Sierra Wireless RAVEN 20080605 - Manual (Page 11)

Introduction to the Raven XE
Rev 1.0 Oct.09 5
With the Raven XE in Ethernet Public mode, only one device
connected to the Ethernet port will receive the public IP
address which is the one provided by the cellular network. In
Ethernet Private mode, with a hub or switch connected to the
Ethernet port, the Raven XE will provide NAT for a range of
computers or other devices connected to the switch or hub and
Internet access to all of them.
Dynamic vs. Static IP Addresses
There are two types of addresses on networks: dynamic and
static.
• Dynamic addresses are assigned on a “need to have” basis.
Your Raven XE might not always receive the same address
each time it connects with your cellular provider.
• Static addresses are permanently assigned to a particular
account and will always be used whenever your Raven XE
connects to the Internet. The IP address will not be given
to anyone else.
Most ISPs (cellular included) use dynamic IP addresses rather
than static IP addresses since it allows them to reuse a smaller
number of IP addresses for a large number of customers. A
dynamic IP address is suitable for many common Internet
uses, such as web browsing, looking up data on another
computer system, or other client functions (such as data only
being sent out or only being received after an initial request).
Tip: If your account with your cellular provider includes a dynamic IP
address and you need a static IP, please consult your your cellular
provider Representative for more information about changing your
account for static IP support.
If you need to contact your Raven XE, a device connected to
the Raven XE, or a host system using the Raven XE from the
Internet, you need to have a known IP (such as one which is
static) or domain name (an IP address which is converted by a
DNS server into a word based name). If you have a dynamic IP
address for your modem, you can use a Dynamic DNS service
(such as IP Manager) to translate your IP address into to a
domain name.
Caution: If you want to connect remotely to your Raven XE using
TCP/IP, the IP address given to your modem by your cellular provider
cannot be a private or internal IP address (such as a special private
network) unless you are on the same network or inside that network’s
firewall (such as with frame relay).