Lodestar Networks launch cheap L2TP UK internet tunnel service

Communications provider Lodestar Networks, which normally specialises in building local UK community 4G mobile (calls and broadband) networks, has this week launched a L2TP (Layer 2 Tunnelling Protocol) service from just £3.50 per month – giving you your own static IPv4 address without changing your existing broadband or mobile provider.

A number of UK telecoms and internet providers offer services like this to more advanced internet users and business customers, although only a few advertise it more publicly alongside clear pricing. Further details of Loadestar’s L2TP service can be found on their related product page.

One catch to be aware of here is that the £3.50pm service will cap data sent over their L2TP service at speeds of 500Mbps (symmetric), while you’ll need to pay £4.50 for 1Gbps. But that still makes this one of the cheapest L2TP services we’ve seen and the pricing is also comparable to adding a Static IP address to a lot of existing broadband packages, albeit potentially more useful in this form.

Lodestar Networks Statement

Available from £3.50 a month, the service is designed for people who want a consistent public address for remote access, home labs, self-hosting and other compatible applications. Customers can connect a supported phone or tablet directly, or use a compatible router to carry selected traffic from their network.

Many broadband and mobile connections use carrier-grade network address translation, commonly known as CGNAT, where customers share a public IPv4 address. This can make incoming connections to a home server or other equipment difficult to arrange.

Lodestar L2TP carries traffic through a tunnel over the customer’s existing internet connection and assigns a static public IPv4 to the subscription. The address remains the same through ordinary reconnections while the service remains active. Incoming access depends on the customer’s router, firewall, application and return-routing configuration.