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How to set wifi channel on Technicolor XB6 ?

Yomofo
I've been here awhile

Is it still possible to access advanced settings and for example set the wifi channel on the ignite modem - Technicolor XB6? I have a feeling Rogers has completely disabled the ability to change advanced settings.

 

 

 

***Edited Labels***

55 REPLIES 55

Re: How to set wifi channel on Technicolor XB6 ?

-G-
Resident Expert
Resident Expert

@gp-se  Dang, that's unfortunate.  You got control back only to have it snatched away again.  I don't have anything else to suggest at this point.  The only ones who can do something about this is Rogers.

 

You could just use the Ignite WiFi Hub to change whatever Wi-Fi options you can.

You could enable Bridge Mode on the XB6 and use your own router and Wi-Fi.

Your path of least resistance would be take advantage of the Ignite WiFi Promise and go with a Rogers-supported Wall-to-wall WiFi solution.

 

You could also call into Rogers and cancel your service due to serious technical problems that Rogers seems unable to fix.  They will probably engage support and your issue might get escalated to a senior person who CAN find a way to get the WiFi Hub disabled on your account.

 

Your last-resort option would be to follow through with the cancellation and switch to another service.

 

If you do not require Ignite TV but still want to remain with Rogers, another option would be to switch to Fido Home Internet, where you can use a Hitron CODA gateway and where they will not force the Ignite WiFi Hub down your throat.

Re: How to set wifi channel on Technicolor XB6 ?

toolcubed
I'm a senior contributor
If someone never uses the Ignite WiFi hub, would it ever (at any point in time) get enabled by itself or by Rogers? For example, if someone is brand new to the Ignite TV platform, logs into the XB6/7 using its IP address via a browser, and then either configures the WiFi settings or enables bridge mode and uses a 3rd party router, would any backend system attempt to override and engage the WiFi hub if it was never used at all?

Re: How to set wifi channel on Technicolor XB6 ?

-G-
Resident Expert
Resident Expert

@toolcubed wrote:
If someone never uses the Ignite WiFi hub, would it ever (at any point in time) get enabled by itself or by Rogers?

I believe that is the case now.  I did an Ignite TV self-install for a family member a few months ago.  Used a web browser to perform the initial setup and configuration.  The WiFi Hub mobile app was never used or installed, and never accessed the WiFi Hub web app either.  Then, a short time later, I found that I could no longer make any WiFi changes directly on the XB6.  The WiFi Hub got enabled without any action on our part that could have triggered it.

 

Resistance is futile.

 

For example, if someone is brand new to the Ignite TV platform, logs into the XB6/7 using its IP address via a browser, and then either configures the WiFi settings or enables bridge mode and uses a 3rd party router, would any backend system attempt to override and engage the WiFi hub if it was never used at all?

The WiFi Hub is not active when Bridge Mode is enabled but Rogers is still in control of the Ignite gateway, and they can still provision the services that are still active internally.

 

However, as far as I know, if you are able to set WiFi channels and then switch to bridge mode, those channel settings will stick and be used by the hidden WiFi networks (that we have no control over) that remain enabled.

Re: How to set wifi channel on Technicolor XB6 ?


@toolcubed wrote:
If someone never uses the Ignite WiFi hub, would it ever (at any point in time) get enabled by itself or by Rogers? For example, if someone is brand new to the Ignite TV platform, logs into the XB6/7 using its IP address via a browser, and then either configures the WiFi settings or enables bridge mode and uses a 3rd party router, would any backend system attempt to override and engage the WiFi hub if it was never used at all?

@toolcubed 

as @-G- mentioned, it will get enabled no matter what. I know for a fact my mother doesn't have any Ignite App's or ever used the ignite web portal to make changes, however the WiFi settings are being controlled by Rogers. Hopefully Rogers will send the message to Comcast that users want control over the WiFi settings and return control to us.

Re: How to set wifi channel on Technicolor XB6 ?

gp-se
I'm an advisor

@-G- wrote:

@gp-se  Dang, that's unfortunate.  You got control back only to have it snatched away again.  I don't have anything else to suggest at this point.  The only ones who can do something about this is Rogers.

 

You could just use the Ignite WiFi Hub to change whatever Wi-Fi options you can.

You could enable Bridge Mode on the XB6 and use your own router and Wi-Fi.

