topic Re: STATIC IP ADDRESS - IMPOSSIBLE OR EXPENSIVE WITH PLUSNET in Plusnet Feedback

Static IP Address - Impossible or Expensive with Plusnet

nickatkinson — Thu, 13 Dec 2012 13:09:01 GMT

Not impressed with Plusnet
I am on the VALUE tarrif - seems for some unknown reason don't want to give you an option to have a static ip address
If you pay extra for more speed and GB you can get - but I cant get faster speed than about 18MBps + only need around 20/30GB a month
They can manually do it every month for a £5 fee - then it resets so you would have to ask + pay every month
As far as I can see nobody at plusnet seems to want to actually help me or see it from the customer side
Why is static ip address so difficult to get
Anyone know if I should write to offcom or start cancelling from plusnet + associated costs etc ?
Does anyone know if there is a way to set up manually a static IP address so I can get my Icam app to work to view home webcams ?
They seem to want to make things as difficult and problematic as possible - how did they get such good customer reviews ?
dick:red All caps title edited as per forum rule.

Re: STATIC IP ADDRESS - IMPOSSIBLE OR EXPENSIVE WITH PLUSNET

mushy — Thu, 13 Dec 2012 13:13:21 GMT

I thought the £5 fee for a static IP was a once only payment to set it up in the first instance.
Maybe some one can clarify that ?

Re: STATIC IP ADDRESS - IMPOSSIBLE OR EXPENSIVE WITH PLUSNET

James — Thu, 13 Dec 2012 13:15:10 GMT

It's a one off fee on a product that allows it (ie not Value).

Re: STATIC IP ADDRESS - IMPOSSIBLE OR EXPENSIVE WITH PLUSNET

itsme — Thu, 13 Dec 2012 13:20:21 GMT

Quote from: nickatkinson
Not impressed with Plusnet
I am on the VALUE tarrif - seems for some unknown reason don't want to give you an option to have a static ip address
If you pay extra for more speed and GB you can get - but I cant get faster speed than about 18MBps + only need around 20/30GB a month

Which Value package are you referring to? Thought it only come with 10GB

Re: STATIC IP ADDRESS - IMPOSSIBLE OR EXPENSIVE WITH PLUSNET

spraxyt — Thu, 13 Dec 2012 13:25:33 GMT

If you need 20/30GB per month in my opinion upgrading to Extra for an additional £5 per month should be ideal. With that product you can request a static IP for a £5 one-off charge,
Problem solved.

Re: STATIC IP ADDRESS - IMPOSSIBLE OR EXPENSIVE WITH PLUSNET

MisterW — Thu, 13 Dec 2012 13:35:10 GMT

Quote
Does anyone know if there is a way to set up manually a static IP address so I can get my Icam app to work to view home webcams ?

Can you not use a Dynamic DNS service ? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dynamic_DNS

Re: STATIC IP ADDRESS - IMPOSSIBLE OR EXPENSIVE WITH PLUSNET

nickatkinson — Thu, 13 Dec 2012 13:35:48 GMT

I am on the value fibre package for £16.49
My line does not support any speed > 18Mbps
I am allowed 40GB on the value which is all I need I dont need 250GB
Yet they want me to pay £5 set up
Then extra £3.50 per month - just for the privilige of setting up my broadband with a static IP address!
How much does it cost them to do the setup ?
Feel I am being ripped off
Anyone know how to escalate to offcom or their MD please ?

Re: STATIC IP ADDRESS - IMPOSSIBLE OR EXPENSIVE WITH PLUSNET

nickatkinson — Thu, 13 Dec 2012 13:38:05 GMT

MisterW thanks for the suggestion on how to do it manually - looks too complicated for me
I have no objection paying the £5 one off fee
But why £3.50 per month - surely thats over the top !

Re: Static IP Address - Impossible or Expensive with Plusnet

nickatkinson — Thu, 13 Dec 2012 13:40:36 GMT

James Bailey - please can I ring you
Please advise how I can call you ?
I am happy to pay £5 one off fee
I would like an explanation why I cant have static IP address on the package I am on ?
Thank you

Re: Static IP Address - Impossible or Expensive with Plusnet

itsme — Thu, 13 Dec 2012 13:43:16 GMT

The majority of ISP do not offer static IP's and the ones that do work out more expensive than Plus Net, or they did the last time I researched it.

Re: Static IP Address - Impossible or Expensive with Plusnet

nickatkinson — Thu, 13 Dec 2012 13:57:46 GMT

itsme I accept what you are saying about other ISP - that may be the case - but I am signed up to Plusnet
notice they dont say on the signup we give you a sub standard broadband service - if you want to view home webcams through ipod app Icam expect to play more money!
I am trying to understand as a non techie person why PLUSNET want to charge me £3.50 extra per month for a static IP address
Does it cost them that much ? I have no issue paying a £5 setup fee
I would love to speak to their MD or somebody that could actually help me instead of trying to extract more money from me

Re: Static IP Address - Impossible or Expensive with Plusnet

HPsauce — Thu, 13 Dec 2012 14:06:34 GMT

And those ISP's that do offer static IP's typically only do so on the upper-tier packages, often involving an ongoing extra charge not just a one-off.
As noted earlier DyDNS is normally an effective solution for the casual user.

