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Using a dynamic DNS service with Hughesnet

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jcope
New Poster

Using a dynamic DNS service with Hughesnet

Hello everyone.  I am new to the community but a long-time Hughesnet user.  Recently upgraded to Gen5 and in the process lost our static ip so are now making an attempt to remotely access security cameras via a dynamic dns service but am unable to get the service (noip.org) to make contact with our router ports.  Noticed that we can ping our ipv6 but not v4?  Not sure it that is important other than I seem to recall being told some time ago that dyn dns services only work with v6?   Anyway, does anyone know if it is even possible to remotely contact the new HN router?  

 

 

9 REPLIES 9
C0RR0SIVE
Associate Professor

The Hughesnet Jupiter network (Gen4 and Gen5) don't have public facing IPv4 addresses, so the typical dynamic DNS service like noip.org won't work in a traditional manor.

The device you are using to remote access the Hughesnet service will need to have an IPv6 address, and the camera system will also need to be able to support IPv6 and should be directly connected to the HT2000w.  Once you have confirmed that the camera system is IPv6 capable, you should be able to remotely access it using the IPv6 the modem gives your cameras.  However, I don't think your camera system would support something like noip.org running on the device (unless your using a computer with recording software so you can load the software that updates noip.org), and will have to take note of what your camera system IPv6 address is.

In a nutshell, everything must support IPv6 for it to work, and your IPv6 address can change at any time.

AFAIK, static addressing no longer exists on Jupiter, it sounds like you are coming from a Spaceway3/HN9000 system?

Thank you for the quick response.  After checking the cameras, which are of differing ages (Mobotix brand cameras), I see that one does appear to support IPv6 and the older one does not.  So...in order to at least contact the one camera would I not need to employ some Dynamic DNS service to monitor the v6 IP address if I hope to contact the camera remotely?  Not sure what you were suggesting re. "recording software?"  Maybe I don't understand how these services work.

C0RR0SIVE
Associate Professor

Typically people use either an NVR (Network Video Recorder) or DVR (Digital Video Recorder) and all cameras send the video to that device... That device would typically be the central device to access to see the cameras.

From the sounds of things, your cameras are all IP-Cameras and aren't being recorded by anything like an NVR or DVR?

That aside, you would need to use something like DynDNS or no-ip to access easily (by a url), but, unless that camera can run the software to tell those services the IPv6 address it's using, you will have to manually update the DNS entry each and every time it changes.  With IPv6, each device gets it's own unique public IP address, very different from how IPv4 worked...  So the IP a computer reports to those services, is going to have a different IPv6 address than what your camera would have.

Earlier when I stated recording software, many people that have multiple cameras in a house tend to use something like BlueIris on a computer to record what all their cameras see, if using BlueIris, one could in theory connect to the computer via IPv6, and the computer keep the IPv6 address on no-ip updated, and still be able to view the cameras.

@Liz do you know if Hughes ever plans to offer Static IPv6 addressing to residential customers, like they did with IPv4 on Spaceway3 long ago?  That would solve half the headache that some users like jcope have...

Liz
Moderator
Moderator

Hi jcope,

 

Welcome to the community, thanks for posting. Glad to see you're being helped by one of our very knowledgeable customers! You're in good hands with C0RR0SIVE.

 

Thanks for the ping, C0RR0SIVE. We currently haven't any plans for static IPv6 addresses, however should this change and we have the OK to share that information, you'll hear it from us.

 

 

If you have a tech or billing question and need help, please start a new thread in the appropriate board. Unsolicited Private Messages may not get replies.

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ryand
New Poster

A new convert to HughesNet – and sharing all of your combined frustrations regarding security systems and the ability to remotely view your security cameras, I have found a SOLUTION… one you may or may not like, but it works and it’s easy: you need a new DVR.

 

BACKGROUND

 

We have a cabin in a very storm-prone, rural part of Georgia in a high elevation. Because we’re not there for days at a time, we thought a security system and a separate DVR/camera system were a good solution to “monitoring” the property. After struggling with our original DSL service, which brought download speeds of less than 1 Mbps, we opted for a HughesNet competitor. The installation was simple: we connected our existing wireless router to the competitor’s satellite modem and, shazam, everything worked as it had for years, including DVR access.

