Fix for on board Wi-Fi constant login issue

[POA1]

I ran into an issue we were on the Rotterdam a few weeks ago. I was constantly being prompted to provide my login credentials. It took me a day and a half to figure out why it was happening. It turns out that newer versions of Android and iOS randomize your device's MAC address to add an extra layer of security.

 

That's great for most networks, but not for ones with a lot of access points that you're moving between. (Like a ship.)

 

Apple iOS 14 or Android 10 and higher have MAC randomization.

 

I wrote up a little tutorial on how to turn off the randomization and present your phone's or tablet's static, real MAC address. There's a link below.

 

 

Edited April 22 by POA1
Added OS version info

[oakridger]

Excellent work @POA1!!  I'll do this when I board Zuiderdam on the 11th.

 

~Nancy

[POA1]

A good friend of ours who was on the Rotterdam before us mentioned that she was having the problem. I couldn't diagnose the cause or find the solution until I experienced it firsthand.

[oakridger]

1 hour ago, POA1 said:

A good friend of ours who was on the Rotterdam before us mentioned that she was having the problem. I couldn't diagnose the cause or find the solution until I experienced it firsthand.

 

Gee, @POA1, maybe if you and @Huskerchick just keep taking cruises you can solve all of the problems of the World!!  Wouldn't that be nice??!!  ✌️

😊

[YourWorldWithBill]

1 hour ago, POA1 said:

I ran into an issue we were on the Rotterdam a few weeks ago. I was constantly being prompted to provide my login credentials. It took me a day and a half to figure out why it was happening. It turns out that newer versions of Android and iOS randomize your device's MAC address to add an extra layer of security.

 

That's great for most networks, but not for ones with a lot of access points that you're moving between. (Like a ship.)

 

Apple iOS 14 or Android 10 and higher have MAC randomization.

 

I wrote up a little tutorial on how to turn off the randomization and present your phone's or tablet's static, real MAC address. There's a link below.

 

 

I went to that post and copied it. Thanks for that work; way beyond my capabilities lately.

[helby]

Thanks POA1. I had this issue in December on K'dam and found myself very irritated. On Princess for a 10 day cruise in September last year  this problem didn't happen and I was logged for the whole cruise. 

 

If this happens in the fall I'll try your fix.

[Mary229]

I simply hit cancel and voila turns out I am still logged in. I am on Apple 

[whogo]

Thank you, POA1.

 

My little brain was challenged by the mixture of Android and iOS instructions. I worked my way slowly through your instructions and made the following notes for iOS that I will take on my cruises, unless someone points out any blunders:

 

Fix for iOS on board Wi-Fi constant login issue:
1. Tap Settings App (gear icon).
2. Tap the ship's Wi-Fi.
3. Tap the “i” next to the ship's Wi-Fi.
4. Toggle Private Wi-Fi Address to off.
5. Tap Continue despite the warning about temporary interruption.
6. Turn Wi-Fi off and back on. Note the privacy warning next to the ship's Wi-Fi.
7. Note: This affects only the selected ship's Wi-Fi network, no other networks.

 

[POA1]

Thanks, @whogo

 

Not having an Apple device upon which to test, I had to rely on some of the iOS tech support sites. DW used to have an iPhone, but she came over to the dark side a couple of years ago.

[mawvkysc]

I think you just solved a different problem for me! Sometimes my iPad can make and receive phone calls using my Iphone. Sometimes it won’t. It says we’re not on the same network. I followed the prompts above and it seems to have fixed it. Yay!

Edited April 24 by mawvkysc

[POA1]

4 hours ago, mawvkysc said:

I think you just solved a different problem for me! Sometimes my iPad can make and receive phone calls using my Iphone. Sometimes it won’t. It says we’re not on the same network. I followed the prompts above and it seems to have fixed it. Yay!

Behold! The healing power of CruiseCritic... I hadn't really thought about all the implications that MAC randomization would have. There are quite a few instances where it can mess things up with network Layer 2 (L2) protocols.

 

This is especially true where you have a wireless network with multiple access points - like on a ship, for instance. You've got devices presenting a different hardware address every time they move to a new access point (AP.)  So, without you knowing it, your phone, tablet, or computer is flooding the MAC address / hardware address tables of the network.

 

The same thing happens if you have devices that are trying to "talk to one another."

 

What's happening is the equivalent of the "This device is not recognized" error you sometimes run into with two factor authentication. You have to supply additional credentials in order to connect.

 

Multiply this by a few thousand users - because we "Have It All" -- and you've got yourself a full-blown, Class A, circle-jerking, clusterfark*.

 

It's not the network's fault you've got a slew of devices acting like teenagers with a bunch of phony IDs. The blame lies with the operating system vendors. I'm sure there was some mention of this during a "What's new in iOS 14,"or the Android 10 changelog, but who the heck reads that stuff?

 

Anyway... I'm glad to know that this has helped some people. (Did anyone have "CruiseCritic Networking Advice" on their 2024 bingo card?)

 

* I used to use the less clean version of this phrase at work to describe projects that went sideways. It's impactful, yet humorous. Let's bring it back for 2024 — hard.

 

 

[POA1]

For the iPhone crowd, I posted a link to a college library site that has nice graphical instructions for you.

 

 

Edited April 25 by POA1
Added iPhone graphic instructions