[TriLUG] Residential IPv4 address stability, etc. (AT&T vs. Google Fiber)

[David Both via TriLUG]

I switched to ATT Gb fiber a few years ago as soon as it was installed in
my neighborhood. I also got a static IP block, in part because I host
multiple websites, an email server, and I SSH in from outside quite
frequently. I think it just saves a bit of hassle.

My Spectrum connection used to go out rather frequently. At least part
of the time this was due to the crappy modem/router which needed
frequent reboots.

I don't have any love for ATT because they caused me many problems in
the past when I had a local ISP for my connection and they still used
the ATT local loop for the last hop to the house. One outage was weeks
long and I had to call my US congressperson to intervene to get it
fixed. The tech from the ISP was there when they did not replace but
simply pushed the DSLAM into the slot on the switch where it had been
inserted but not seated.

So I was leery about ATT but it was the only fiber available to me at
the time. I have had only a single outage during the 4 (I think) years I
have had it and that was fixed by an easy reboot of the ONT and router.
I got through 1st try with only a minute or so wait. Other than that it
has been rock solid and I always get within a % or so of the advertised
rates in both directions.

We don't use the phone or TV service, opting instead for Hulu, Netflix
and Amazon Video.

Google Fiber is now in my area and I have thought about switching but
decided that I am happy with ATT for now. If that changes, so will I.

-- 


*********************************************************
David P. Both, RHCE
He/Him/His
*********************************************************
www.both.org - My personal web site
www.Linux-Databook.info - Home of the DataBook for Linux
DataBook is a Registered Trademark of David Both
*********************************************************
The value of any software lies in its usefulness
not in its price.

— Linus Torvalds
*********************************************************

On Thu, 14 Sep 2023, David Burton via TriLUG wrote:

> Date: Thu, 14 Sep 2023 18:25:35
> From: David Burton via TriLUG <trilug at trilug.org>
> Reply-To: David Burton <ncdave4life at gmail.com>,
>     Triangle Linux Users Group General Discussion <trilug at trilug.org>
> To: Triangle Linux Users Group General Discussion <trilug at trilug.org>
> Subject: [TriLUG] Residential IPv4 address stability,
>     etc. (AT&T vs. Google Fiber)
> 
> I'm looking for some advice.
>
> Can anyone who has either AT&T fiber or Google fiber please tell me about
> how long your IPv4 assignments typically last?
>
> I currently have "60 Mbps" Internet from Spectrum (née Time-Warner). It's
> actually about 70 Mbps down and 6 Mbps up. I've been with them since
> January, 2007, and apart from a 3-day outage in July, 2017, it's been
> pretty good.
>
> But both AT&T and Google have run fiber to my curb.
>
> So far, I've stuck with Spectrum because:
>
>   - I run a web server in my house, and I really appreciate that my IPv4
>   address hasn't changed since early 2019.
>   - Spectrum *was* slightly cheaper than the other options. (But no more!)
>   - Inertia (if it ain't broke, don't fix it)
>
>
> But Spectrum has quietly raised my rate from $60/mo to $80/mo, even though
> the advertised price on Spectrum's Internet site
> <https://official.spectrum.com/lfo-spectrumone> for 300 mbps is only $49.99
> / month.
>
> They also show a special deal on their web site in which they also throw in
> "Advanced WiFi" [normally $5/mo] and one unlimited mobile line [normally
> $29.99/mo], total value $84.98, but for the first 12 months it's just
> $49.99/mo, with auto-pay. Here's a screenshot (click to enlarge it
> <https://sealevel.info/spectrum_lying_about_their_prices_2023-09-14.png>):
>
> <https://sealevel.info/spectrum_lying_about_their_prices_2023-09-14.png>
>
> So I called Spectrum and asked them, 'why did you hit me with an
> unannounced 33% price increase?' They said my $59.99 rate (which I'd paid
> for years) *was a promotional rate*, and it had expired, and they said the
> regular rate for my 60 mbps Internet is $80/month. (Oddly, I didn't hear
> him giggling, while telling that whopper to a customer who'd been with them
> for 16¾ years.)
>
> He also said the price change wasn't unannounced, because they'd mentioned
> it on one of my previous bills (which I didn't read, of course, since I'm
> signed up for auto-pay).
>
> He also said Spectrum's regular price for 300 mbps Internet is actually
> $85/month, even though their web site shows it as $49.99/month. "That's a
> promotional price," he said. I asked him where the "regular" prices are, on
> their web site. He said they aren't on the web site.
>
> What a sleazy company!!!
>
> So it's obviously time to move on. Google has 1 Gbps for $70/month. AT&T
> has 300 Mbps, 500 Mbps, & 1 Gbps, for $55, $65, or $80, respectively. I
> don't know what taxes & fees they charge.
>
> AT&T has a reputation of being as sleazy as Spectrum, but I hate Google.
> So, which is the lesser evil?
>
> One thing which would be good to know is how long do IP address assignments
> typically last with each company? Every time my IPv4 address changes, it'll
> take my site offline for a few minutes, until my script notices it, and
> updates the nameserver, and the change percolates out.
>
> With Spectrum, the IPv6 addresses change very frequently, but their
> "dynamic" IPv4 addresses are remarkably stable. That's wonderful (but not
> wonderful enough for me to put up with the aforementioned abuse).
>
> So, can anyone who has either AT&T fiber or Google fiber please tell me how
> long your IPv4 assignments typically last?
>
> Also, are there any other gotchas to impede you from hosting a web server
> at home?
>
> Thanks!
> Dave
>