Unusual connection problems with Wi-Fi.
Unusual connection problems with Wi-Fi.
I recently moved into a new apartment and faced an unusual problem with my landlord. We agreed not to sign a separate internet contract, but to pay him a small fee and connect to his wired LAN network throughout the house. I still purchased a router for my own Wi-Fi. As soon as I plug in my router, he starts receiving age verification prompts on Netflix and YouTube. He verifies 18+ accounts for both Google and Netflix. Once I disconnect the router, the issue disappears. Both of his accounts and my router settings have all age restriction and family management features turned off. Who can clarify this?
Verify there are no identical IP ranges on either side of your router. If they exist, adjust the IP range your router employs. This applies when NAT is active behind it.
Your router is connected through the modem instead of directly to the modem. This means your TV, which uses LAN rather than Wi-Fi, shouldn't be affected by your router. From a network standpoint, your router should simply appear as an additional device for the other router. You seem confused... I’ll try a different approach and configure it as an access point with its own SSID and password, which is typical at this level.
Performing this action won’t achieve the desired outcome. It’s similar to relying on the landlord’s Wi-Fi. An open SSID with no firewall or subnet division offers no real network separation. If you configure it in AP mode, there would be no distinction from the landlord’s local network, which might not be ideal. Both parties could easily recognize each other’s devices as if they were using a single SSID from the landlord’s network—essentially adding unnecessary complexity without any advantage. To ensure proper separation, use your own router and set its subnet to something different from the landlord’s (check your router’s settings for details). You can choose a private network like 192.168.2.1 or similar.
Imagine your LAN network as a house, and each subnet is a separate floor. The SSIDs and passwords act like the locks on those doors. One subnet with several SSIDs is like having two entrances in the same building, each with its own key to get inside. But once you step through the first door… you’re in the exact same room. Two subnets separated by a firewall are like two separate houses that aren’t connected by any door. To enter either house, you need its unique key (SSID and password). Once you’re inside one, you can’t see into the other because they’re physically isolated. This analogy might not be perfect, but it should give you a clearer idea at this level.
It feels more like you’re in a secluded area of a club with a gatekeeper at the entrance (the firewall/NAT in the router). Those inside the private space can reach out to others in the main room through the gatekeeper, or send messages to the wider world where your gatekeeper passes along the information to the landlord’s gatekeeper. But those in the main room or online can’t reach back into the private space unless they’re specifically asked for details by its residents first. This analogy works well with LANs that use broadcasts—you can see who’s present, you know they’re there as you hear them, but outsiders have no idea if they’re there until you direct them to send a message. You can still talk to clients in the landlord’s room, since their router is one of those clients. Essentially, the main router operates similarly to the Internet—it doesn’t know who’s outside, so you have to tell it to reach out to the right server, and various systems figure out the location along the way.
I believe we’re conveying the same idea, only phrased differently. For the OP’s perspective, it should be clear that simply connecting their router as a basic access point offers no real benefit in terms of security or network segmentation—it just creates additional complexity.
It's noteworthy that although they're preventing landlords' clients from viewing each other, they aren't completely isolating their own clients from seeing the landlords'. This detail may be useful if you need to replicate this setup in another situation requiring strict separation.
The update to the subnet IP on your router resolved the issue. Appreciate the help!