Author Topic: Mesh Wifi  (Read 7260 times)

Re: Mesh Wifi
« Reply #50 on: 21 November, 2020, 11:12:06 am »
Tried that, didn't work, still see it as unsecured  :-\

Whats even odder was when I went into my Macbook to change networks I didn't have to enter the password either, though I had to do so for the iPad and iPhones.
We are making a New World (Paul Nash, 1918)

Jaded

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  • Formerly known as Jaded
Re: Mesh Wifi
« Reply #51 on: 21 November, 2020, 11:20:42 am »
iThings can share passwords across an AppleID, so if you are logged into a network on one device, the others get in too.
It is simpler than it looks.

Re: Mesh Wifi
« Reply #52 on: 21 November, 2020, 03:33:19 pm »
So I’ve learned today.  :thumbsup:
We are making a New World (Paul Nash, 1918)

ian

Re: Mesh Wifi
« Reply #53 on: 22 November, 2020, 05:04:53 pm »
Update. Re the “weak security” warning”, that’s appeared against my existing Vodafone network WiFi so it looks like an iPhone thing. No matter.

Finally got around to trying out the mesh properly.

Good news, it readily reaches the shed 30m away, so I can do away with the powerline adaptors I was using.

Not so good news, my Garmin 1000 and 1030 won’t connect to it, although my Forerunner 245 does. The bike computers, for some reason I can’t fathom, see it as an unsecured network, so don’t ask for a password, but unsurprisingly fail to connect. Looks like I’ll have to leave the Vodafone WiFi on just for them as it’s the easiest way to upload my rides. Unless someone has a bright idea of how to get them connected? I may ask in a separate thread.

As mentioned, the issue I had was the move from WPA2-TKIP to WPA2-AES (big shout out there to the wonderful people who name these things, because yes, that's really useful, consumer-friendly naming, they must have been taking the day off from working on USB standards). That meant that anything on WP2-TKIP stopped working. My wife's Window laptop stopped connecting because of reasons that it wasn't willing to disclosed but it came down to this. Apple stuff, if it was using TKIP simply seemed to move over and re-request the password.

I'd make sure the Garmin stuff uses the latest WPA2-AES, though note that if it's old, it may not be supported, or may require firmware updates.

Kim

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Re: Mesh Wifi
« Reply #54 on: 22 November, 2020, 05:14:55 pm »
As mentioned, the issue I had was the move from WPA2-TKIP to WPA2-AES (big shout out there to the wonderful people who name these things, because yes, that's really useful, consumer-friendly naming [...])

Disagree.  For these purposes, all the consumer needs to know is that TKIP and AES are different.  You don't even need to know what they stand for (though they're probably more memorable if you do).  If you called them, say, SuperSecure™ and UltraSecure™, all that would achieve is an extra layer of obfuscation for those who have reason to care trying to remember which is the one that uses AES[1].

Pointlessly making up new names for standard things is one of the things Microsoft does to make computers miserable.


[1] Which is a perfectly sensible name for a thing with a far wider scope than WiFi.

ian

Re: Mesh Wifi
« Reply #55 on: 22 November, 2020, 05:47:22 pm »
Approximately zero ordinary people know what these things are though. How is anyone supposed to select between them? What is WPA2? Should I be using that or WPA1 or some other abbreviation? Simply use the most secure setting that is available – hide the terminology behind advanced settings for those that do know or care.

Kim

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Re: Mesh Wifi
« Reply #56 on: 22 November, 2020, 05:55:05 pm »
Approximately zero ordinary people know what these things are though. How is anyone supposed to select between them? What is WPA2? Should I be using that or WPA1 or some other abbreviation? Simply use the most secure setting that is available – hide the terminology behind advanced settings for those that do know or care.

That's what Apple usually gets right:  Instead of making their own 'friendly' names for things, they use the standard names and hide those settings from the user unless actually necessary to configure.

