Smarthub with no Public IP

[jibery]

I have a Smarthub VMB 4540 with a couple essential cameras. I have never successfully been able to access remotely with port forwarding. I bought a router that had vpn capabilities still haven't managed to succeed but I believe understand the issue now. I use a 4g data sim (testra australia) for the internet which apparently does not have a public IP, or not a static one anyway, which is the issue for port forwarding and I am also fining for VPN. DNSS and other work arounds seem to rely on ability to direct arlo ap, which can not. Is anyone using a 4g router with provider that doesn't provide public ip address, and has found a solution to port forwarding?

[michaelkenward]

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@jibery wrote:

I have never successfully been able to access remotely with port forwarding. 

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What do you want to do that is not possible with the Android/iOS apps?

[StephenB]

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@jibery wrote:

I have a Smarthub VMB 4540 with a couple essential cameras. I have never successfully been able to access remotely with port forwarding. I bought a router that had vpn capabilities still haven't managed to succeed but I believe understand the issue now. I use a 4g data sim (testra australia) for the internet which apparently does not have a public IP, or not a static one anyway, which is the issue for port forwarding and I am also fining for VPN. DNSS and other work arounds seem to rely on ability to direct arlo ap, which can not. Is anyone using a 4g router with provider that doesn't provide public ip address, and has found a solution to port forwarding?

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Port forwarding is an issue with telstra (and several other providers) because they use carrier-grade NAT (CGNAT) -  which doesn't support inbound connections to your router.  Many router-hosted VPNs also won't work for the same reason.  I believe the ASUS vpn will work with Telstra, there might be some other similar VPNs that use cloud relay out there.

[jibery]

I would like to be able to access the recordings saved to the Smarthub, through the Android app.

[StephenB]

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@jibery wrote:

I would like to be able to access the recordings saved to the Smarthub, through the Android app.

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Note my earlier reply.

[jibery]

Thanks Stephen. I had a look through the ASUS website, it didn't appear they offer a VPN service, but their routers are VPN server capabable if that is what you meant. I am not looking at another router at this stage, this is my third router trying to resolve the issue and the current router/s (TP-Link AX1500 travel and Deco X50-5G). I have tried Proton VPN with no success (although this could be my limited networking knowlege).

Really I would like to get the port forwarding working as having a stand alone system was a key to buying it originally.

[StephenB]

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@jibery wrote:

Thanks Stephen. I had a look through the ASUS website, it didn't appear they offer a VPN service, but their routers are VPN server capabable if that is what you meant.

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Not exactly what I meant.  Installing OpenVPN server or something similar on the router won't help, since the phone VPN client still needs a way to connect to the server.  And CGNAT makes that impossible.  You need some form of cloud assist (where both the home router and the phone can connect to each other using the cloud server).

If I recall correctly, @alex_loo has this working correctly over telstra - I'm hoping he can fill you in on what he's done. 

[alex_loo]

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@jibery wrote:

Thanks Stephen. I had a look through the ASUS website, it didn't appear they offer a VPN service, but their routers are VPN server capabable if that is what you meant. I am not looking at another router at this stage, this is my third router trying to resolve the issue and the current router/s (TP-Link AX1500 travel and Deco X50-5G). I have tried Proton VPN with no success (although this could be my limited networking knowlege).

Really I would like to get the port forwarding working as having a stand alone system was a key to buying it originally.

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hi @jibery ,

I have the following:

• ASUS RT-AX3000 router
• ARLO SMARTHUB VMB-5000 (with ultra 2 cameras linked) with micro SD card
• ARLO android app (feed version) logged in as "master" account
• ARLO iPhone app (feed version) logged in as "master account

I first viewed local recording from both devices by port forwarding, and then decided to use the VPN method instead.  And I prefer and am still sticking to the latter now.  So I'll share my experience with latter here.

For "VPN method", you need your router to support VPN --- and to be exact, router's capability to run a VPN server and let outside devices (say my android phone on mobile data) run a VPN client app and connect back to the router at home.  As a result, the mobile phone is VPNed back home network, and is "close" enough to the ARLO SMARTHUB to read its local recordings (just like accessing these local recordings from home wifi connection).  Note that this is different from VPNing to watch Netflix.

And for my ASUS router, this is done via VPN >> VPN server tab.  (VPN fusion tab is NOT what you are after.  it is only for VPNing to watch netflix).  For my case, I set up an OpenVPN server at my router, and get my unique domain name (say alex.asuscomm.com) from ASUS.  With other parameters from my routers' OpenVPN setup screens, I can then use this bunch of parameters to set up VPN connection from my android phone (VPN client) to home router (OpenVPN server).  High level steps:

• download and install "OpenVPN connect" app on android phone
• create and setup a new VPN connection on this app, pointing to the OpenVPN server
• connect!
• Open ARLO app, devices >> hub >> storage settings >> local storage settings >> view recordings ENABLED and port forwarding DISABLED
• then see local recordings even on mobile data network!

Are you using an ASUS router?  What model?

Do throw further questions so I know how to fine tine my sharing.

Hope this helps.

Alex