Your path of least resistance would be take advantage of the Ignite WiFi Promise and go with a Rogers-supported Wall-to-wall WiFi solution.

 

You could also call into Rogers and cancel your service due to serious technical problems that Rogers seems unable to fix.  They will probably engage support and your issue might get escalated to a senior person who CAN find a way to get the WiFi Hub disabled on your account.

 

Your last-resort option would be to follow through with the cancellation and switch to another service.

 

If you do not require Ignite TV but still want to remain with Rogers, another option would be to switch to Fido Home Internet, where you can use a Hitron CODA gateway and where they will not force the Ignite WiFi Hub down your throat.


@-G- 

I feel like the only way to gain control is using the Gateway in Bridge mode with a third party router. However I don't want to spend $250-$300 on a third party router that provides the same coverage as the XB6 with it's 8x8 Antenna setup. The XB6 has great range that cheaper routers cannot match, so to get something comparable you need to spend a good amount of money. 

 

Re: How to set wifi channel on Technicolor XB6 ?

-G-
Resident Expert
Resident Expert

@gp-se wrote:
as @-G- mentioned, it will get enabled no matter what. I know for a fact my mother doesn't have any Ignite App's or ever used the ignite web portal to make changes, however the WiFi settings are being controlled by Rogers. Hopefully Rogers will send the message to Comcast that users want control over the WiFi settings and return control to us.

I don't think that this is purely driven by Comcast.  I would be shocked if Rogers does not have some at least some control.  Rather, there are more likely internal design decisions and justifications for how things are provisioned and policies in place as to what can and cannot be changed.  In the end, it does not make much difference whether it's a "can't do" or "won't do" situation.

 

The reality is, the fewer options that they provide their customers and the more control that is kept centrally, the easier things will be for them to support.

 

There are also too many people out there who have no clue what they are doing when it comes to WiFi.  They don't know how to install it, how to configure it, how to manage it, what makes it work well or what makes it perform poorly.  They end up being a menace to themselves and to those around them.  Rogers also needs to be able to support these people.

 

And this is why we can't have nice things.

Re: How to set wifi channel on Technicolor XB6 ?

-G-
Resident Expert
Resident Expert

@gp-se wrote:
I feel like the only way to gain control is using the Gateway in Bridge mode with a third party router. However I don't want to spend $250-$300 on a third party router that provides the same coverage as the XB6 with it's 8x8 Antenna setup. The XB6 has great range that cheaper routers cannot match, so to get something comparable you need to spend a good amount of money. 

I agree completely.  I can understand why Rogers may want to do things a certain way to streamline their support and keep things as consistent as possible.  However, I also find it frustrating that we cannot have full control over how the XB6 and XB7 behave, and that we are so limited in our ability to configure these devices and no visibility into how these devices are actually configured and provisioned centrally.

 

I also personally do not like any of my network devices to be managed "through the cloud", especially those that play a key role in securing my in-home network.

 

Also, for those of us that do have Bridge Mode enabled, a lot of expensive hardware goes unused.  (The only benefit to a gateway vs a simple modem is that if I should ever run into problems, all that I need to do is disable Bridge Mode and call support.  I don't need to waste time proving that the problem is not being caused by my own equipment.)

Re: How to set wifi channel on Technicolor XB6 ?

toolcubed
I'm a senior contributor
Thanks guys. I completely agree with what you’re saying but boy does this suck. Every time I get closer to switching to Ignite, I hear of more bad news with the platform. This time around, I was really looking forward to the change, especially with the amazing promotional offer I was given. I will still switch to take advantage of the promotion because staying on legacy digital will be far too expensive by comparison. I will use my own equipment with the gateway bridged as I’ve mentioned before. I just really hope that configuration never stops working and that Rogers never forces their Ignite service to work ONLY in gateway mode. Fingers crossed. Thanks again guys.

Re: How to set wifi channel on Technicolor XB6 ?

-G-
Resident Expert
Resident Expert

For anybody else reading here, just wanted to point out that Rogers provides a turnkey system, that tries to simplify the complexity of managing Wi-Fi as much as possible.  It provides convenient tools (through the Ignite WiFi Hub) where you can manage your in-home network, devices, parental controls, etc. through a central dashboard, from anywhere, using either a mobile app or a web portal.  For most people, it works great, and I have family members who use those tools in their homes and who like using those tools.

