Pro: 1Gb upload and download speeds on free Internet provided by the HOA. Con: As a self hoster, I have zero control over it. No port forwarding, no DMZ, no bridge mode. It’s Starbucks free WiFi with a wired connection.
Option A: Buy Google Fiber and don’t use free Internet. Option B: Create some elaborate tunnel through a VPS.
My public self hosted activities are fairly low bandwidth (password manager, SSH). I have a vague idea that I could point my domain to a low cost VPS that has a VPN tunnel into my home network for any incoming connection needs. That may require me to fill in port forwards on both systems but whatever. Tailscale is serving most of my remote needs but I still need a few ports. This does not fix the issue of online gaming port forwards (Nintendo Switch online requires a huge forwarded range for best performance) but oh well for now.
UPDATE: I think they’re using this system. https://www.cambiumnetworks.com/markets/multi-family-living/ The personal Wi-Fi overview makes it clear each AP is given it’s own VLAN which sounds a whole lot like the whole building is sharing one IP and there’s no way I’m going to get my own Internet access. They even detail how you can roam the building and maintain your WiFi connection across your neighbor’s and the common areas APs. This is the IPV4 future.
The setup is very strange. They don’t provide a router. They took the old phone lines going to each unit (which appears to have been done in Cat5 decades ago) and put an RJ-45 end on it. That plugs into a POE powered wireless access point with two more ports on it. Plugging my laptop in, the gateway does not respond to HTTP requests. The tech who installed it said I have to call the home office to change my wireless password. I got them to disable the wireless so I could put my router on the other end but I’m either running on a network that my shady small time ISP has full control over or I’m behind a double NAT. Speeds were 900+ up and down though.
I might see if I can get the AP re-enabled and let the switch connect to it directly if that even fixes the Switch’s NAT issues.
Sorry you have to deal with this. I know it wasn’t in your list of options, but you could attend HOA meetings, bring up the internet issue and see if they’ll change the current setup, or you could get elected to an HOA board and start pulling the strings of change. That’s more of a long-term goal though.