Setting Up Public Access to Local Resources in UniFi

In many cases, if you want to make a local resource accessible over the internet—for example, a self-hosted service—you need a public and static IP address.

Many residential internet connections fail one or both of those criteria. In the US, most residential internet providers do provide public IPs, but they are dynamic (i.e., change regularly) rather than static. Internationally, or using mobile services such as LTE or Starlink, it is common to not even have a public IP.

However, most residential internet connections use dynamic IPs, which change over time. If your ISP doesn’t provide a static IP, you can use Dynamic DNS (DDNS) to maintain a consistent address.

Step 1: Determine If You Have a Public IP

Check if your router has a public IP address on its WAN interface. If it does, you can proceed with port forwarding or VPN setup. To determine whether you have a public IP in UniFi Network:

1. Ensure you are connected to the network in question.
2. In Site Manager, select your site.
3. Locate the WAN IP in the Dashboard, beneath your Cloud Gateway.
4. Search “What’s my IP” on your preferred search engine.
5. If the displayed IP matches the WAN IP in Site Manager, you have a public IP.

Why CGNAT Matters

Many ISPs use Carrier-Grade NAT (CGNAT) to conserve IPv4 addresses by sharing a single public IP among multiple customers. If you're behind CGNAT, you may need to request a public IP from your ISP to enable direct access.

Step 2: Ensure a Static IP

If you have a dynamic public IP, it will periodically change, disrupting remote access. To solve this, request a Static IP from your ISP, or use a Dynamic DNS (DDNS) Provider. DDNS links your changing IP to a stable domain name, ensuring continuous access. To set up DDNS in UniFi Network:

1. Navigate to Settings > Internet and click on your primary WAN.
2. Find Dynamic DNS and click Create New Dynamic DNS.
3. Select your DDNS Service Provider and enter your account information.
4. Click Create.

Avoiding Double NAT Issues

If your router is receiving a private IP (rather than a public IP), another device is likely performing NAT upstream. To resolve this:

• Enable Bridge Mode: If your ISP’s modem/router supports it, enabling bridge mode ensures your router gets the public IP directly.
• Check Your ISP’s Settings: Some ISPs provide options to disable NAT on their modem/router.

For information about NAT in UniFi Network, click here.