I haven't configured a WiFi network for a while[1], but in general I find access pointy things do tend to default to the newest protocols supported.  You only have to go digging to loosen things up when you've got some crusty old hardware that needs to connect.

Anyone familiar with Spinal Tap knows that WPA2 is like WPA1 but better.  Indeed, most of the rot sets in where friendly names for things break the "bigger numbers => newer and betterer" convention.  USB2 High Speed and Full Speed anyone?

Electric car chargers are another one.  Kilowatts are scary and technical, so let's call them 'fast', 'rapid' and 'super' so everyone knows which one is better.   :facepalm:


[1] This is a lie, but it was embedded stuff where the relevant configuration involves calling functions in C, so hardly consumer-level stuff.

Morat

  • I tried to HTFU but something went ping :(
Re: Mesh Wifi
« Reply #57 on: 22 November, 2020, 06:13:48 pm »
Exactly. Everyone knows that a phone with 5Gs is better than one with only 4, or three.
Everyone's favourite windbreak

Mr Larrington

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Re: Mesh Wifi
« Reply #58 on: 22 November, 2020, 06:59:07 pm »
Exactly. Everyone knows that a phone with 5Gs is better than one with only 4, or three.

Except when your shiny 3G doesn’t work in Abroad, whence hail the FOREIGNS, where your old-skool 2G did :demon:
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Chris S

Re: Mesh Wifi
« Reply #59 on: 22 November, 2020, 07:17:38 pm »
Exactly. Everyone knows that a phone with 5Gs is better than one with only 4, or three.

No! 5g gives you 'Rona.

ian

Re: Mesh Wifi
« Reply #60 on: 22 November, 2020, 07:19:46 pm »
Which means 6G gives you The Rage.

Kim

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Re: Mesh Wifi
« Reply #61 on: 22 November, 2020, 07:43:15 pm »
Exactly. Everyone knows that a phone with 5Gs is better than one with only 4, or three.

Except when your shiny 3G doesn’t work in Abroad, whence hail the FOREIGNS, where your old-skool 2G did :demon:

Apparently those FOREIGNS-for-tax-reasons on the Isle of Man don't have 2G any more.

Re: Mesh Wifi
« Reply #62 on: 22 November, 2020, 08:07:41 pm »
Update. Re the “weak security” warning”, that’s appeared against my existing Vodafone network WiFi so it looks like an iPhone thing. No matter.

Finally got around to trying out the mesh properly.

Good news, it readily reaches the shed 30m away, so I can do away with the powerline adaptors I was using.

Not so good news, my Garmin 1000 and 1030 won’t connect to it, although my Forerunner 245 does. The bike computers, for some reason I can’t fathom, see it as an unsecured network, so don’t ask for a password, but unsurprisingly fail to connect. Looks like I’ll have to leave the Vodafone WiFi on just for them as it’s the easiest way to upload my rides. Unless someone has a bright idea of how to get them connected? I may ask in a separate thread.

As mentioned, the issue I had was the move from WPA2-TKIP to WPA2-AES (big shout out there to the wonderful people who name these things, because yes, that's really useful, consumer-friendly naming, they must have been taking the day off from working on USB standards). That meant that anything on WP2-TKIP stopped working. My wife's Window laptop stopped connecting because of reasons that it wasn't willing to disclosed but it came down to this. Apple stuff, if it was using TKIP simply seemed to move over and re-request the password.

I'd make sure the Garmin stuff uses the latest WPA2-AES, though note that if it's old, it may not be supported, or may require firmware updates.

After some random Googling, I came across an item on the Garmin forums, where users with mesh WiFi (one Deco, one Ubiquiti) had a similar issue after a Garmin firmware upgrade around 6 months ago.  I’ve not tried it yet, but apparently disabling fast roaming on the mesh solves the issue. I’m not sure I’ll bother (although I will test it) as leaving the native WiFi on the Vodafone router just for the Garmin is painless.
We are making a New World (Paul Nash, 1918)

tonycollinet

  • No Longer a western province of Númenor
Re: Mesh Wifi
« Reply #63 on: 03 December, 2020, 11:26:27 pm »
Update. Re the “weak security” warning”, that’s appeared against my existing Vodafone network WiFi so it looks like an iPhone thing. No matter.

