SpaceX provides the Starlink static IP internet system. The ultimate goal is to create a network connection with minimal latency. This endeavor has as its ultimate goal the universal availability of high-speed Internet connections, even in the most remote places.

The Starlink satellite is now available in over 36 countries. Since the antenna is not dependent on physical network connections, it can be utilized in various circumstances. For example, you can use it as a backup if your other internet service, dependent on actual fiber-optic lines, becomes inaccessible for any reason.

Starlink Carrier-Grade NAT (CGNAT)

Starlink uses CGNAT so that several users can share a single public IP address. Through this method, people can access the Internet without waiting. If this technique weren’t accessible, users would have to wait for others to quit using the Internet until their IP address becomes available.

IP addresses are becoming scarce since the IPv4 address space only contains roughly 4 billion IP addresses, and ISPs have used up their supply of addresses. There will be a changeover to IPv6 addresses for users. However, until then, several ISPs, including Starlink, have opted to adopt the CGNAT method to resolve the shortage of IP addresses.

CGNAT helps overcome the restrictions imposed by IPv4 networks. Public IP addresses are translated into private IP addresses at end sites like routers and residential networks by middlebox network address translators. This solves the issue of IPV4’s restricted 32-bit address space.

What is a Static IP Address?

Using a dynamic IP address while connecting to the web is common practice. Your IP address will vary whenever your device connects to the Internet from one of several IP addresses. A static IP address, however, guarantees that you will always connect to the web using the same address.

When a host is given a static IP address, that address does not change with time and is permanently assigned for use with that particular service. Even if you turn the device off and on again, it won’t affect the IP address in any way.

A Starlink static IP address can be used for a variety of purposes, including:

Providing Remote Access

Having a server on your local network with a static IP address makes it possible for users worldwide to connect to your service. A wide range of IP addresses is available from your ISP, and in most cases, businesses are given static IP addresses while residential customers get dynamic ones.

A static IP address allows users to connect to your services from any location. Since the host IP address never changes, the connection will always be at the same IP address.

Limiting Network Access

The use of a firewall can limit the number of devices that can connect to a server. A whitelist of allowed IP addresses may be easily made to restrict access to only trusted networks. However, this kind of firewall rule works only with static IP addresses.

With a dynamic IP address, you must update the list each time an IP address changes, which is too much effort, particularly on a more extensive network. IP whitelisting for corporate servers prevents workers from utilizing potentially dangerous non-company-owned devices. This aids in the prevention of possible malware.

Allowing Direct Access Without DNS

A static IP address provides direct access without a dynamic domain name service (DDNS). A server may lack a name, or the Domain Name System (DNS) may be experiencing technical difficulties. In that situation, everyone may use the server’s permanent IP address to hook up to it. This is especially effective for protecting connections in cases involving remote access via a particular gateway, such as a router, VPN server, or firewall.

Accessing Cloud Resources

A cloud service provider must ensure the security of any information stored on its servers. The data’s owner, however, is still responsible for ensuring its security throughout transmission.

IP whitelisting is an effective method for securing connections between cloud servers and other crucial parts of a company’s infrastructure, such as a VPN server. Having just authorized IP addresses permitted improves security while streamlining and speeding up access to cloud services.

Non-CGNAT IPv6 Starlink IP Addresses

The Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6) is designed to succeed in IPv4 and eventually alleviate the shortage of available IPv4 addresses. The IPv6 IP address system has the following features:

Expanded list of addresses

IPv6 can accommodate 2^128, or around 3.41038 total addresses. The actual number is somewhat lower since several bands are completely off-limits or reserved for specific uses. But even so, its size is still remarkable.

Efficient data flow

IPv6 allows for the simultaneous delivery of large data packets since its minimum fragmented packet size is 1280 bytes rather than IPV4’s 576 bytes. This method makes it simpler to save bandwidth.

Efficient routing

IPv6’s expanded addressing space is only one of its many technical benefits. Specifically, it enables address hierarchies, which reduces routing table expansion and makes IP prefix aggregation easier throughout the Internet.

Improved and simplified multicast addressing

A packet can be delivered from a single source to many recipients using the multicast technique. As the first step in a multicast flow, an ICMPv6 packet is sent from a host to the router’s multicast group. This is referred to as host solicitation.

As a result, the router can send a Router Advertisement packet to the host, which includes the desired settings, in response to the host’s request. Data delivery efficiency is increased in this way.

Security

IPv6 improves network security by using more robust authentication methods built into network firewalls. The protocol was also developed with device mobility and setup difficulties in mind.

Conclusion

Starlink is an internet service provider from SpaceX that employs CGNAT IPv4, which means that several customers share a single public IP address. Currently, the service only enables outgoing traffic, enabling customers to surf the Internet, check their emails, and so on. On the other hand, the Starlink project expects to deliver non-CGNAT IPv6 soon.

Subscribers can acquire static IP addresses for use with or host other online services that need a specific IP range. As of right now, the only method to achieve this on Starlink is through a VPN that supports port forwarding or tunneling through a virtual private server.