I am trying to connect my Metal 52 to my home, xFinity, wifi that is using simple password protection, no pre-shared keys. I can see the SSID in the list networks under the Quick Set menu. Metal 52 is set as CPE. When I select the SSID I want and type in the password it simply comes to a state of searching for network and never connects. I have no issue connecting to a SSID that has no password set on it (the guest SSID on the same xfinity router). Logging is telling me the SSID i want requires privacy. I need help setting the other items, security profile and connect profile correctly so that it will accept and connect to the SSID.
Logging tells me the there is not an appropriate security profile for the network i am trying to join so i must not have something set right in it. Not sure if I also have to define a connect profile. Its been awhile since I have done this level of router configurations and I never did much with WiFi when i did.
If your xFinity is using WEP, create a security profile and select “static key required”. Then on Static Key tab, click on “key 0” and select either wep 40 or 104 and enter your password.
Not sure what I did but I do have it working now. Trying to make your recommended changes got me to something I missed. I can make it work by enabling the wlan1 interface from the interface list and all is good, it connects, but I cannot select the SSID I want from the QuickSet screen, enter the password and make it work. That is fine I can go modify the SSID and password on the interface screen so I think I am good. Next step is to connect the ethernet lan interface to my hap ac instead of my computer to I can join the hap’s wifi and still access the metal-52 and remote wifi.
Out at an actual campground for the first time since installing the metal52. The campground has a MESH wifi network so mulitple APs with the same SSID. I cannot get the Metal52 to join it. Are there any specific settings needed to connect to a mesh style network? No privacy on the wifi network.
I think you may be confused - a password IS a pre-shared key. Almost all networks will want a WPA2 PSK (password), be sure to set your security profile to WPA2 PSK with AES-CCM.
There was not password provided by the campground. If I let the Metal-52 do a scan it showed 6+ APs with the same SSID of “7Feathers Mesh”, none of them were Private indicated by the “P” in the scan results. I tried every combination I could to join one and for the most part it always said no network that satisfies the connect-list so joining the strongest one. That did not work because the strongest signal was a private password protected one. I did try to create a connetc-list by entering the MAC address and the SSID shown in the scan results. When I did that it indicated that it failed to authenticate. I am using the default security profile which works on other non-private non-mesh networks.
What I found interesting, maybe its my lack of knowledge, is that if I joined my iPhone to the wifi the SSID showed as “7Feathers RV” but on the Metal-52 scan it always showed as “7Feathers Mesh”. I tried both on the connect list. why are they different?
Once a device was connected, eg. my iPhone, it forced it to a captive portal where you had to accept their terms. Never did it ask for a password.
When I connect to Comcasts guest xFinitywifi network (there is one at any home services by comcast) it is non-private and I can connect to it and then go to my browser and it takes me to there captive portal. Assuming that mesh network should have the same behavior.
No longer at the camp ground but will probably run into the same again somewhere so suggests are welcome.
I suspect you were trying to connect using the wrong frequency. The ssid with “mesh” was most likely how the campground’s AP’s interconnect using 5.8ghz and is done in such a way that only listed devices can connect. Your phone was most likely connecting to 2.4ghz AP’s and is why you had no issues with your phone.
If you made any changes outside of the quickset page, it is not advisable to use it again. Quickset uses simple scripts to make changes and can’t account for all of the settings. Instead use the Wireless menu in either winbox or Webfig. If you click on wlan1 (this should be default name) you can set the frequency there. You also create multiple security profiles to easily change between them. Name one “Home” for when your home so you won’t have to enter each time. Another “None” for AP’s without security. And one “WPA/WPA2” for you to change for the Hotspots that have security. You can also use the connect-list to have it automatically connect to known networks. Using SSID=“any” used to allow the device to any open network.