Is it normal for LTE data plan to connect to reserved IP for DNS resolution?

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OpenSource Ghost

Limp Gawd
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T-Mobile data connection around my house uses 198.18.53.53 (UDP port 53) as the main domain resolution address to connect to its network. Is that normal? I am new to data networks and don't know whether connections work similar to WiFi connections, which is through a router with a private IP address. T-Mobile connection does not go through my WiFi router, which does not even have mobile data capabilities. It connects directly to T-Mobile network. Is it normal for T-Mobile network to use such a private IP address?
 
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A lot of cell services will not give you a public IP at your equipment, so kinda normal.
 
My cell phone always looks like it's hopping around the US and I use a major provider (t-mobile), I think it's normal?
 
SamirD said:
A lot of cell services will not give you a public IP at your equipment, so kinda normal.
Click to expand...

What do you mean "your equipment" ? I just have a mobile phone that connects to T-Mobile. My router only uses WiFi and does not have any mobile data capabilities. My phone is not connected to my WiFi router. My phone is supposed to connect directly to T-Mobile. Is it normal for such a connection to go through a private IP 198.18.53.53 (UDP port 53)?
 
So it sounds like your asking would tmobile route you to their dns server via public or private ip? They could do either, internal is a pretty normal setup for any network. EIther way is nothing really to be alarmed about: if you dont want to use their dns server you dont have to.
 
I guess, but it happens only around my household. It doesn't happen once I go to other areas in town. I know someone in my area (a neighbourt) has T-Mobile LTE equipment (similar to T-Mobile store hotspots) to improve signal, but not me.

Mobile phones prioritize signal strength over security, which is how Stingrays work. Is it possible that my phone connects to my neighbour's private hotspot? If so, then what is there to prevent them from intercepting my traffic and snooping (aside from VPN)?
 
OpenSource Ghost said:
What do you mean "your equipment" ? I just have a mobile phone that connects to T-Mobile. My router only uses WiFi and does not have any mobile data capabilities. My phone is not connected to my WiFi router. My phone is supposed to connect directly to T-Mobile. Is it normal for such a connection to go through a private IP 198.18.53.53 (UDP port 53)?
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Your equipment = your phone. And yep I've seen it before in certain areas.
 
OpenSource Ghost said:
I guess, but it happens only around my household. It doesn't happen once I go to other areas in town. I know someone in my area (a neighbourt) has T-Mobile LTE equipment (similar to T-Mobile store hotspots) to improve signal, but not me.

Mobile phones prioritize signal strength over security, which is how Stingrays work. Is it possible that my phone connects to my neighbour's private hotspot? If so, then what is there to prevent them from intercepting my traffic and snooping (aside from VPN)?
Click to expand...
Who knows how it is routed, but if you don't want to take any risk, simply use your house wifi instead. In the 'patches and exploits' game of cat and mouse 'the only winning move is not to play.'
 
Very normal. Cell Phones do not get their own Public IP in most cases, they are usually clients on the Cell Phone providers network and employee different levels of NAT, routing, etc.
 
OpenSource Ghost said:
T-Mobile data connection around my house uses 198.18.53.53 (UDP port 53) as the main domain resolution address to connect to its network. Is that normal? I am new to data networks and don't know whether connections work similar to WiFi connections, which is through a router with a private IP address. T-Mobile connection does not go through my WiFi router, which does not even have mobile data capabilities. It connects directly to T-Mobile network. Is it normal for T-Mobile network to use such a private IP address?
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198.18.53.53 is a public IP...

https://www.arin.net/reference/research/statistics/address_filters/
 
Farva said:
198.18.53.53 is a public IP...

https://www.arin.net/reference/research/statistics/address_filters/
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It's not part of rfc-1918, but 198.18.0.0/16 is assigned by rfc-2544 for use with performance testing of network equipment. It shouldn't be used on the public internet. However, there's no reason beyond good sense not to use it as part of a provider's infrastructure; T-Mobile (and most cell providers) has a lot of demand for IPv4 addressing on their network, so it's not surprising that they're squeezing IPs to use wherever they can though.
 
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