Posted: Fri Apr 06, 2018 2:41 Post subject: Linksys WRT54G, Client Wireless Mode, and xfinitywifi SSIDs
I've looked around this forum and even though I see similar posts I am not positive that my question has already been answered. So here it goes...
I am trying to setup a wireless connection for a family member using an old Linksys WRT54G v5.0 and a Directional Buffalo Antenna. He is in the process of getting Comcast but they are dragging their feet stating they need to install a new pole and run thicker coax to his house, despite his neighbor directly across the street from him already has it, and his house is only about 150 (if that) away from him! Annoying.
Anyrate, someone down the street has one of the Technicolor Comcast modems that act as a hostspot for Comcast Wireless Guests. I flashed the Linksys router with the latest build and took it over to his place. I see that there are 2 sometimes 3 and sometimes even only 1 xfinitywifi SSID that shows up in the SITE SURVEY window. I clicked on the one with a MAC ADDRESS of 32:xx:xx:xx.... and even though the noise is a little high (-81) it will not get an IP. I tried another one that has a MAC ADDRESS that starts with D5:xx:xx:xx.... and that one has a lower noise value of (-75). It does connect and I can enter my xfinity login info into their Captive Portal like interface and the Internet will work; but doesn't stay connected for very long and for some reason DD-WRT keeps going back to the 32 MAC address wifi spot which never works.
Is there anyway to force DD-WRT to only connect to the xfinitywifi SSID that has the unique MAC address that I want? And if it can't connect, it will just keep trying until it does?
I tried using the MAC Filter option but after I set the D5 MAC address in there, the feature shuts off after a few minutes.
xfinitywifi uses a captive domain system where you need to login to your Comcast account.
I don't know if this still works but if you login on a device and clone the MAC to a different device you are able to use xfinitywifi on that new device
Ok. I was able to login using a laptop that is directly connected to the LAN ports of my DD-WRT system and once I authenticated using the laptop with Comcast's Captive Portal, I was able to access the internet on that laptop, a smart tv that was connected to the DD-WRT system and a downstream access point that allowed family members phones to access the internet. I didn't need to clone the MAC address for anything to make it work.
Any ideas how to keep the unit from bouncing between xfinitywifi access points or is there a way to block certain ones?
