Wifi Wizards, I need your Help

[ThirtyThr33]

So I'm buying a MBP and I Lready have an iPad, but I want to use them wirelessly in my dorm (who doesn't?) but my school has a setup where the Ethernet ports in the dorm walls can "detect" a router being plugged in and shut off, as we are not allowed to have our own private routers. But I have a few girls down the hall whose dads set up routers no problem so I know it's somehow possible. I tried a switch and a hub to try and "hide" my router but that didn't work. I also tried using it as a wireless access point. But to no avail.

Any wifi wizards who might known trick or two? Or maybe any apps that I can install to mask my wifi?

 

[jasonbro]

So I'm buying a MBP and I Lready have an iPad, but I want to use them wirelessly in my dorm (who doesn't?) but my school has a setup where the Ethernet ports in the dorm walls can "detect" a router being plugged in and shut off, as we are not allowed to have our own private routers. But I have a few girls down the hall whose dads set up routers no problem so I know it's somehow possible. I tried a switch and a hub to try and "hide" my router but that didn't work. I also tried using it as a wireless access point. But to no avail.

Any wifi wizards who might known trick or two? Or maybe any apps that I can install to mask my wifi?

I bet it's the type of router. Router software is few and far between. I dunno who their dads are but i'd bet it's just a coincidence that it works.

I really have no idea. I can't fathom how they'd detect a wireless router. Maybe it's a wireless router without an ethernet splitter in it? Seems like if you just had a wireless component that relayed everything back and forth there would be nothing to detect.

That being said i'm not the wizard you want and i have no clue.

 

[ThirtyThr33]

I really have no idea. I can't fathom how they'd detect a wireless router.

I know! It even detects switches and hubs and disables them as well so I can't use it to hide my router.

The darnest part is once the ethernet port is "disabled" I have to call IT and play dumb saying "uhhh I think my Internet doesn't work" so they won't think I'm trying to install a router and eventually theyll turn on that port again.

 

[jasonbro]

I know! It even detects switches and hubs and disables them as well so I can't use it to hide my router.

The darnest part is once the ethernet port is "disabled" I have to call IT and play dumb saying "uhhh I think my Internet doesn't work" so they won't think I'm trying to install a router and eventually theyll turn on that port again.

Are you running anything off the ethernet port of the router?

 

[miles01110]

The network is probably set up to filter MAC addresses. Since the manufacturer identifier is unique to the manufacturer and not many hardware companies make routers, they're probably blocking Cisco/Netgear/Belkin/etc. MAC addresses and only allowing Dell/HP/Apple/etc.

You more than likely agreed to abide by the policies of the IT Department as a condition of admission to your institution, so you'll just have to deal with the situation as is or talk to your IT department and get whatever you want to do sanctioned by them.

 

[jasonbro]

The network is probably set up to filter MAC addresses. Since the manufacturer identifier is unique to the manufacturer and not many hardware companies make routers, they're probably blocking Cisco/Netgear/Belkin/etc. MAC addresses and only allowing Dell/HP/Apple/etc.

YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!! +1 for me. That makes good sense. I crush.

 

[old-wiz]

I suppose you could plug in a Mac mini into the wall ethernet and then share internet from ethernet to wi-fi.