Recent from talks
Nothing was collected or created yet.
Access Point Name
View on WikipediaThis article needs additional citations for verification. (November 2011) |
An Access Point Name (APN) is the name of a gateway[1] between a mobile network (GSM, GPRS, 3G, 4G and 5G) and another computer network, frequently the public Internet.[2]
A mobile device making a data connection must be configured with an APN to present to the carrier. The carrier will then examine this identifier to determine what type of network connection should be created, for example: which IP addresses should be assigned to the wireless device, which security methods should be used, and how, or if, the device should be connected to some private customer network.[3] APN settings connect the device to the internet via mobile carrier’s cellular network. These settings include IP addresses, gateways, and other technical details that enable the device to access the internet and send MMS.
More specifically, the APN identifies the packet data network (PDN) that a mobile data user wants to communicate with. In addition to identifying a PDN, an Access Point Name may also be used to define the type of service(s), (e.g. connection to a Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) server and access to Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS)) that is provided by the packet data network. APN is used in 3GPP data access networks, e.g. General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) and evolved by packet core (EPC).
Typically, APN settings are configured automatically when SIM is inserted or eSIM is activated.[4]
APN terms
[edit]Below are some terms of the APN settings, explaining what each setting stands for:
- APN
- The APN address of your (mobile network operator) MNOs.
- MMSC
- The MMS message link.
- Proxy
- A proxy server’s address. Often, this area is left blank.
- MCC (Mobile Country Code)
- A three-digit code that is used for the country’s identity.
- MNC (Mobile Network Code)
- The mobile network operator is represented by a number code.
Structure of an APN
[edit]A structured APN consists of two parts[5] as shown in the accompanying figure.
- Network Identifier: Defines the external network to which the Gateway GPRS Support Node (GGSN) is connected. Optionally, it may also include the service requested by the user. This part of the APN is mandatory
- Operator Identifier: Defines the specific operator's packet domain network in which the GGSN is located. This part of the APN is optional. The MCC is the mobile country code and the MNC is the mobile network code which together uniquely identify a mobile network operator.
Examples of APN are:
three.co.uk(Note: This example APN uses a domain name from the DNS,three.co.uk, that belongs to the operator)internet.t-mobileinternet.mnc012.mcc345.gprsrcomnet.mnc015.mcc405.gprsinternet(Note: This APN example does not contain an operator)NXTGENPHONE(Note: Does not contain an operator, however in practice it is AT&T Mobility's LTE APN)VZWINTERNET(Note: No operator, but the APN name clearly identifies Verizon)mobitel(Note: APN name clearly identifies the operator SLTMobitel)jionet(Note: APN name clearly identifies the operator Jio)tethering.dish.com(Tethering service by Dish Network)
LTE networks use APN-FQDN format, which differs from the 2G/3G format described above as follows. "apn.epc." is inserted before "mnc⟨MNC⟩", and the ".gprs" at the end becomes ".3gppnetwork.org" [6]
For example: the 2G/3G internet.mnc012.mcc345.gprs becomes internet.apn.epc.mnc012.mcc345.3gppnetwork.org .
KPN Incident
[edit]In 2023, an incident was discovered where choosing the advancedinternet APN from the Dutch ISP KPN drained the battery of smartphones significantly faster. This APN was designed to give internet access without a firewall and public IP addresses.[7]
References
[edit]- ^ "Qlink Wireless APN Settings for Android & iPhone 2022 - 3G 4G 5G LTE Internet Settings". Retrieved 2022-12-30.
- ^ "APN (Access Point Name) Settings for Android, iOS - 3G 4G 5G LTE Internet Setting". Retrieved 2022-12-21.
- ^ Bill Word (18 July 2005). "GSM cellular networks use an APN (Access Point Name) to determine how a mobile station, in this case a Digi Connect WAN or RG" (PDF). digi.com. Retrieved 2011-04-05.
- ^ "APN Settings - Apn-settings.online". 2024-09-09. Retrieved 2024-09-11.
- ^ 3GPP TS 23.003 Numbering, addressing and identification.
- ^ etsi.org Domain Name System Procedures (Page 15 / 5.1.1.1).
- ^ "Hoe een tweaker uitploos waarom sommige telefoons op KPN snel leeg gingen". Tweakers (in Dutch). Retrieved 2023-09-01.
External links
[edit]- Rutter, Thomas. "What the APN settings mean". Atrac Life. Retrieved 2016-03-13.