Finally got around to trying out the mesh properly.

Good news, it readily reaches the shed 30m away, so I can do away with the powerline adaptors I was using.

Not so good news, my Garmin 1000 and 1030 won’t connect to it, although my Forerunner 245 does. The bike computers, for some reason I can’t fathom, see it as an unsecured network, so don’t ask for a password, but unsurprisingly fail to connect. Looks like I’ll have to leave the Vodafone WiFi on just for them as it’s the easiest way to upload my rides. Unless someone has a bright idea of how to get them connected? I may ask in a separate thread.

It's only an iphone thing in that with IOS14, Iphones now report TKIP as weak security. It is no weaker with Iphones than with any other device. It is only that the iphone is telling you about it.

ian

Re: Mesh Wifi
« Reply #64 on: 04 December, 2020, 09:34:36 am »
I think you might be missing the point, it is 'weak' security, the phone is just letting you know that you're using it.

Morat

  • I tried to HTFU but something went ping :(
Re: Mesh Wifi
« Reply #65 on: 04 December, 2020, 09:49:49 am »
Yes, agreed. The problem lies with the Garmin not supporting EAS rather than the iPhone complaining about TKIP.
Everyone's favourite windbreak

Re: Mesh Wifi
« Reply #66 on: 09 December, 2020, 08:30:35 pm »
This evening, whilst having to reset my WiFi password in the course of adding TP Tapo smart plugs (recommended at £8.50 each) I was huddling around in the Deco mesh app, and found the options for security.  None, AES (which I had it set to) and AES+TKIP. I changed it to the latter, and got the iThing “weak security” message, but the Garmin now see it as secured, accept the password and join.
We are making a New World (Paul Nash, 1918)

ian

Re: Mesh Wifi
« Reply #67 on: 09 December, 2020, 08:32:09 pm »
I presume it's the Garmin stuff not supporting TKIP. I doubt the Russians will be hacking you.

frankly frankie

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Re: Mesh Wifi
« Reply #68 on: 09 December, 2020, 11:36:26 pm »
These acronyms make me laugh.
What does "WiFi" mean?   Anyone?
when you're dead you're done, so let the good times roll

Kim

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Re: Mesh Wifi
« Reply #69 on: 10 December, 2020, 12:04:42 am »
What does "WiFi" mean?   Anyone?

IEEE 802.11

Afasoas

Re: Mesh Wifi
« Reply #70 on: 10 December, 2020, 09:29:50 am »

Morat

  • I tried to HTFU but something went ping :(
Re: Mesh Wifi
« Reply #71 on: 14 December, 2020, 07:58:59 pm »
If the Wi-Fi alliance were already called the Wi-Fi alliance when they hired Interbrand then I reckon they deserve their money back  :) :P
Everyone's favourite windbreak

Kim

  • Timelord
    • Fediverse
Re: Mesh Wifi
« Reply #72 on: 14 December, 2020, 08:07:37 pm »
Quote
Phil Belanger, a founding member of the Wi-Fi Alliance, has stated that the term Wi-Fi was chosen from a list of ten potential names invented by Interbrand.

Anyone else want to know what the other 9 were?

Re: Mesh Wifi
« Reply #73 on: 14 December, 2020, 08:21:43 pm »
"Ethernot"
"String that carries data, with no string."
"Yes please" said Squirrel "biscuits are our favourite things."

Mr Larrington

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Re: Mesh Wifi
« Reply #74 on: 14 December, 2020, 08:32:28 pm »
And of course “The Devil’s Radio”.
External Transparent Wall Inspection Operative & Mayor of Mortagne-au-Perche
Satisfying the Bloodlust of the Masses in Peacetime