use cloudflare on my Synology NAS for remote access

I had no plans for port forwarding, or accessing local stuff from outside.

[Sandeep_yadav]

@napsterlabs

There are many ways to achieve the same functionality, like with Tailscale, Zerotier, Ngrok, Cloudflare tunnels etc.

Thanks but I didn’t successful to use cloudflare tunnel to my NAS (I installed docker container of cloudflare in my NAS). Tunnel is detected and online on cloudflare control panel but while entering public hostname it shows error “TypeError: Failed to fetch” and so I am not able to save my public hostname to access my NAS remotely.

[Jee]

@Sandeep_yadav

Can’t we be able to use port forwarding without Static IP? Do we need Static IP even to use cloudflare ? Someone using Cloudflare (with IP/Port) for remote assess of local NAS without subscribe Static IP? I am not able to use cloudflare on my Synology NAS for remote access

I think port forwarding will not work on CGNAT which most ISP use so switching to static IP means you have your own IP for port forwarding. That’s what I remember when I looked into it a long time ago for my Jellyfin server. Ended up using zrok and tailscale for that but thinking of trying the tunnel as well as zrok is kinda slow and tailscale only works for personal devices and has issues running with all time vpn.

[The_Eternal_Guest]

@Jee

I think port forwarding will not work on CGNAT which most ISP use so switching to static IP means you have your own IP for port forwarding.

You can use port forwarding even with dynamic ip as long as it is public ip (like in case of BSNL broadband) & not pvt/CGNAT.

[YeAhx]

@kiran6680

So, finally I figured out, Airtel static IP scheme is indeed a scam. But only for certain people, who have been provided routers that don’t even support static IP! I was one of those. Obviously I couldn’t find any option for static IP in my router configuration. After months of complains, one “engineer” came to configure and he realised this router doesn’t support static IP.

They changed the router, and now it works fine. Though the new router is pathetic in many other ways - horribly locked up. Even changing SSID, password etc. is not possible, we are supposed to beg Airtel customer support to do it. I don’t care much, I disabled Wi-Fi on Airtel provided router and user my own router for running the home network.

Crazy to think it took it took almost 2 months for them to realise this. In an ideal world they should have asked/checked which router you were using in the first place. How come they don’t know about their own routers (granted they have tie up with 3rd party manufacturers who print airtel branding on the router) they should have done some research.
I’m on a genexis titanium 2100 something router that Airtel provided and its alright. I have some nitpicks about it such as its firmware can’t seem to be able to be upgraded (infact you can’t access it by URL as a bypass it was shown on YT videos I watched). I also can’t seem to portforward the ports I needed to.

[Jee]

@The_Eternal_Guest

You can use port forwarding even with dynamic ip as long as it is public ip (like in case of BSNL broadband) & not pvt/CGNAT.

Yes that’s what I meant by having your own IP and not sharing it with others.

[silver_fang]

@ze_cook

You need to configure the static ip on your router, and not rely on their pppoe config (not sure how to do that in their router, but probably has options in the config page). They’ll allocate a specific IP address just for you, and if you configure that in your router as static config, it won’t change. Have been using it for 3 years+, works perfectly fine.

Though, they’ve notified that the charges will be revised to 299+gst (from 199+gst).

Can you please show a guide how to do that?

[LaatSahab]

The Router page on my Airtel router is not allowing me to make changes to my LAN config, such as assigning a custom DNS address or binding a MAC to a local IP. What could be the reason here and what’s the solution for it ?

[The_Eternal_Guest]

You need a more privileged user account on router or you need to ask for a new router that supports such settings access even on default user acc. In either case you need to contact customer support/local airtel technician.

[ChipDesigner]

How do I request static IP? I cannot see it in my airtel app.

[ShannRudder]

call 121 or 121@in.airtel.com for raising the request

[privateuserstar1]

Hey guys, recently got my static ip from airtel , it is definitely not a scam, its just that field technicians will indeed get your private static ip, subnet mask and gateway as their “RETURN SR TO ENGINEER” notes on their phone , if you just enter those details on your static ip wan on your own router (taking it granted that airtel ONT is in bridge mode) ; You definitely have your static ip. So just ask the technician with you intent that you need those static ip configuration details.

You do not need pppoe username and password

[kiran6680]

Right - Airtel do have the capability of static IP if you are not unlucky. But like my experience shows, it can indeed be a scam. If your router doesn’t support static IP, and yet they keep charging you for static IP without any information for many months. If this is not a scam, I don’t know what is.

[Dushie]

Just got static ip disabled today from Airtel. I had aked for bridge mode to be enabled and they ended up enabling static IP. when i got my bill saw a 299+ GST charge, called them and blasted , also reached out to social media team, took 2 hours, they sent a technician, removed the static ip and reversted the charges put in bill. Now i have it setup on Dynamic IP in Bridge mode.