 

However, there are also those who want (or require) more fine-grained control and/or who don't want to use Rogers' Ignite WiFi Hub to manage their network... and that is what this discussion is about.  They would rather manage their network through the Ignite gateway's management UI... and when the Ignite WiFi Hub is in control, those configuration options get greyed out... and they are frustrated that they cannot take control back.

Re: How to set wifi channel on Technicolor XB6 ?

I've just read through this entire thread shortly after discovering that I am no longer allowed to adjust WiFi channel selection etc as per the now greyed-out' parameters cited in many of this thread's posts.

 

TheMythOfSanity's reference to a Rogers "mesh network" as being a causal factor in said greyed-out parameters caught my eye.

 

I suspect that Rogers (and other ISPs) are collaborating with Amazon Sidewalk. After all, it's unlikely that Amazon would unilaterally enable its IoT / 'smart' devices to mesh network / freeload on Rogers' customers' WiFi with the expectation of not being caught and challenged in court.

 

May 31, 2021
Your Amazon Devices to Automatically Share Your Wi-Fi With Neighbors
https://thehackernews.com/2021/05/your-amazon-devices-to-automatically.html

 

6/8/2021

VERIFY: Yes, Amazon Sidewalk can make your Wi-Fi network more susceptible to a hack
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/technology/verify-yes-amazon-sidewalk-can-make-your-wi-fi-network-mor...

 

My suspicion re a possible Rogers – Amazon Sidewalk collusion was initially twigged by a recent profusion of strange devices which have managed to freeload their way onto the my Rogers-supplied Technicolor CGM4140COM's WiFi even though I had long ago disabled UPnP, had increased the CGM4140COM's security level to Medium from its stock setting of Low, and have never shared the 5 GHz channel's password (I use a different SSID and password for the 2.4 GHz channel).

 

Here's some examples.

 

Online Devices:

 

f8:3b:1d:15:7f:ab DHCP -67 dBm Wi-Fi 5G

"No company is registered as the vendor for mac address prefix F83B1D157FAB"
https://mac.lc/address/f8:3b:1d:15:7f:ab

--

06:a4:63:ab:41:9f DHCP -68 dBm Wi-Fi 2.4G

"No company is registered as the vendor for mac address prefix 06A463AB419F"
https://mac.lc/address/06:a4:63:ab:41:9f

 

Offline Devices:

 

9a:56:0d:d7:7e:b6 DHCP Unknown

"No company is registered as the vendor for mac address prefix 9A560DD77EB6"
https://mac.lc/address/9a:56:0d:d7:7e:b6

--

92:8e:f0:ee:57:bd DHCP Unknown

"No company is registered as the vendor for mac address prefix 928EF0EE57BD"
https://mac.lc/address/92:8e:f0:ee:57:bd

--

7a:5a:ad:34:dd:9a DHCP Unknown

"No company is registered as the vendor for mac address prefix 7A5AAD34DD9A"
https://mac.lc/address/7a:5a:ad:34:dd:9a

--

e6:44:34:31:e1:61 DHCP Unknown

"No company is registered as the vendor for mac address prefix E6443431E161"
https://mac.lc/address/e6:44:34:31:e1:61

--

c8:e2:65:19:a7:cb DHCP Unknown

"No company is registered as the vendor for mac address prefix C8E26519A7CB"
https://mac.lc/address/c8:e2:65:19:a7:cb

--

42:ab:d2:be:52:39 DHCP Wi-Fi 5G

"No company is registered as the vendor for mac address prefix 42ABD2BE5239"
https://mac.lc/address/42:ab:d2:be:52:39

--

b2:58:a7:e0:b4:96 DHCP Wi-Fi 5G

"No company is registered as the vendor for mac address prefix B258A7E0B496
https://mac.lc/address/b2:58:a7:e0:b4:96

--

E2:FE:63:07:C4:96 DHCP Wi-Fi 5G

"No company is registered as the vendor for mac address prefix E2FE6307C496"
https://mac.lc/address/E2:FE:63:07:C4:96

--

76:07:7C:2A:C2:41 DHCP Wi-Fi 5G

"No company is registered as the vendor for mac address prefix 76077C2AC241"
https://mac.lc/address/76:07:7C:2A:C2:41

--
22:39:66:71:17:29 DHCP Wi-Fi 5G

"No company is registered as the vendor for mac address prefix 223966711729"
https://mac.lc/address/22:39:66:71:17:29

--

8e:28:15:75:45:89 DHCP Wi-Fi 5G

"No company is registered as the vendor for mac address prefix 8E2815754589
https://mac.lc/address/8e:28:15:75:45:89

==

Greying-out the aforementioned channel change etc parameters, and then rooking customers into using a web site or worse yet a 'smart' phone to perform essential WiFi parameter adjustments which used to be – and should still be – doable locally, does not aid Rogers customers in achieving optimal WiFi performance for their needs.

