TLDR: Call the hotel network/internet support group and give them the MAC and IP address to have them authenticate it on the backend. Background: Searched tonight to find out how to get the chromecast to work on the hotel wifi and saw a few archived posts from a year ago ( and ) that try to bypass the paywall, either with adapters or with MAC spoofing. This worked for me tonight at a Courtyard Marriott in LA, and hopefully will work for you as well.
I connected the chromecast to the wifi and launched the chromecast app on my laptop. Clicked on Settings next to the device name and scrolled down to find device's MAC and IP addresses. Called the front desk and asked for network support. Told the support person that the device is not connecting and wanted to know if he can authenticate it from his side using the MAC and IP address.
Insert your USB Micro-B connector into your Google Chromecast dongle, and connect the USB Type-A connector into a USB port on the Mac. Google Chromecast setup To successfully set up the Google Chromecast you need to connect to a WiFI network on your Mac, this needs to be the same WiFi network you want your Chromecast to connect to and use.
He proceeded to start the normal support process, saying to open up a web browser and go to abc.com or cnn.com, etc., and I told him the device doesn't have a browser - it's a chromecast. Thankfully, he immediately understood and took the MAC and IP address, how many days I'm staying, room number, etc. And placed me on hold. Within 30 seconds of giving him the info, it was on and worked perfectly. I was able to cast from both the laptop and from the cell phone without any issues. Note: I've got status with Marriott and the faster wifi is free for me. Normally, I have to choose the paid option, input how many days I'm staying, the room number, and my last name.
For each additional device, when I reach the paywall, I choose the option to add the device to an existing connection and have to put in the room number and my last name to get the device connected. Aside from the MAC and IP address, this was the other information that he asked me for.
I assume that this would work for other devices as well, as long as you know the MAC and IP address. Hopefully this helps someone out! This won't work at most hotels because the networks are designed (properly) to isolate wireless clients from each other, this way a guest in another hotel room cannot hijack your Facebook session and start spamming your friends with dodgy links - or more importantly, they can't rifle through all the files on your laptop while you are obliviously watching Netflix. So what we have really learned here - is DO NOT connect to the Marriott hotel network and definitely don't enter any payment details if you do connect to it. (And in case you are wondering, yes - there is an easy way to make the Chromecast play nice with any hotel network that doesn't involve MAC spoofing). And in case you are wondering, yes - there is an easy way to make the Chromecast play nice with any hotel network that doesn't involve MAC spoofing What's your 'easy way' solution?
As for MAC spoofing - why would that be any less secure than using a laptop or mobile phone on the same hotel network? You are only authenticating the one MAC address.
That isn't opening you up to anything. It's just getting around the problem of not having a way to launch a browser on the ChromeCast MAC address (which you only need long enough to login). It isn't MAC spoofing in itself that is insecure, it's being on a 'public' network that isn't isolating wireless clients from each other - meaning someone could be in any room in the hotel sniffing all your traffic, and provides the possibility for things like man-in-the-middle attacks. The easy solution is to pick up a TP Link WR802N portable router from Amazon, set it up in Hotspot mode, tell it to use the Hotel WiFi as the internet connection. Connect any device with a web browser to the wireless network it generates and authenticate with the hotel network and now all devices you connect to the portable router will have internet access and the Chromecast won't be seen or accessible by other hotel guests. Note - most 'public' networks are set up properly and isolate wireless clients from each other - in this situation MAC spoofing would make no difference because the phone cannot contact the Chromecast because of the wireless isolation, the portable router gets around this problem because you then have your own personal network that is only uses the public WiFi as internet backhaul. (I mentioned that Hotoo has a line of devices that does the same thing as the TP Link solution.
The TP Link is more expensive, but you can run OpenWrt Linux on it). It isn't MAC spoofing in itself that is insecure, it's being on a 'public' network that isn't isolating wireless clients from each other But you imply that the two go together. Here is what I'm saying you can do:. Turn off the ChromeCast to free up the MAC Address. Spoof MAC Address on an laptop/mobile phone so you can login using a web browser. Undo the spoof so you can free up the MAC Address. Turn on Chromecast - which now is logged-in and able to stream from the Public Internet.
Now it is isolated from your Laptop and Phone - so how do you control it? If you are connected to a Wi-Fi network different from your Chromecast, you can still cast to a “Nearby device”. Because if you can talk to the Chromecast from your phone without using guest mode then there is no wireless client isolation on the network which means everyone on the entire network can now talk to your Chromecast as well. On a network like this - anybody can fire up Wireshark and see all the sites you are visiting and if they are not sites using SSL they can see all the information you are sending and receiving as well.
On poorly configured Windows machines that like to announce their presence to the network - shares that don't require a password will be visible across the network. It's simply a bad idea to connect anything you don't know is 100% firewalled to a public network when it is configured like this, it's the very reason wireless client isolation exists in the first place. I suggest you rethink the importance of advice you give out about network security. You are encouraging people to rely on 'firewalls' that are configured at public places like hotels. These are not your own firewall - so it should never be trusted. To rely on this with such faith - and spend effort handing this out as important security advice - is misguided. On poorly configured Windows machines that like to announce their presence to the network - shares that don't require a password will be visible across the network.
What are we dealing with her Windows 3.11? You are going to have problems all over the place if you have open shares. Anybody can fire up Wireshark and see all the sites you are visiting and if they are not sites using SSL Which in 2016 rogue AP's and tons of other problems are no longer rare and unencountered in the wild. Literally anyone with a mobile phone can become a hotspot / AP with the same name as your hotel's SSID!
