Hotspot for wifi

[gregma60]

3 hours ago, POA1 said:

On mine, there are two ways to do it. One is to open the built in browser on the router. The second, and the one I use is to connect to the router by LAN cable and then login to the ship's WiFi via the router. After doing that, I can disconnect the LAN cable and do everything wirelessly. The ship "sees" the MAC address of the router and uses that address to recognize the connection.

 

If your home internet has a guest mode, test with it. Most cable modems do. Many DSL connections do as well.

Are you saying there are ethernet ports in the staterooms?  Or are you connecting to the router via LAN cable to your laptop?  (IT guy here)

 

-gregma

[POA1]

14 hours ago, gregma60 said:

Are you saying there are ethernet ports in the staterooms?  Or are you connecting to the router via LAN cable to your laptop?  (IT guy here)

 

-gregma

There's an ethernet port on the router. I cable my laptop to the router and use the WiFi on the WAN side of the router to connect to the ship.

 

Alternatively, if your router has a "clone MAC address" function, you can connect with your computer, then clone your wireless adapter MAC address. The ship will "see" the router as your computer. (I didn’t mention that method because it's a little more complicated.)

 

If you don't have a guest mode (user ID and password) on your home internet, you can take your computer and router to any local business that offers UID / pass guest internet and set it up there.

[gregma60]

23 hours ago, POA1 said:

There's an ethernet port on the router. I cable my laptop to the router and use the WiFi on the WAN side of the router to connect to the ship.

 

Alternatively, if your router has a "clone MAC address" function, you can connect with your computer, then clone your wireless adapter MAC address. The ship will "see" the router as your computer. (I didn’t mention that method because it's a little more complicated.)

 

If you don't have a guest mode (user ID and password) on your home internet, you can take your computer and router to any local business that offers UID / pass guest internet and set it up there.

I have an ORBI router sitting behind my edgerouterX sitting behind my TMO cell router.  Just found out that I can turn on Capitve Portal on my ORBI to mimic what hotels do and work through those issues if any, or figure out MAC spoofing.  Then I should be setup for anything.  I just bought a TPLink WR902AC.

 

-gregma

[clueless2]

My Google Pixel 6a Android phone CAN be set up as a WiFi Hotspot.  I know iPhones can't do this.  Not sure about other Android phones.   It worked fine for sharing the HAL WiFi connection with an iPhone and iPad.

[gregma60]

1 hour ago, clueless2 said:

My Google Pixel 6a Android phone CAN be set up as a WiFi Hotspot.  I know iPhones can't do this.  Not sure about other Android phones.   It worked fine for sharing the HAL WiFi connection with an iPhone and iPad.

All Android phones/tablets I know of can do this (although I'm a samsung user), and all windows laptops/tablets can.  Only issue is that all others have to be within range of that device to use it.  So if I leave to do something and she is using my hotspot on my phone while staying in the cabin, she's wifi less.  If we have a router in the cabin, she continues to use it with no issues.  Not a big issue of course if both have wifi, but if everyone has the wifi package, this whole router thing is moot.

 

-gregma

[POA1]

7 hours ago, gregma60 said:

I have an ORBI router sitting behind my edgerouterX sitting behind my TMO cell router.  Just found out that I can turn on Capitve Portal on my ORBI to mimic what hotels do and work through those issues if any, or figure out MAC spoofing.  Then I should be setup for anything.  I just bought a TPLink WR902AC.

 

-gregma

I'm pretty sure that you are equipped to handle anything

😉

[cruisecriticno1]

On 3/27/2023 at 11:38 AM, POA1 said:

There's an ethernet port on the router. I cable my laptop to the router and use the WiFi on the WAN side of the router to connect to the ship.

 

Alternatively, if your router has a "clone MAC address" function, you can connect with your computer, then clone your wireless adapter MAC address. The ship will "see" the router as your computer. (I didn’t mention that method because it's a little more complicated.)

 

If you don't have a guest mode (user ID and password) on your home internet, you can take your computer and router to any local business that offers UID / pass guest internet and set it up there.

Do you know if I can remain connected to RCCL ship wifi in both phone and router with clone MAC option provided that I have one device wifi package purchased?

[POA1]

1 hour ago, cruisecriticno1 said:

Do you know if I can remain connected to RCCL ship wifi in both phone and router with clone MAC option provided that I have one device wifi package purchased?

One connection per MAC, if I recall correctly. So you want router to WLAN and every other device to the router. Do *not* try multiple devices with a MAC address clone. It'll look like spoofing and will probably be caught quickly.

[cruisecriticno1]

2 minutes ago, POA1 said:

One connection per MAC, if I recall correctly. So you want router to WLAN and every other device to the router. Do *not* try multiple devices with a MAC address clone. It'll look like spoofing and will probably be caught quickly.

Got it thanks. Also do you have any recommendations of travel router or range extender that could boost ship wifi signal inside the cabin? Last time I was on Harmony and had to go near the cabin door to make Microsoft Teams meeting work..

[Henk123]

We had the HIA on our last cruise and I use the Navigator app on my devices with my HAL account. On my wifes phone I also installed the Navigator app with her HAL account and we had both internet at the same time.

 

[POA1]

1 hour ago, cruisecriticno1 said:

Got it thanks. Also do you have any recommendations of travel router or range extender that could boost ship wifi signal inside the cabin? Last time I was on Harmony and had to go near the cabin door to make Microsoft Teams meeting work..

I've had good luck with TP Links travel router's. There's a signal meter in the web interface to help with placement. Your client devices are good within around 50 feet provided you have line of sight.

 

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01N5RCZQH/ref=cm_sw_r_as_gl_apa_gl_i_AJ2XJK1Y8YF3XXQ0Q06V?linkCode=ml1&tag=skysolgro-20

Edited May 1, 2023 by POA1

[POA1]

45 minutes ago, Henk123 said:

We had the HIA on our last cruise and I use the Navigator app on my devices with my HAL account. On my wifes phone I also installed the Navigator app with her HAL account and we had both internet at the same time.

 

Have it all gives you 2 wifi accounts. One for passenger 1 and one for #2