 

But I suspect that doing so _would_ contribute to a more consistent 'mesh network' a la Amazon Sidewalk.

 

I look forward to feedback from more technically literate individuals on these issues and any practical mitigations.

Re: How to set wifi channel on Technicolor XB6 ?

@jackfrancis  Given the number and that the OUI lookup fails for so many of those MAC addresses, my initial gut feeling was that these connections may actually be from known devices that have MAC address randomization enabled.

Re: How to set wifi channel on Technicolor XB6 ?

jackfrancis
I plan to stick around

Hmm... I hadn't thought of that. Thanks, -G-.

 

I may have shot myself in the foot: I use macchanger on the AX200-based TP-Link Archer TX3000E I upgraded my aging DIY PC with last year. Doing so might explain some of the off-line unidentifiable MAC addresses on the 5 GHz frequency and some of the 2.4 GHz connections as well due to occasional Ookla speed testing / connection verification.

--

It would seem that playing MAC address whack-a-mole / block list with a home WiFi gateway (in particular a feature-restricted unit that adds it own further frustrations) will be frequent, tiresome and ultimately futile:

 

"As the public grew more concerned with privacy, device manufacturers started rolling out standard means of MAC address randomization on Android, iOS, and Windows operating systems...

 

...Since MAC addresses are used for tracking devices on a network, operators and users will no longer be able to monitor devices connected to their routers when any significant number of devices use unpredictable addresses. What happens when you cannot monitor and detect a device? It becomes easier for malicious actors to hop onto your network with their own MAC address and hide."

 

October 9, 2020
MAC Address Randomization: Privacy at the Cost of Security and Convenience - CUJO AI
https://cujo.com/mac-address-randomization/

 

30 Apr 2021
Wi-Fi MAC Randomization – Privacy and Collateral Damage
https://www.extremenetworks.com/extreme-networks-blog/wi-fi-mac-randomization-privacy-and-collateral...

 

"Historically, MAC addresses have been a reliable identifier. However, as we learn more about privacy and security, we now know that spoofing other people's MAC addresses has been a serious network vulnerability on visitor-based Wi-Fi for some time."

 

Jul 9, 2020
How MAC Address Randomization Can Affect the Wi-Fi Experience
https://blog.elevensoftware.com/how-mac-address-randomization-can-affect-the-wifi-experience

Re: How to set wifi channel on Technicolor XB6 ?

xs1
I've been around

I would disagree with the spirit of what you have written. For me, this isn't merely a matter of wanting more control simply because I want more control. For anybody else reading here, the issue for me is that the modem has chosen the worst (i.e. most populated by other devices in the neighborhood) possible channel to speak on. Since the ignite modem install (in Feb of 2022) I have security devices not even reliably connecting anymore (previous Hitron CGN3 was configurable). So this is an actual service issue, not merely being frustrated because I want to tinker. Whether you want plug-n-play functionality or more control, you want reliable service either way. Personally I don't care whether I select an uncongested channel or a rogers tech does.. but my chat session with tech support this morning confirms that they cannot change it either. Pay your money, take your chances.

 

Re: How to set wifi channel on Technicolor XB6 ?

geobur
I've been around

I agree completely. This isn't just a matter of a device with slightly hampered functionality, or features. This is a function that is obviously overlooked and as such severely affects the performance of wireless networks.

My understanding of the mesh, and the Ignite WiFi Hub, was that it would determine the best channel to broadcast on dynamically. This does not at all appear to be the case when I can use a free software to walk around my house and determine there are 6 or more overlapping and conflicting WiFi signals on the 2.4GHz band, and 1 or 2 on the 5GHz.

This is unacceptable. Why is a free application (inSSIDer) able to recommend a better channel yet a device supposedly being controlled by itself or Rogers can't?

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