That's a lot easier than learning Wireshark. You have elevated 'seek out hotels with AP Isolation' to a point that you forgot to mention the real problem. No public network, nor random ISP you run into should be trusted - and it is essential to keep your own system secure and updated. Turning off the Windows 10 firewall is not a good idea - and companies like Microsoft make considerable effort to warn you of this in the settings. AP Isolation has a lot more to do with managing bandwidth and broadcasts - as a 'security feature' it should not be relied on in any way.
To suggest that people should avoid hotels, coffee shops, and restaurants that don't use it out of the name of 'security' due to their mismanaged Windows systems is really poor education. The switches, cables, and Access Points at dozens of hotels I have seen are poorly protected. AP Isolation is really low on what any visitor should rely on for security. You really haven't met the average user have you, if people kept their systems up-to-date and 'secure', they also wouldn't use the same password for everything, take photos of their new bank card and post them to twitter, or open attachments in emails they weren't expecting and suddenly find their hard drive encrypted. We've been telling people since the 90s not to open emails from people they don't know, and not to enter all their personal details into a webpage after clicking on a link in a dodgy email.
We've been telling people for years to keep their antivirus up-to-date. But clearly I've missed the memo that the fight has finally been won, everyone now has a 100% secure device, they know for certain that there are no vulnerabilities in any of the software they are running on their devices. Thanks for that - maybe I won't get so many calls now.
You really haven't met the average user have you, if people kept their systems up-to-date and 'secure', Well, you are wrong. Second - so you think the answer is NOT update the systems - which you just spent a full paragraph defending. Everyone now has a 100% secure device If you stay at home, dudgy devices might be safer. If you go out to hotels and randomly connect to Access Points - then maybe the importance of maintaining your client systems is truth and fact. You are spreading terrible security advice. Although you can't seem to admit it: you have given up on instructing people the importance maintaining their system security (browser certificates, operating system) when traveling and using strange networks. That puts you in the category of misinformation and misdirection of strangers.
What exactly prevents anyone in a hotel from setting up a Access Point with the same name as the hotel's network? Do you think people even bother to confirm the name of the network before connecting? 'standing on a whale and fishing for minnows'. I think you skipped right past the first paragraph of the previous level reply.
Where I said: You are encouraging people to rely on 'firewalls' that are configured at public places like hotels. Let's be more clear here:. When you are at home, and you have a Firewall - it is your firewall and you can use it to secure your home network. That's why networking had concepts of DMZ and (Microsoft) has 'Zones' for Business / Home and Untrusted. In a network you control - you can have devices with open shares - because you have a dedicated Trusted Firewall that is protecting multiple devices. Then people open shares and do peer to peer, but only on that one network.
When you step outside into a Hotel, Airport, Coffee Shop, Public Transportation WiFi - it is not yours Trusted Home Network any more! So, it is no longer safe at all to have unprotected devices. I think you have demonstrated a fundamentally misunderstanding that the Trust relationship changes. A hotel's Firewall (if they even have one) is not your firewall and you can't go turn off the Windows / Apple / Google firewall on clients because you have a dedicated network back at your house. It is a fundamental aspect of traveling with a computer to have this extra understanding. Once you leave your Home Network - you can't behave as if you are in a trusted zone.
Any more than you would climb into the bed when you were visiting another person's house for a dinner party. Or stepping from inside to outside in Alaska in the middle of winter without a jacket! The outdoors isn't heated! It's like trying to go on an international trip without a Passport - leaving that item at home. If all you have ever done is gone to Business or Home - then you need to distinguish the extra preparation for 'Untrusted'. This is not some minor distinction or technicality, it's everything! I travel lot - on a budget - I've been working on an Android App to act as a WiFi repeater for this need.
For hardware devices, I can recommend the Hotoo TripMate devices (Amazon.com sells them) - I've been using one for years. They come in a few sizes - as they also double as a USB battery pack to charge your phone/whatever - great for travelers! You can name your own local network as you wish and all the devices in your hotel room can share that private/secured WiFi network.
It can be configured through a web page. As for (root required) Android Apps - the only Android App I could find that accomplishes the same thing is called fqrouter2 - but it's primary purpose was to bypass the Chinese Government firewalls. And that parts now broken to the point that the repeater portion of the app no longer works. Good news is I've managed to get Rooted Android 4.4 devices working with my own app. A cheap tiny Prepaid LG phone, the LGE-LG34C 'Fuel' works (no need to activate the mobile service, I picked these up for $20 at Wallgreens and use them only for WiFi). I am able to stream Youtube and Netflix fine having this tiny little phone act as a WiFi repeater! I rooted it with KingRoot (which should work on any Android 4.4 device).
I'll be releasing the App shortly - I know there is a lot of overlap in Chromecast and Android phone users - so figured I'd share the progress.
. Watch Amazon Prime Video on your TV (and overcome Chromecast’s lack of compatibility with Amazon Prime) by casting through the Chrome browser. Share whatever’s on your screen with everyone in the room (vacation pictures, videos, work projects, status boards). Show Albums from your Google Photos. Send presentations and slideshows from your Macbook on any HDMI screen cable-free. Put a Google Hangouts call onto a big screen so you don’t have to crowd around your laptop’s (relatively) small screen.