WiFi network advice needed

[DKatri]

So, I'm moving in to university soon and the halls (dorms if you're American) dont have WiFi but they do have an ethernet port in each room and with my iPhone and iPad WiFi would be nice, I know I can just share my internet connection using my MBP as a base station.
But, my question is, because the halls dont really allow routers or wifi is there a way to hide the network that my MBP creates?

Also I'm not to crazy about leaving my MBP on all day so I can have wifi all day, if anyone has any cheap routers they can recommend that would be great, the only real need is that it should be able to support about 4 or 5 devices and be able to hide the network.

I'm pretty much a noob when it comes to networking and routers so be gentle.

 

[miles01110]

But, my question is, because the halls dont really allow routers or wifi is there a way to hide the network that my MBP creates?

No. Any IT department worth its salt will be able to detect wireless neworks where there are not supposed to be any.

However, most restrictions on wireless networks don't usually cover ad-hoc networks like Internet Sharing, so you might be ok. You should call and ask them.

 

[moel]

dude...just do it...and use a password.

Your uni IT department aren't going to give a toss about a small wifi network, and i guarantee everyone else in your block will be doing the same thing.

 

[DKatri]

dude...just do it...and use a password.

Your uni IT department aren't going to give a toss about a small wifi network, and i guarantee everyone else in your block will be doing the same thing.

True,

any cheap router recommendations?

 

[miles01110]

dude...just do it...and use a password.

Your uni IT department aren't going to give a toss about a small wifi network, and i guarantee everyone else in your block will be doing the same thing.

Clearly you have no idea what you're talking about. If WiFi networks are prohibited, they're going to be checking for them. If "everyone" on the block or in the dorm is doing the same thing, the IT security people are going to throw a fit.

 

[moel]

Clearly...you've never been to a University in the past 5 years.

They say that to keep the instances of people possibly just outside the walls of the halls from leeching the provided internet connection.

They don't send techies round to snoop for wifi connections. Even if they do..what the hell are they going to do? It's not possible to pin point a wifi router down to a specific room.

The only thing that they might be doing is enforcing a specific MAC address usage policy, which Sunderland uni used to. In which case get a router that's capable of spoofing your laptops MAC address. Hide the SSID and job done. I think you think that uni tech departments actually give a toss and have nothing better to do.

 

[crypticlineage]

That's right. There is always a way around this kind of thing. And if you're not doing anything illegal, you should be fine even if they find out.

 

[miles01110]

They don't send techies round to snoop for wifi connections. Even if they do..what the hell are they going to do? It's not possible to pin point a wifi router down to a specific room.

Uh, wrong.

Hide the SSID and job done.

You realize that hiding the SSID does not hide the frequency broadcast put out by a wireless router, right? Of course you don't.

 

[WardC]

True,

any cheap router recommendations?

I use an AirPort express and it's great. It's ultra-tiny and provides great speed. And it's only $99

 

[moel]

You realize that hiding the SSID does not hide the frequency broadcast put out by a wireless router, right? Of course you don't.

Seriously...step back and take off your 'holier than thou' demi god hat.

I would quite happily give you £50 if you came to my street, and could tell me precisely which house contains which router. (this becomes infinitely trickier when your attempting to do the same with a lot of student flats, especially where uni IT services REALLY DON'T CARE...if they did even care what happened on the network they'd stop the gigabytes of torrents that are downloaded daily over their networks.)

Also i'm MORE than aware that hiding the SSID doesn't hide the frequency...(i mean that kind of the knowledge you acquire when you've been playing around with airport and wireless systems since 2003, and been a mac devotee since 1995.)

Now scurry back to your gimp hole and come back with some more unfounded insults regarding my technological knowhow

Oh wait i've got an EVEN BETTER idea, why not carry on with your demi god power trip, and send me a warning or a ban hammer or something.

<mutters something under breath>

Now are we all done with the nerdy belming and can we possibly help the OP further? To give you the most options i'd probably recommend a linksys router..that way it can definitely clone your macbooks mac address.

Something like
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/New-Linksys-W...working_SM&hash=item19bf8d06fd#ht_4807wt_1139

 

[DKatri]

To give you the most options i'd probably recommend a linksys router..that way it can definitely clone your macbooks mac address.

Something like
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/New-Linksys-W...working_SM&hash=item19bf8d06fd#ht_4807wt_1139

Looks good and pretty cheap aswell, how easy would it be to set up for someone that doesn't know too much about networking?

 

[miles01110]

Seriously...step back and take off your 'holier than thou' demi god hat.

It has less to do with being a demigod and more to do with pointing out your flawed logic. Anyone can do that, just like anyone can pay $25 to become a "demigod."

I would quite happily give you £50 if you came to my street, and could tell me precisely which house contains which router. (this becomes infinitely trickier when your attempting to do the same with a lot of student flats, especially where uni IT services REALLY DON'T CARE...if they did even care what happened on the network they'd stop the gigabytes of torrents that are downloaded daily over their networks.)

It doesn't matter. If wireless routers were restricted on your street I would not bother determining if individual households had a wireless router if the spectrum was crowded, I would obtain a search warrant to search every house on the street.

Also i'm MORE than aware that hiding the SSID doesn't hide the frequency...(i mean that kind of the knowledge you acquire when you've been playing around with airport and wireless systems since 2003, and been a mac devotee since 1995.)

2003! Wow! If you were aware of this, why did you advocate not broadcasting the SSID with full knowledge that it doesn't deter anyone with any sort of knowledge of how RF works?

Now scurry back to your gimp hole and come back with some more unfounded insults regarding my technological knowhow

They're not unfounded. You are making it quite easy.

Oh wait i've got an EVEN BETTER idea, why not carry on with your demi god power trip, and send me a warning or a ban hammer or something.

I don't think you fully understand what "demi-god" actually means (or more actually, doesn't mean).

https://macrumors.zendesk.com/hc/en-us#How_do_I_contribute_to_MacRumors.com.3F

<mutters something under breath>

<chuckles>

Now are we all done with the nerdy belming and can we possibly help the OP further?

Help the OP get in trouble with his/her IT department? No thanks.

...the halls dont really allow routers or wifi ...

 

[DKatri]

The reason that the halls dont want people to have WiFi is because they want each person to have their own connection so the know if person X is downloading a crazy amount per month. Surely if the only things that get to share my connection are my devices it wont matter? The main reason I want to do this is so I can use WiFi on my phone so I dont use too much of the measly 500MB per month data that I get, I might as well be using the internet connection I'm already using.

 

[miles01110]

The reason that the halls dont want people to have WiFi is because they want each person to have their own connection so the know if person X is downloading a crazy amount per month.

That's not the only reason. They also want to keep their network secure, which is much easier to do with wired-only connections. If you have SSID broadcast off, don't overuse network resources, and have it properly secured (WPA2), you will have less problems than if those conditions are not met. Policies like this are aimed at people like you who are (your words), "pretty much a noob when it comes to networking" and therefore create security problems.

You should also understand that you likely signed something in which you agreed to abide by the existing network policy. It's the university's connection, not yours. If they decide to punish you for it you won't have much recourse.