An Access Point Name (APN) allows devices to connect to the internet without the hassle. Actually, you can manually add an APN to IoT devices by simply adding the network’s information. However, you need to have the correct information with you to prevent you device from losing some of its capabilities.
The best place to start is by understanding the different types of APNs available. To give you a tip of the iceberg, there are four main types of APNs. They include the Public APN, Public APN with public static IP, Private APN and Private APN with private static IP. Read on to find out more about each APN type.
Public APN
Public APN allows devices to access the public internet while also assigning a dynamic IP address to any device using the APN. With public APNs, the address emanates from a pool of available addresses within the public network. When your device no longer needs a connection, the IP address simply returns to the pool.
Public APN with public static IP
Public APNs with public static IP addresses simply assign an IP address based on the available pool. Once an address is assigned to a device, the device will use it whenever it connects to the gateway.
Private APN
Private APNs are most applicable in corporate devices to provide more security. For this reason, they have totally different settings from those present in a public internet. As is the case with a public APN, this type of APN assigns devices a dynamic public IP address from the large pool available.
Private APN with private static IP
A private APN with private static IP allows devices to use a dynamic or shared public IP address when talking to the public internet. However, they are free to get a private static IP when connecting to a remote private network. For a device to access this type of APN, then a virtual private network must be established from the other private network.
There you have it, the different types of APN you should know about.
