Set up a connection for the apartment complex's community Wi-Fi.
Set up a connection for the apartment complex's community Wi-Fi.
I've searched online but found no solutions for this exact scenario. My building offers wireless service from Spectrum, yet I require a dedicated network for devices like IP cameras, NAS, printers, and file sharing. Right now I rely on a separate offline network that connects via Ethernet on my desktop or switches to Wi-Fi on my MacBook. I suspect using two networks on the same device causes issues with gaming connectivity. Playerunknown Battlegrounds has been dropping out frequently after switching this up. It's also frustrating having to change networks between devices. I'm considering a router with bridge functionality, such as the Netgear R6220, to connect to the community Wi-Fi. The setup involves selecting an SSID and using a generic password; browsers can then authenticate using a username and password tied to my apartment unit. This system also permits MAC address-based access. Could a bridge router link the Spectrum network to the community Wi-Fi? Would its Ethernet ports let me reach the community network through my laptop? ******UPDATE******* I opted for an extender to test a simpler approach. The Netgear EX7000 assigns IP addresses from the building’s Wi-Fi. All devices must connect with their own credentials, just like direct Wi-Fi. I used it to link a desktop via Ethernet, but found it difficult to access settings. Switching to a Linksys RE9000 was tempting, but it doesn’t act as a direct bridge. It connects to the community network and can check firmware online, yet it won’t generate IPs for my devices. I’m puzzled by this behavior and unsure if there’s a workaround. This setup is quite unusual—Netgear seems compatible with community networks, while Linksys doesn’t. *****
You could connect directly to a network yourself, which would let you control it freely, likely offering faster performance without the need to manage bridging.
I think I'll go along with him since others might criticize and you have several gadgets available.
Do you reside in the United States? It's surprising to find an area where you can't access your own service and must share it. I pay $60 a month for 200/20 with Comcast, using my own equipment. Do they place routers in each unit or in common areas like hallways?
I reside in Austin, a major tech center. Most local providers are Spectrum, Grande, and ATT. I checked ATT DSL—it offers only 25mbps with a 1TB monthly cap! Grande doesn’t serve my area possibly due to a deal with Spectrum. The 100mbit upload is appealing since it speeds cloud uploads, which would be handy for running a game server someday.
Yeah, but doesn't the idea of sharing wifi with everyone else worry you at times? I mean it wouldn't take much for someone else on the network to start collecting data from you and your neighbors. At least if you have your own network you can setup your own security policies. I guess for your original question, not sure if what you want would be possible without accessing the wireless router you're getting your network connection from. Kinda sucks that you're stuck in a situation like that.
No it doesn't bother me. It's encrypted and zero sharing is possible between computers on the network. It's a pretty sophisticated fiber optic system with a wifi access point in each building, so I'm pretty sure the company knows what they're doing. Do you know that it's impossible? I can't find any information. Comments in various threads are very vague, and people seem to generally only be interested in bridging between their own routers basically using "bridge mode" as a repeater