NetSetMan Support

Samvdm

Member

Registered: 2020-04-16

Posts: 4

Can't connect to a specific network (Area with same SSID)

Hey there,

So my provider offers a service where you basically can use internet everywhere (as long as a router they provide is in range). They do this by letting all of their modems send out a signal where you can login on the providers account and this will allow you to use this network. (Called TelenetWifree)

Now I use one place where I have a router of my own (and this works fine) and in the second place I use the TelenetWifree network as it works just fine.

Now since a few days the second network has been abysmal. Where before I had 4 bars in signal strength now I'm just getting the dot or the dot and one extra bar.

This make the network not usable so I tried to find a solution

After some research I found out I have 8 different Telenetwifree networks broadcasting (Some are on the same channel (like the one im always connecting too))

Now most of them have a bad connection like the one I'm on now but there are 2 connections who look promising.

a 2.4ghz on channel 6 (Only has one more telenetwifree network on this channel but it's really weak)
and a 5.0Ghz on channel 36 (only one on that channel)

I tried connecting to them with the Wifi manager, I select the specific network and the moment I press connect I lose connection to the bad one but it also doesnt connect to the one I just selected. (for both of them). If I use this method to connect to the one I was already connected before it works fine.

I tried setting up a profile, after I press activate a box appears and checks everthing off (IP, DNS, etc) as fine.  (Sidenote: I've picked choose IP and DNS automaticly and entered the MAc adress i want to conntect too. The other options I left blank)

In the log it says it connected to the network but my laptop is not connected to the internet.

The login is the same for all TelenetWifree networks but I've only been able to enter the login if I try to connect through Windows.

Any ideas what would've cause this change in the first place or why this isn't working. Or if anybody else has another sollution I'm happy to hear it. I cannot reach any of the routers.

Tl;dr

Can't connect through MAC adress to a better network with the same SSID and login as mine.

NetSetMan Support

Administrator

Registered: 2005-08-06

Posts: 1,878

Re: Can't connect to a specific network (Area with same SSID)

I select the specific network and the moment I press connect I lose connection to the bad one but it also doesnt connect to the one I just selected. (for both of them). If I use this method to connect to the one I was already connected before it works fine.

This actually sound like those two access points are using some kind of additional access control, most likely they have a whitelist for MAC addresses - or they have put you on a MAC blacklist (e.g. if you produced too much traffic in the past). You could rule out the blacklist theory by trying to connect to them from another device.
Another possibility would be that those two access points are simply malfunctioning.

The reason why we believe this issue has nothing to do with NetSetMan is, that Windows usually connects you to the access point with the strongest signal. If it does not (like in your case), then it's simply not possible, so it falls back to a weaker one.

Usually users want to connect to a specific access point, because the strongest signal doesn't always mean it's the fastest connection. If too many people connect to the strongest signal, it might become very slow - but Windows doesn't check on that.

The only thing you could do is to contact your provider and tell them the MAC addresses of the two access points and your location, describing the problem. They might be able to reset the access points or adjust their access restrictions.

Samvdm

Member

Registered: 2020-04-16

Posts: 4

Re: Can't connect to a specific network (Area with same SSID)

I select the specific network and the moment I press connect I lose connection to the bad one but it also doesnt connect to the one I just selected. (for both of them). If I use this method to connect to the one I was already connected before it works fine.

This actually sound like those two access points are using some kind of additional access control, most likely they have a whitelist for MAC addresses - or they have put you on a MAC blacklist (e.g. if you produced too much traffic in the past). You could rule out the blacklist theory by trying to connect to them from another device.
Another possibility would be that those two access points are simply malfunctioning.

Thanks for the swift respons!

After reading your answer I tried connecting to all of them, but only managed to connect to the one I was already connecting with.

If I try to connect to another one he just disconnects (Doesnt try to identify when I hover over the connection symbol on my taskbar, it just says connections available)

Could it be that I need to put in the login/password somewhere else in Netsetman instead of it just taking the login info from my known networks in Windows? (I let the laptop forget the network and added it again but that didnt help either)

Or have I missed something in setting up the profile (Only did automatic IP & DNS, entered MAC adress and left the rest blank)

For the MAC blacklist, I tried using my phone and I'm having the same bad connection there as on my laptop (I'm gonna try and use an old laptop to see what it does there)

I tried calling the provider but they will only mess with the router I own, not with the routers sending out the TelenetWifree.

I really cant figure out why he would only connect to one of the availabe TelenetWifree routers where I'm at right now. (I can still connect to other Telenetwifree routers outside)

I will be forever grateful if we could find a fix. due to the virus I'm not able to leave this adress for now so I'm stuck here for another couple of weeks.