Re: Static IP Address - Impossible or Expensive with Plusnet

itsme — Thu, 13 Dec 2012 14:10:17 GMT

Could be down to the fact that IP addresses are running out. So allowing static with high usage packages mean that these users probably will leave their routers on 24/7. In comparison with low usage packages that are only dynamic were the user may switch their router of allowing the IP to be reused.

Re: Static IP Address - Impossible or Expensive with Plusnet

MisterW — Thu, 13 Dec 2012 14:15:57 GMT

Quote
MisterW thanks for the suggestion on how to do it manually - looks too complicated for me

It's not complicated at all here's a how to :- http://reviews.cnet.co.uk/webcams/how-to-set-up-a-cheap-home-security-system-using-dynamic-dns-50005383/
Unfortunately the most widely used provider Dyn.com no longer provide a free account but there are others such as http://www.changeip.com/

Re: Static IP Address - Impossible or Expensive with Plusnet

spraxyt — Thu, 13 Dec 2012 14:55:35 GMT

Quote from: nickatkinson
I am trying to understand as a non techie person why PLUSNET want to charge me £3.50 extra per month for a static IP address
Does it cost them that much ? I have no issue paying a £5 setup fee

Plusnet don't want to charge you £3.50 extra per month for a static IP. The situation is that static IPs are not offered on the basic Value Fibre package. So you need to upgrade to a package that does include a static IP add-on option if you want one. Extra fibre which costs £3.50 more than Value Fibre includes that option.

Re: Static IP Address - Impossible or Expensive with Plusnet

nickatkinson — Thu, 13 Dec 2012 15:06:09 GMT

So the question to Plusnet Spraxyt would be why do they not allow the static ip on the VALUE fibre tarrif
I suppose I am expecting some good old Yorkshire straight talking
I repeat I have no objection to paying the £5 set up fee
What cost do plus net have after that to keep it a static ip address ? If at all
Anyone out there know answers please ?
I cannot get any speed higher than 18Mbps, I do not need more than 40gb a month - therefore I have to pay £3.50 per month for life for a static ip address ?
Why can nobody at plusnet answer straight talking questions
Anyone know how I can talk to somebody that knows something there pleease ?

Re: Static IP Address - Impossible or Expensive with Plusnet

Chris — Thu, 13 Dec 2012 15:11:50 GMT

Unfortanately static IP addresses are not an infinite resource, so we only allow them to be added on our higher cost products.
It's a simple business decision based on that and the general needs of the customer base to allow this.

Re: Static IP Address - Impossible or Expensive with Plusnet

nickatkinson — Thu, 13 Dec 2012 15:23:55 GMT

So Chris, do you think a broadband service it would be reasonable to expect it to handle remote viewing of webcam through
android/ios apps such as Icam ?
My question again to anyone at plusnet how much does it cost PLUSNET to provide a static ip address per month
Its unfair to pay £3.50 a month just for that
I would pay if the speed was quicker - but plusnet cant provide that
I dont need extra GB
Please can someone at PLUSNET answer my question
You advertise your service as straight talking!
I am willing to pay the £5 setup fee
HOW MUCH DOES IT COST PLUS NET to provide this please - anyone at Plusnet able to answer please !

Re: Static IP Address - Impossible or Expensive with Plusnet

orbrey — Thu, 13 Dec 2012 15:35:15 GMT

Hi nickatkinson,
The £3.50 a month does get you a fair bit more than the option to add a static IP address, even if that is all you would be upgrading for. Unfortunately as Chris has said, for various reasons the business has decided not to offer a static IP component on the Value account types. I'm sorry that this is inconvenient for you, unfortunately though it's not possible for us to change this.
The actual cost of the IP itself is negligible (though it is certainly getting higher, at present buying new IPv4 addresses is around $10) but the £5 charge exists in part because of the administration required to apply the address to your connection and also in part to stop customers who don't really need a static IP from getting one.
My broadband is dynamic IP only but I use a free dynamic DNS service to access it through the same hostname whatever the IP I'm assigned is, this would work fine with a webcam setup like you're describing and would mean you don't need to pay any extra to access it.

Re: Static IP Address - Impossible or Expensive with Plusnet

MisterW — Thu, 13 Dec 2012 15:38:57 GMT

I'm sorry but what it costs PlusNet is not really relevant. As Chris& Matt say they have taken a Busines decision to ONLY provide a static option on higher cost products.
It's similar to other ISP's , BT for example will ONLY provide a static option on Business accounts http://business.bt.com/broadband-and-internet/business-broadband/static-ip/. At least PlusNet do give an option on a domestic account and for less than BT want to charge.