Using with open-mesh / cloudtrax devices

[alan]

We need to do more testing on this.

Can you zip and email us to firstspot@patronsoft.com the below files:
1) dhcpservice.ini file under FirstSpot\dhcp directory
2) all firstspot_DHCP_[timestamp].log under FirstSpot\log and FirstSpot\log\archive directory

BTW, does your AP have 2 network interface? Normally, FirstSpot works with simple AP that has one interface that plugs to a switch in the Visitor Network side. I understand that this is a mesh AP so it is more complex. Please elaborate.
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[natrat22]

I'll send these through in the morning. I've also just connected my phone through the hotspot and it gets an IP, but despite being in the Client Filter MAC whitelist, I still get taken to the logon page. I'll send the ini file that has the whitelist in it too.

[alan]

Did you restart FirstSpot after changing the Client Pass-through?

I feel that your network setup is a bit complicated. It will be great if you can simplify your test environment somewhat at this stage to make sure the basic operation is working okay first.
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[natrat22]

I have simplified it. I've had to pull the whole system out of the resort and now its sitting on my workbench with just a single access point plugged into the switch that is connectedto the visitor NIC. Only phone is connected to that access point. I have added the phones MAC to the whitelist. I have restarted Firstspot (3 times). And i still get taken to the login portal.

[natrat22]

Its definately something to do with the open-mesh access point. I just added a PCs MAC to the whitelist and plugged it into the switch, and it doesnt get the login portal.

This is a nightmare, i dont think i am going to be able to use Firstpoint with these APs and i can't replace 36 AP's across the resort.

the device specs are pretty much these, from the wrt page:

https://wiki.openwrt.org/toh/hwdata/open-mesh/open-mesh_om2p

However they are running their own firmware, not open-source WRT.

This is the official page:

http://www.open-mesh.com/products/grp-om2p-hs.html

[natrat22]

I'm pretty sure there is definitely some bug in the MAC whitelist table (client filter). I just deleted my phones MAC address, restarted firstspot, added the MAC back in again, restarted fistspot, and now the whitelist is working. It seems I can't trust that an ID in the list actually is being whitelisted?

[alan]

Are you sure your mesh-AP doesn't modify client device MAC when the it attaches to it? The only way to confirm it is to use sniffing tool like Wireshark.

The Client Pass-through is used by many customers and we haven't had report of problem in recent years. Alternatively, you can try create a "Passive Login" user under Configuration Manager -> Users. This kind of user will inherit all the user attributes and changing it doesn't require a FirstSpot restart.
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~ Patronsoft Limited ~

[alan]

Let's work on your simplified environment first. If you believe there is problem with FirstSpot, just explain your test case (e.g. the MAC address you plan to add) and we will resolve it from there.
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~ Patronsoft Limited ~

[alan]

We look through your log using the MAC AC-86-74-5E-96-21 as an example. The DHCP log is consistent with the dhcpservice.ini which only AC-86-74-5E-96-21 appears in the network. We don't see problem with FirstSpot DHCP server so far.


We also take look at your AP and notice there are two ports. Is it possible that you connect one port to Visitor Network side, and the other port to the Internet directly for management (bypassing FirstSpot altogether)? Apart from being more efficient, we can save a lot of hassle fiddling around with the Client Pass-through or Passive Login settings. Please consider.
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[bogboy]

i use these AP's with First spot without having any problems and it works really well.
What i did was to get rid of the cloudtrax firmware on the APs (i didnt want to use the Cloudtrax interface) and flashed it with OpenWrt Chaos Calmer 15.05 / LuCI. dont use the previous versions of OpenWrt have problems. flashing the firmware is really simple.

[natrat22]

Bogboy can you send me more details over email? And do you know if the firmware works on the newest June/July 16 OM2PHS units? All i need is a simple mesh network, no cloudtrax required.

[natrat22]

alan,

The devices do have multiple MACs for LAN port, wifi radio etc. so don't worry about that i can whitgelist what ?I need.

however my main issue is the random nature of the MAC whitelist. did you see my post above where my phone was not whitelisted. I removed its MAC ID from the client filter whitelist, stopped firstspot, re-added it, started firstspot, then it was whitelisted. I need to trust the whitelist, can you think of why it woudnt work until I removed and re-added it?

[natrat22]

Bogboy is it this one:

https://downloads.openwrt.org/chaos_calmer/15.05/ar71xx/generic/openwrt-15.05-ar71xx-generic-om2p-squashfs-factory.bin

[alan]

As I mentioned previously, please add your phone MAC address as a "Passive Login" user. This feature is designed for client devices and it doesn't require a FirstSpot restart.

Client Pass-through is really for fixed devices like printers. So far it has been pretty stable for our customers. But it does require a FirstSpot restart and the user attributes do not apply to the MAC address at all.
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~ Patronsoft Limited ~

[natrat22]

thanks , but do either of these whitelist methods bypass the global throttling settings?