 

Then we switched last week to HughesNet – higher speeds, increased data allotments, better price and, what we never imagined – ipv6. Remote viewing of our cameras was not possible with our new HughesNet service, given the ISP’s inability to permit tunneling or bridging directly to our own third-party router. (I explain why bridging wouldn’t work anyway next.) Our previous port forwarding and use of a DDNS updater service to access our DVR remotely was no longer an option on HughesNet Gen5.

 

SO WHY?

 

Internet service providers (ISP’s) generally utilize ipv4, an old system of registering IP addresses and gateways on the web. With ipv4 addresses all but gone (all the combinations are all but used already), the conversion to ipv6 is underway. And with it, much more complex ipv6 IP addresses. This conversion alone didn’t account for the problems we were now having, as we learned.

 

If you migrated an older DVR to the HughesNet Gen5 system and had been using a DDNS updater client such as NO-IP, you’ve noticed it’s not working and you cannot view your cameras remotely. This is because HN uses a single gateway (ipv6 IP address) for scores of customers over a region since the launch of Echostar 19 (satellite) and introduction of its faster Gen5 service. With this service, our DDNS updater client successfully updated our dynamic DNS, but the update isn’t sufficient to make the connection to your home or business DVR. That old DVR uses an ipv4 address. And even if it’s ipv6 compatible, that compatibility still doesn’t “work” to make the connection.

 

In layman’s terms, you’re trying to “reach in” to that older DVR and it’s not possible. The DVR must “reach out” somewhere first to make the connection. DDNS updaters that accomplished this in ipv4 environments can’t do it in ipv6 environments. Traditional port forwarding will not work; ports cannot reliably be opened on ipv6 with HughesNet.

 

SOLUTION

 

After two days of research; hours and hours of tinkering with modem and port settings; and calls to HughesNet and our DVR manufacturer, I can tell you this: the only workable solution is to purchase a DVR that permits peer-to-peer remote access AND that “reaches out” somewhere (likely to the DVR manufacturer’s system) first. We bought a Night Owl system at an electronics retailer and it works fine. This is not an advertisement for this system; other systems including Lorex and Swann profess to have similar technology: hook up the DVR, scan the QR code into your app and, well for us, shazam. We’re up and running.

 

I hope this is helpful, as I’ve lived your frustration. Bottom line, in my view, if you’re going to launch an expensive satellite like HughesNet, it’s best to adopt the newest technology. HN has done that. Where they fail is explaining this to customers in a meaningful way.

Hello RyanD,

That's good information to know, and thanks for posting. 

Any updates on your experience in using this system?

 

El Dorado Networks |Diamond Springs, CA | eldoradonetworks.com

Hi there El Dorado Networks - Absolutely no problems. Everything working fine for months now. (Sorry for the delayed reply; I'm on the forums now because the Gen5 service seems to be down.) Limaleader - great advice also. We have Arlo at our main home (as a redundancy to to a traditional DVR) and it's been great with one caveat - Arlo does not record continuously, but only on motion detection. Okay for some applications, but not for everyone.

Thanks for the in-depth explanation.  I'm going through the same struggle.  I have an older DVR and have had access with no problems until switching to HN.  Initially I was quite upset that I had just signed up for a 2 year agreement and didn't know that remote access wasn't an option.  After reading your post, I have a much better understanding why I cannot remote access my security cameras that HN tech suppport staff either wouldn't or (most likely) couldn't explain to me.

It sucks to read this, but at the same time, I have a solid and logical answer.  Instead of "Sorry, we can't help you."

Nothing worse than getting trapped in a contract for a service that isn't going to do what you thought all services did.  It never crossed my mind that there was a possibility I wouldn't be able to access my DVR.

Gentlemen, I have a remote cabin off the grid in the Arizona mountains.  I have 4 ARLO cameras installed and one Simple Home camera installed to monitor my cabin and property.  All cameras were easy to install and I can monitor them on my smart phone using Hughes Net Gen 5 operating on a large solar system.  The ARLO cameras are wireless and talk to a ARLO control box plugged into the Hughes modem/wifi box. No other dvrs etc are needed.  The ARLO cameras are sold by Amazon, Costco and many others.  The system works great and records motion.  The only issue is the elk tripping the cameras in the fall.