NetSetMan Support

Administrator

Registered: 2005-08-06

Posts: 1,878

Re: Can't connect to a specific network (Area with same SSID)

Could it be that I need to put in the login/password somewhere else in Netsetman instead of it just taking the login info from my known networks in Windows?

No. NetSetMan doesn't store any WiFi profile data itself. It merely offers an interface to the WiFi profile data in Windows. Just export a profile and open it with a text editor. You'll see an XML structure with all data that is stored in that profile. That's all Windows knows about a WiFi profile. If two access points share the same SSID and security details, then they share the same WiFi profile in Windows.

For the MAC blacklist, I tried using my phone and I'm having the same bad connection there as on my laptop (I'm gonna try and use an old laptop to see what it does there)

If your phone also connects to an AP with a weak signal (although there are APs with the same SSID and security details) then you're probably out of luck in this whole situation. All devices would prefer an AP with a strong signal. If they do not connect to it, then it's simply because they can't.

If it's not a blacklist, it's either a whitelist, malfunction or (we missed to mention this in our previous reply) the AP is simply full. It likely has some limit for connected devices. Maybe in these times more people are at home and have connected their devices to these APs. If they're full, they don't accept new connections.
If your provider isn't of any help, the only thing you could try is to set your alarm clock for the middle of the night and try to connect then, hoping that less devices are connected to the AP and that it works then. Maybe that helps. Other than that, we sorry we cannot be of more help in this case.

Samvdm

Member

Registered: 2020-04-16

Posts: 4

Re: Can't connect to a specific network (Area with same SSID)

Yes that excludes blacklists and tbh whitelists aswell (Cause the people cant actually whitelist anyone on their own router using the Telenetwifree, they can only whitelist their own devices for all Telenetwifree networks)

I have a studentdorm next to my building, and they got a few routers there. Could be everybody is gone and they pulled out the internetplug but left the router running? That would explain why I could find them but not connect to the internet.

And/or the routers are full, I'm having better connection at night (not always but it's noticable). So basicly I try to run Netsetman at night, see if I can get on the better AP and keep myself connected. (Preferable with an automatic connection in case I lose it during the night)

If f.e. I get disconnected during the day for some reason will another connection (that was already running) take my place or will that only happen if someone else connects during that disconnect?

I'm going to try to find a solution with this info (I'll post the results in here in case someone else experiences the same problem)

and sorry for all the extra questions, I can't seem to find the answers online.

If all of this isnt working, I'll ask the other neighbour  if he would be so kind to share his connection for the time being.

Samvdm

Member

Registered: 2020-04-16

Posts: 4

Re: Can't connect to a specific network (Area with same SSID)

Also sidenote, something I just noticed.

When using my phone, it would show 2 TelenetWifree connections. A very weak one (wich is the one he connects too) and a very strong connection. The weird thing is when I try to connect to the strong one it asks for a securitykey.

But It still connects automaticly to the weak one (Both have the same SSID)

Whats even weirder, the TelenetWifree connections do not ask for a securitykey. The first time you try to connect to them they ask for a login and password (Within windows, in the tab of the wifi connections (so no browserlogin))

If I forget the weak connection and try to connect to it again it will ask for a login and password. (Like usual)

My knowhow is very little about this but that would suggest that the connection has a different type of security?

(Still i can only see 2 connections on the phone and not all 7)

NetSetMan Support

Administrator

Registered: 2005-08-06

Posts: 1,878

Re: Can't connect to a specific network (Area with same SSID)

I have a studentdorm next to my building, and they got a few routers there. Could be everybody is gone and they pulled out the internetplug but left the router running? That would explain why I could find them but not connect to the internet.

Very unlikely. A wireless network has no knowledge about the infrastructure behind it. Either you can or cannot connect to an AP. This doesn't say anything about an Internet connection being present.

If f.e. I get disconnected during the day for some reason will another connection (that was already running) take my place or will that only happen if someone else connects during that disconnect

Not sure how we can provide a useful reply here. This all depends on all the other devices. For example, if their WiFi roaming settings are set to try to connect to a better network from time to time, and this happens while you are disconnected, then they could automatically take your place. But that's just one possibility.

I'm going to try to find a solution with this info (I'll post the results in here in case someone else experiences the same problem)

Thanks.

and sorry for all the extra questions, I can't seem to find the answers online.

As you might have noticed, these questions have only little to do with NetSetMan, but of course we still try to help where we can - at least with interesting questions. Your descriptions were pleasingly detailed enough to work with.