Onboard WiFi question: which range of IP address?

[Yannn]

Hi to all!

We'll be on the MSC Preziosa in July, to Iceland.

I have a NAS. I'd like to be able to reach it from the ship (for example to upload my photos there).

For security reasons, access to the NAS is not allowed from abroad by default. I can change the settings to allow access from countries where I go.

The question is, what's the "nationality" of the IP adresses obtained onboard?

Thank you!

 

[alyssamma]

2 hours ago, Yannn said:

Hi to all!

We'll be on the MSC Preziosa in July, to Iceland.

I have a NAS. I'd like to be able to reach it from the ship (for example to upload my photos there).

For security reasons, access to the NAS is not allowed from abroad by default. I can change the settings to allow access from countries where I go.

The question is, what's the "nationality" of the IP adresses obtained onboard?

Thank you!

 

Your IP address will be an internal one...e.g., 192.168.xxx.xxx...you won't be assigned a publicly addressable IP.

 

What you really want to know if the IP of MSC's router 

 

Think about it this way...at home, you have a bunch of devices connected to your wifi...they all will have addresses starting with 192.168.xxx.xxx. However, if you ping an external site, that will register with the IP of your router (or modem, or whatever device brings you wifi).

 

I'm not sure anyone can answer you what that will be. The reason is, it should vary by how MSC connects to the internet. It will vary from ship to ship and possibly multiple times on the cruise if multiple providers are involved.

 

Furthermore, the provider should be satellite, which isn't a "country" and usually assign *dynamic* IP addresses.

[VTSFAN]

You could Use a VPN and set the exit point to a node in your home Country, should get around any Geo blocking

 

[alyssamma]

2 minutes ago, VTSFAN said:

You could Use a VPN and set the exit point to a node in your home Country, should get around any Geo blocking

 

This is a good answer if it will work on the ship's wifi. I don't think it will, but if it does then that a solution.

 

Not sure if anyone has direct knowledge of this. And you may need to upgrade to a higher level of internet to get it to work, if possible at all.

[Yannn]

2 hours ago, alyssamma said:

I'm not sure anyone can answer you what that will be. The reason is, it should vary by how MSC connects to the internet. It will vary from ship to ship and possibly multiple times on the cruise if multiple providers are involved.

 

Furthermore, the provider should be satellite, which isn't a "country" and usually assign *dynamic* IP addresses.

Well, a way to know would be to connect to some "what's my IP" site while onboard and connected.

[Yannn]

2 hours ago, VTSFAN said:

You could Use a VPN and set the exit point to a node in your home Country, should get around any Geo blocking

 

I was thinking about that. But that would imply a VPN in a VPN, as I use OpenVPN to connect to my NAS from outside my home network.

I guess it should work, but it would be simpler with just 1 VPN 🙂

[Yannn]

Apparently VPN do work onboard (and might allow to avoid some restrictions!)

 

[alyssamma]

7 minutes ago, Yannn said:

Well, a way to know would be to connect to some "what's my IP" site while onboard and connected.

That won't work...as mentioned, it will vary. So if you got someone to do that today, when you were on the ship it would most likely be different.

 

Even if you did it while onboard, assuming MSC gets a dynamic address, it will not help you.

[alyssamma]

4 minutes ago, Yannn said:

Apparently VPN do work onboard (and might allow to avoid some restrictions!)

 

If this works for you - and I think it's a big if - it would be the only way for you to do what you want.

 

However, the VPN mentioned in this thread is a little different from a general purpose VPN...whose servers may or may not be blocked.

 

Since you said you use OpenVPN, I would see if someone onboard the ship you want can currently access it.

Edited April 15, 2023 by alyssamma
Removed Q about which VPN OP uses

[odyssyus]

Using a travel router (GLi Net Slate) and expressVPN I can access my NAS from anywhere and stream plex.  Watched a caps game as well via my firestick.

Edited April 15, 2023 by odyssyus

[alyssamma]

34 minutes ago, odyssyus said:

Using a travel router (GLi Net Slate) and expressVPN I can access my NAS from anywhere and stream plex.  Watched a caps game as well via my firestick.

This works on an MSC cruise specifically?

 

And to be clear, the OP's question wasn't how to access his NAS...he can do that. He wanted to open security for a specific country and that country only.

Edited April 15, 2023 by alyssamma

[odyssyus]

Works on MSC, Princess, Celebrity, Carnival.

 

to be clear, the OP doesn't need to open security for a specific country and frankly that would not be wise.  Using the vpn to solve the geolocation issue is the right way to do it, without having to whitelist anything.

[alyssamma]

1 hour ago, odyssyus said:

Works on MSC, Princess, Celebrity, Carnival.

 

to be clear, the OP doesn't need to open security for a specific country and frankly that would not be wise.  Using the vpn to solve the geolocation issue is the right way to do it, without having to whitelist anything.

You did this on Carnival? What level of wifi did you purchase?

 

I agree about the use of the VPN, if the OP''s VPN will do that (i.e., if they've paid for whatever level that allows them to pick their specific country).

 

I'm really surprised you got this working on Carnival as they lock so much down with their wifi...

[alyssamma]

1 hour ago, odyssyus said:

Works on MSC, Princess, Celebrity, Carnival.

 

to be clear, the OP doesn't need to open security for a specific country and frankly that would not be wise.  Using the vpn to solve the geolocation issue is the right way to do it, without having to whitelist anything.

Again, shocked you got this working on Carnival as their T&C specifically call out vpn as not being supported. Kudos to you if you got that working...

[odyssyus]

I always get the streaming plan.  On VPN usage, its best to use a paid service that rotates their ports.  NordVPN/ExpressVPN both do this.  TORguard stealth vpn is also good.

 

Carnival says 'its not supported'.  That isn't the same as 'not allowed' although I'll admit I haven't read their T&C to see if that's actually in there.  Maybe something to do tomorrow.

 

Our last Celebrity cruise (2 weeks ago), using the Starlink streaming service, we were able to stream our youtube TV, watch a Caps game, and stream from my Plex all with no issue and hi def.  Had to use the VPN once outside the geofence and Express as well as Nord both never have an issue.  I connected via Atlanta, LA and Dallas at various times.  This is my experience, yours may differ.

[Yannn]

To summarize, the best would be: leave the geographical restrictions on the NAS (France only in my case), use my NordVPN account localized in France, and then run OpenVPN to reach my NAS. Right?

[odyssyus]

2 hours ago, Yannn said:

To summarize, the best would be: leave the geographical restrictions on the NAS (France only in my case), use my NordVPN account localized in France, and then run OpenVPN to reach my NAS. Right?

I don't understand the requirement to double VPN.  On my synology, I can use a hostname setup via ddns and ssl cert my access...  No cert, no access.

[Yannn]

28 minutes ago, odyssyus said:

I don't understand the requirement to double VPN.  On my synology, I can use a hostname setup via ddns and ssl cert my access...  No cert, no access.

Yes, you can, but that implies to expose your NAS fully on the internet.

Mine can only be reached via my VPN, limiting the surface for attacks.

[odyssyus]

20 minutes ago, Yannn said:

Yes, you can, but that implies to expose your NAS fully on the internet.

Mine can only be reached via my VPN, limiting the surface for attacks.

Well. yes and no.  You can expose port 443 and use a cert.  Banks which have some of the most restrictive security use this method.  If its good enough for them, its good enough for me.  Anyway, enjoy your cruise.  I could go on and on about this as I do this for a living, but its a cruise board 🙂

[Yannn]

Ahah yes, thank you anyway! 🙂