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Access to Fon

RobPN
Seasoned Hero
Posts: 5,103
Thanks: 2,668
Fixes: 13
Registered: ‎17-05-2013

Re: Access to Fon

Quote from: sjptd
Seeing TORPC's question I went to the Google Play store on this PC and searched for FON, and the FON app came up first in the search.  
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.oakley.fon
I then choose Install and installed it from my PC onto my phone ~ no need to download apk file or fiddle with sideloading.  ...

That doesn't seem to work for me but I can see a message telling me "This item cannot be installed in your devices country", so I'm just wondering now if your IP address is from one of the ranges that PN bought from the US and which some sites are still seeing as 'Non-UK' as discussed in this thread
TORPC
Grafter
Posts: 5,163
Registered: ‎08-12-2013

Re: Access to Fon

Interesting findings
Cheers guys
sjptd
Grafter
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Registered: ‎01-09-2014

Re: Access to Fon

My ip is in the 146.90 range which has been a suspect one.  But both the phone and the PC were accessing via the same address, and everything I have asked seems to think it is in the UK (down to correct postcode)
x47c
Grafter
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Registered: ‎14-08-2009

Re: Access to Fon

Ah, but if you are not part of the BT fon package with BT but simply go off any buy one yourself
surely:
1. any usage others of your fon unit will come out of your monthly plusnet allowance (assuming not unlimited)
2. any dodgy or criminal usage by others of your fon connection will be recorded as YOUR IP address on the internet side of your router and it will be you that get a visit from the fuzz
I was imagining here that with the real deal BT fon setup BT arrange inside their HH router to have a separate tunnel to disassociate your connection for any fon usage by others.
Anyway I distantly recall sometime reading about how many BT owners wanted to disable fon totally on their unit as even though it was not being associated with them from a use point of view it was still using the limited amount of speed bandwidth on their connection which they would rather have themselves thank you very much.
sjptd
Grafter
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Registered: ‎01-09-2014

Re: Access to Fon

but if you are not part of the BT fon package with BT but simply go off any buy one yourself surely:  Yes, this thread is to confirm that if we do that we will be able to use it effectively.
any dodgy or criminal usage by others of your fon connection will be recorded as YOUR IP address on the internet side of your router and it will be you that get a visit from the fuzz  FON pages about security indicate this is not the case, and it will use the same tunneling methods that the HomeHub etc use.
Indeed, a lot of BT users do choose to opt out.  It is a balance of benefit of access when out and about to (probably trivial) loss of bandwidth when at home.  As has already been pointed out,FON use does NOT count against data allowance on BT, but DOES count against it on Plusnet or other non-BT isps.
RobPN
Seasoned Hero
Posts: 5,103
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Registered: ‎17-05-2013

Re: Access to Fon

Quote from: x47c
Ah, but if you are not part of the BT fon package with BT but simply go off any buy one yourself
surely:
1. any usage others of your fon unit will come out of your monthly plusnet allowance (assuming not unlimited)

Yes, but as you point out, not a problem for people on Unlimited account types.
Quote from: x47c
2. any dodgy or criminal usage by others of your fon connection will be recorded as YOUR IP address on the internet side of your router and it will be you that get a visit from the fuzz
I was imagining here that with the real deal BT fon setup BT arrange inside their HH router to have a separate tunnel to disassociate your connection for any fon usage by others.
Anyway I distantly recall sometime reading about how many BT owners wanted to disable fon totally on their unit as even though it was not being associated with them from a use point of view it was still using the limited amount of speed bandwidth on their connection which they would rather have themselves thank you very much.

The FON router works in a similar fashion to BT-FON devices and sets up a separate tunnel for the FON portion of the WiFi traffic - the IP address via the FON connection is different and* there is no liability to the host Fonero (as FON calls its users).  This is actually pointed out somewhere in the FAQs or T&Cs on the FON site.
Any dodgy usage would be logged against the person logging in via the FON hotspot.
Edit: Beaten to it by sjptd
*Edit #2: Retracted in accordance with Reply #21 by matthews.  Testing with a wireless dongle on this PC shows he is quite correct and my WAN IP address remained the same.  Embarrassed
matthews
Rising Star
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Registered: ‎13-08-2014

Re: Access to Fon

Quote from: RobPN

The FON router works in a similar fashion to BT-FON devices and sets up a separate tunnel for the FON portion of the WiFi traffic - the IP address via the FON connection is different and there is no liability to the host Fonero (as FON calls its users).  This is actually pointed out somewhere in the FAQs or T&Cs on the FON site.
Any dodgy usage would be logged against the person logging in via the FON hotspot.

Pretty sure that's not the case for the FON router that you purchase separately (otherwise they'd have to tunnel and relay all of the data). The router restricts access to the "local" subnet so it can't access your home network but the traffic on to the wider internet still comes from your IP address.
RobPN
Seasoned Hero
Posts: 5,103
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Registered: ‎17-05-2013

Re: Access to Fon

Quote from: matthews

Pretty sure that's not the case for the FON router that you purchase separately (otherwise they'd have to tunnel and relay all of the data). The router restricts access to the "local" subnet so it can't access your home network but the traffic on to the wider internet still comes from your IP address.

Thanks for your comments, I've now tested this using a wireless dongle on this PC, and yes you're quite correct about the WAN IP address remaining as my PN one.  I've altered Reply #20 above accordingly.  Embarrassed
Regarding restricting access by the FON connection to my LAN, I'd already taken the 'belt and braces' approach by allocating the device a separate VLAN in my DrayTek router.
I think I'll do some further digging ...
beeceegee
Pro
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Registered: ‎27-11-2012

Re: Access to Fon

silly question - do Plusnet's T&C allow their service to be used as a Fon site?
Using the service
16.  You may only use the service for your own personal use and enjoyment.

Does this include providing a fon connection for Joe Bloggs to use?
TORPC
Grafter
Posts: 5,163
Registered: ‎08-12-2013

Re: Access to Fon

As they trailed a similar thing a while back, but didn't take off, I would hope a member of the CRT will be able to clarify Smiley