My ISP just told me I have a "NAT public IP address" and not "Dynamic public.." ... Is this even legal?

I can't use my PS3 and I can't port forward, and the customer support just confirmed that their DHCP server is actually giving me an address 10 other people are using (NAT). They said they have too many customers and not enough IPs so they NAT their customers, wtf? Can they really do this, what can I do to get the special treatment premium "dynamic public IP address" as they call it, instead of plebian "NAT public IP address", as they call it.

I've been troubleshooting my PS3 for 10 hours and I can't believe I'll have to hack together with vpn just to play my PS3.

Edit: the main problem is that my PS3 bans my IP as soon as I connect it to my router and try contacting PSN servers. Accounts are fine, the console is fine, it's just the IP my router gets that's causing the problem.

Luka Milosevic

Posted 2018-04-03T18:13:20.320

Reputation: 21

1Legal? Depends on teh terms of service in the contract that you signed. So... given that companies have lawyers, etc. I'd say "probably" – ivanivan – 2018-04-03T18:18:17.847

The situation is only going to get worse, and the only way out is the transition to IPv6. – Johan Myréen – 2018-04-03T18:20:58.970

1It sounds like the issue is the PSN servers using an untenable "security" method. – music2myear – 2018-04-03T19:02:58.710

"Can they really do this" - They absolutely can do this. You can use a router, that supports OpenVPN, to solve your PS3 connectivity problems. – Ramhound – 2018-04-03T19:09:12.593

Answers

They said they have too many customers and not enough IPs so they NAT their customers, wtf?

Yes, IPv4 addresses have become difficult (and expensive) to obtain. Some RIRs no longer have any to give out to ISPs; one needs to buy small blocks through a broker. Others place very strict requirements and/or have long queues.

Can they really do this

Most likely yes? I'm not a lawyer, but I haven't heard of any country which would have laws requiring a public IPv4 address to be given to every customer. (If the ISP advertises that they'll give you one but doesn't, consumer protection laws might apply...)

what can I do to get the special treatment premium "dynamic public IP address" as they call it, instead of plebian "NAT public IP address", as they call it.

Call your ISP and offer them money for special treatment. Depending on ISP, this is likely to be an extra feature that can be purchased – or if you're lucky, even obtained for free as soon as you mention that you're having problems with PSN. (They don't have enough addresses for everyone, but they should have enough for people who need one and ask for it.)

(Although if you're really unlucky they might tell you you need a business plan.)

user1686

Posted 2018-04-03T18:13:20.320

Reputation: 283 655

I mean a router where I can spoof/change mac would be just fine. There is no way to get dyn IP, I guess only business users get a guaranteed one. Anyways I got a new IP that works just fine with PSN . Not sure if it's shared but I don't care tbh, it works. Edit: yeah, they offered me a static IP ofc for 5$, but I don't want one. – Luka Milosevic – 2018-04-04T17:02:42.393

Ask your ISP for a new NAT address. The address you are assigned to may be blacklisted as someone else on your shared IP may have done something illegal, for example: Exploiting (hacking) and/or ban circumvention (creating multiple accounts to bypass an account ban.)

Ultrasonic54321

Posted 2018-04-03T18:13:20.320

Reputation: 557

Yup, could also be any one of the thousands of users who used that address before, I just hope Sony doesn't do perma IP bans often, that would be just chaos. – Luka Milosevic – 2018-04-04T17:04:44.433

If your problem has been solved, please mark an answer as preferred. – Ultrasonic54321 – 2018-04-05T15:25:25.400