- Staff writer (21 July 2013). "APN List for US, Canada, UK & Australia". APN Settings. Retrieved 2016-03-13.
- Zachery, Omar (12 March 2013). "APN-FQDN Naming Structure". Award Solutions. Archived from the original on 14 March 2016. Retrieved 2016-03-13.
Access Point Name
View on GrokipediaIntroduction
Definition and Purpose
An Access Point Name (APN) serves as a configurable gateway that connects a mobile network—such as those based on GSM, GPRS, 3G, 4G (EPS), or 5G—to external packet data networks (PDNs), including the public Internet.[1] In this role, the APN acts as a logical reference to a gateway node, such as the Gateway GPRS Support Node (GGSN) in GPRS or the Packet Data Network Gateway (P-GW) in the Evolved Packet System (EPS), enabling user equipment (UE) like smartphones or IoT devices to establish data sessions.[1] This gateway functionality is resolved via DNS translation from the APN to the actual IP address of the gateway, supporting seamless connectivity across different network generations.[1] The primary purpose of an APN is to specify critical parameters for data connectivity, including IP address allocation (IPv4 or IPv6), security protocols for authentication and encryption, and the type of connection established for the UE.[1] By defining these elements, the APN ensures that data traffic is routed appropriately to the intended PDN, while also facilitating features like inter-PLMN roaming and emergency services.[1] In 3GPP standards, the APN functions as a logical identifier for a PDN, distinct from physical gateways, allowing operators to manage multiple virtual connections over shared infrastructure without altering hardware.[1] APNs enable a range of services by directing UE to specific PDNs tailored to the use case. For instance, a general Internet access APN, such as "internet", connects users to the public web with standard IP allocation and basic security.[1] Specialized APNs support multimedia messaging service (MMS) for sending rich media over cellular networks or corporate VPNs for secure, private access to enterprise resources, each with customized authentication mechanisms and connection profiles.[3]Historical Development
The Access Point Name (APN) originated in the late 1990s as a key component of the General Packet Radio Service (GPRS), which extended the Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) to support packet-switched data services. Introduced to enable mobile devices to connect to external packet data networks via the Gateway GPRS Support Node (GGSN), the APN served as a logical identifier for routing user data from the Serving GPRS Support Node (SGSN) to specific external networks or services. This enhancement addressed the limitations of circuit-switched GSM by facilitating always-on data connectivity, with the APN allowing differentiation of access points for services like internet or corporate intranets.[4][5] Standardization of the APN began under the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) with Release 97 in 1998, where it was defined in specifications such as TS 09.60 for GPRS Tunnelling Protocol interfaces. The APN was formalized as a reference to the GGSN in the GPRS backbone, comprising a network identifier for the external network and an optional operator identifier for the public land mobile network (PLMN), with a maximum length of 100 octets following DNS label syntax. Subsequent 3GPP releases built on this foundation: Release 99 (1999) integrated APN support into Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) for 3G, enhancing it for higher-speed packet data; Release 8 (2008) adapted it for Long-Term Evolution (LTE) and the Evolved Packet Core (EPC), where APN selection influenced Packet Data Network Gateway (PGW) routing. A pivotal milestone was the inclusion of APN in 3GPP TS 23.003, which standardized numbering and identification, including APN as a core element for network selection across generations.[5][4][3] In LTE and beyond, the APN evolved from a simple string identifier to support Fully Qualified Domain Name (FQDN) resolution for improved DNS-based selection of core network elements like the PGW, as specified in TS 23.003 subclause 19.4.3, using formats such asTechnical Specifications
Structure and Format
The Access Point Name (APN) is structured as a fully qualified domain name (FQDN)-like string, comprising a mandatory APN Network Identifier (APN-NI) optionally followed by an APN Operator Identifier (APN-OI), with components separated by dots. The APN-NI specifies the external packet data network (PDN) or service, such as "internet" for general internet access, while the APN-OI identifies the operator's network using the Mobile Country Code (MCC) and Mobile Network Code (MNC) in the format "mnc| Component | Description | Example | Constraints |
|---|---|---|---|
| APN-NI | Network Identifier for PDN/service | "internet" | 1+ labels, max 63 octets; alphanumeric + hyphens; no reserved prefixes/suffixes |
| APN-OI | Operator Identifier for PLMN | "mnc012.mcc345.gprs" | Fixed format with 3-digit padded MNC/MCC; optional |
| Full APN | Combined string | "internet.mnc012.mcc345.gprs" | Max 100 octets total; case-insensitive; no wildcards |
