I just switched from Spectrum cable internet to T-Mobile 5G home internet. Should I expect any problem if I start running a Bitcoin or Lightening node?
As long as it provides a stable connection that can provide 24/7 uptime with little to no interruptions then it should work.
Keep in mind that especially when it comes to a lightning node, a stable connection is a very important thing to have.
Maybe other community members who have had personal experience running such a 5G service can chime in with their thoughts on the subject.
I suppose you might have a data cap, which a home server could easily blow through very quickly.
Congrats on making the switch to T-Mobile 5G! It’s great to hear you’re getting into self-hosting. There’s one thing to be aware of with your new setup, particularly related to Carrier-Grade Network Address Translation (CG-NAT).
What is CG-NAT and How It Affects Self-Hosting?
T-Mobile, like many mobile carriers (and also Starlink), uses CG-NAT to manage IP address allocation. Instead of giving each user a unique public IP address, T-Mobile shares a single public IP across multiple users. While this is efficient for the network, it can make direct inbound connections tricky for certain self-hosting scenarios, as your services won’t have a unique public IP.
Tor Network as a Workaround
However, since you’re using StartOS, you’re in luck. StartOS has excellent support for the Tor network, which provides a great workaround for CG-NAT. Every service you run on StartOS can have its own unique .onion address, making it accessible over the Tor network without needing a public IP. This setup allows you to bypass the CG-NAT limitation entirely and keep your services reachable from anywhere.
My Experience with T-Mobile 5G
I’ve been using T-Mobile 5G with an external antenna, and everything works exceptionally well. I’ve found the upload speeds to be surprisingly high, sometimes even reaching 50 Mbps or more, which is fantastic for self-hosting. Despite the CG-NAT, using Tor for my services ensures they remain accessible, and the overall performance has been fine.
2 Likes