EE Blocked Ports?

Russtyy · ‎12-11-2023

I am getting very frustrated here.

I run a shop where the only comms is via EE mobile. I have been waiting for 4 months for BT to install fibre, and at the speed they are going, it will be another couple of months before I get a landline! No other mobile providers are here.

I have been running the till and card payment systems using a 4G router, with a foreign SIM card, which is roaming on the EE network. This has been working faultlessly. However, the SIM is due to expire as it has been out of its home country for too long. So, I purchased an EE unlimited contract SIM card.

Immediately, the Internet performance improved for browsing, etc.

However, the card payment systems no longer work. When I run diagnostics, they are getting blocked, presumably through the EE firewall. If I put the foreign SIM card back in the router, all works as it should, including the payment systems.

I have two different payment providers, EVO payments, and Adyen.

The EVO support told me that their platform is blocked by EE, and that I need to sort this out with EE directly.

When I call EE Customer Support, they tell me that there is nothing wrong with the connection, as I can access the internet. When I explained about firewalls and blocked ports, they told me that it is not EE’s problem that my devices have a compatibility issue!

I presume that using a roaming SIM card relies on the SIM card issuer’s firewall, and not EE’s, and this is why everything works with the foreign SIM card.

How do I contact EE to resolve this issue? Without this, I may as well close the business down, or do I have to keep going abroad and getting foreign SIM cards to allow payments to be made?!!!

All providers etc. are UK companies - the only foreign device here is the SIM card.

Can anybody help?

Many thanks!

bristolian · ‎12-11-2023

@Russtyy wrote:

The EVO support told me that their platform is blocked by EE, and that I need to sort this out with EE directly.

Can they be specific about what is being blocked, and how?

I would assume a port may need forwarding, but the port number would be useful - to enable you to pass this onto EE support.

You are correct to assume that a roaming SIM would use its own networks' core network for routing.

chistery · ‎12-11-2023

Does data work on the SIM for other sites as normal?

Have you checked if the content filter is off?

https://ee.co.uk/help/cyber-security/getting-started/switching-content-lock-on-or-off

Has your payments company told you what the network requirements are and what ports need to be open? Is it an SSL connection or a VPN?

Russtyy · ‎13-11-2023

Thank you for your reply.

Having spoken to the two companies, they both use SSL/TLS, and ports 80 and 443. Which are also used for many other purposes.

I am told that it is an EE firewall ‘issue’.

The very strange thing is that if I hotspot the payment terminal through my iPhone, which is also using an EE SIM card on exactly the same contract, everything works as it should. So the firewall is blocking for a router, but not for an iPhone.
And as you said, using a roaming SIM card is avoiding EE’s firewall.

According to the payment providers, EE is aware of this issue.

Any further thoughts?!

Thanks

Russtyy · ‎13-11-2023

Hello.

Thanks for your reply.

In answer to your questions, content filter is off. Two payment companies have told me that they use ports 80 and 443, so nothing unusual there. SSL connection.
As I have commented earlier, if I Hotspot to an iPhone, also with the same contractual terms with EE, everything works. It also works with a foreign roaming SIM card. It just does not work with an EE SIM card in the router. I know the problem is not with my router, as it works with the foreign SIM card - I have also experimented with turning off the router firewall, but no change.
The router is a Huawei.

Many thanks for your help. I just really want to speak to someone in EE who is aware of this issue, and can explain why this is being blocked!

Russtyy · ‎13-11-2023

I have now installed a router from another manufacturer. It works with the EE SIM!

Is it possible that EE is firewall blocking a particular type of router, perhaps for security reasons? I can’t think of any other explanation, as a non-EE SIM card worked fine in the original router connected to the EE network. ‘Normal’ traffic worked with the EE SIM in the router, for internet browsing, TV streaming, etc. But card payment systems failed only with the EE SIM.

New router, but everything else remaining the same, and now everything works.

What am I missing?!

chistery · ‎13-11-2023

I wonder if it's something as simple as stale DHCP data like old DNS settings, and by changing the router you've forced your device to flush its DNS cache and ip config details and start from scratch. Moving back to the old router may work as the power recycle and physical disconnect/reconnect force it to update its settings again.