GL.iNet SFT1200 (Opal) - Set up Static IP address

Technical Support for Routers
1

Hi,

My work requires me to log into my company drive using a specific IP address, however every time I have an outage since my ISP doesn’t provide me with a static IP address, the IP address changes.

I bought a GL Inet and wanted to see if it was possible to set up a static IP address so I don’t have to request a change in IP address to my company every time my ISP changes my IP address.

How would I be able to do this?
Thanks

2

So your employer requires your public facing/Internet/ISP/WAN-side IP to be a static/‘fixed’ IP… but they don’t account for the fact residential ISP packages, as you’re experiencing first hand, allocate dynamic IPs.

Two suggestions as either/or:

  • Have your employer fire your IT administrator; they don’t know what they’re doing.
  • Contact your ISP & request an upgrade to a commercial package for a static WAN IP. Bill it to your employer.

No router on the market is going to do what they need, GL or otherwise.

2 Likes
3

Another solution: consider using a VPN.

  1. Choose one with port forwarding. That pretty much guarantees a static exit IP. You can also use others without port forwarding but then you risk dynamic exit IP. WireGuard is recommended for Opal. Let me know if you need VPN provider recommendations.

  2. Set it up to always use one and the same server.

  3. Route traffic to that company file server through VPN.

  4. Make your company accept your new IP.

Potential issues:

  • this bypasses your admin efforts to secure things by limiting source IPs
  • your admin might be blocking VPNs, but that’s probably low possibility. Should be visible on the first attempt to connect
4

… & what happens when the VPN provider eventually makes changes to their infrastructure? Where would that leave OP?

inb4 ‘just self host a WG VPS, bro!’

5

Of course, that’s a possibility. Depending on a VPN provider, it might not be that frequent. Smaller ones, like AirVPN, tend to keep their servers for years without changes. Up to OP to decide what’s best.

Another thing is that VPN gives a freedom to travel. Not sure if that’s imports to OP though

6

Agreed; it is a possibility… a higher than zero one given its assignment is beyond one’s control without a service contract/agreement just like dynamic IPs. My ISP IP, like my VPN IP, goes months without changing but obviously YMMV.

There is also the ever present risk of WG fingerprinting… but given OP’s description, I don’t think their IT staff are quite so sophisticated:

https://wiki.wireshark.org/WireGuard

7

One possible solution would be to use a free or cheap VPS as a VPN server. My free tier Oracle VPS has been running for over 3 years with the same IP address.

One additional advantage is you could be anywhere in the world and your company would see the same IP address.

8

GL-inet router can not meet your requirement. I suggest you to contact the IT administrator of your company to use the other methods such as VPN.

9

Well, no router ever existing will meet this requirement. I agree that ideally this should be a company provided VPN to access such things, although that has its downsides as well. Sometimes such companies require to route all employee’s traffic trough the company network and that isn’t nice.

10

Ask your ISP to see if they wil provide a static public IP address for an extra monthly fee.

They may offer a Business Internet service for a higher monthly fee that you may be able to charge back to your company.

I do not work for and I am not directly associated with GL.iNet

11

A number of VPN providers offer a dedicated IP address for an extra monthly fee.

2 Likes
12

Nice list. I’ll throw Proton VPN Business on here too if ‘best case’ privacy is also a concern as security… though I’m sure their’s comes with a bit of a price tag:

1 Like