[Fourlanders] IPX/U.FL Dummy Loads?

Sat May 30 17:49:33 EDT 2020

Hi Bryan,

You would think from the documentation that it would work that way, but no.
I disabled the WiFi home hotspot first. It still had "hidden" (no SSID)
channels broadcasting. They are somewhat intermittent at about 30% duty
cycle, but apparently full power. On the second attempt, I disabled MoCA
since I won't be using their other connected devices. The third attempt was
putting it into Bridge mode. The hidden channels are still squawking.

Those changes I did this morning before anyone else was awake. I find now
that I cannot get IPv6 working, but I neglected to check it in the
beginning of the configurations. I have a few CAT6 cables to pull from the
basement rack to the garage where the Xfinity gateway will live. The
current connection is a more than 2 year old temporary line on the garage
floor perimeter. This Xfinity service will become our primary and the old
AT&T DSL will be used as failover. Once I get it all reconfigured, and the
AT&T DSL service pruned, it should only be costing me <$30/month extra to
keep them both.

My next steps will be to shut it down tomorrow morning, and do the
exploratory surgery to pop off all the internal antenna connections. I'll
try it that way and run my new ethernet drops before it gets hot tomorrow
morning (attic work.)

Thank you to all for the comments.

Cheers,
Brian
NX9O

On Sat, May 30, 2020 at 2:57 PM Bryan W3CP <w3cp at w3cp.info> wrote:

> Hi Brian,
>
> Perhaps it depends on model #, but it between bridge mode (
> https://www.xfinity.com/support/articles/wireless-gateway-enable-disable-bridge-mode)
> and online hotspot settings (
> https://www.xfinity.com/support/articles/disable-xfinity-wifi-home-hotspot
> <https://www.xfinity.com/support/articles/disable-xfinity-wifi-home-hotspot?>),
> it seems possible to disable WiFi.
>
> > The box rental is $20/month but comes with unlimited data. To subscribe
> to unlimited data is $40/month.)
> This is good info, I was not aware.  We are running into data usage caps
> here at the QTH.
>
> 73,
> Bryan
>
> On Sat, May 30, 2020 at 2:04 PM Brian McCarthy <brian at rfacres.com> wrote:
>
>> Hey Tom,
>>
>> Since this is a brand new gateway I hesitate on the solder idea. On the
>> other hand, we always have some in the office since we sell solder paste
>> printers.
>>
>> I graduated off of Eero and now run a fully managed Ubiquity Unifi
>> system. The Xfinity gateway chased my Unifi AP off of channel 1. That dang
>> XFi gateway is a blowtorch on 2.4GHz at 4-5db louder a room away than my
>> Unifi AP in the same room. There is no way to control the hidden XFi
>> channels and absolutely no concept of appropriate power level setting. I
>> have my Unifi AP's dialed back to low on 2.4 to further push my WiFi
>> clients to favor 5GHz. With 3 AP's and a modest house, they cover it very
>> nicely.
>>
>> Cheers,
>> Brian
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> On Sat, May 30, 2020 at 11:49 AM Tom McElroy <tommcelroy.mail at gmail.com>
>> wrote:
>>
>>> Hi Brian,
>>> I feel your pain.  I've had to silence a wifi emitter here also.
>>> And like you, it was interfering with our eero mesh network.
>>> I pooped off the micro coax, like you did, and it seemed to be effective
>>> enough.
>>>
>>> A quarter wavelength at 5800 MHz is less than 1.5 cm.
>>> I've not probed it with the spectrum analyzer, but I'd bet that that
>>> little nub of the center conductor SMT connector offers a poor match
>>> the output impedance of that final..
>>>
>>> Worse case, drop some solder paste in the connector!
>>>
>>> Good luck
>>> Tom W4SDR
>>>
>>> On Sat, May 30, 2020 at 9:15 AM Brian McCarthy <brian at rfacres.com>
>>> wrote:
>>>
>>>> Here's an odd question, has anyone here on the list ever seen a source
>>>> for IPX/U.FL dummy loads?
>>>>
>>>> Here's my challenge...
>>>>
>>>> I am trying to completely mute the WiFi signals coming out of an
>>>> Xfinity XB7 Gateway. Disabling the WiFi in the software does not mute all
>>>> signals. Setting the gateway into bridge mode does not mute all the
>>>> signals. This device is still pumping out 3 hidden SSID with 3 unique MAC
>>>> addresses on 2.4GHx channel 1. It is messing with the balance of my home
>>>> Ubiquiti WiFi mesh network.
>>>>
>>>> I would be using a third party cable modem, but I can save $20/month by
>>>> renting the Xfinity box. (The box rental is $20/month but comes with
>>>> unlimited data. To subscribe to unlimited data is $40/month.)
>>>>
>>>> Looking up the FCC ID and reviewing the internal photos of this
>>>> gateway, I see 6 wireless antennas. They are all connected with the tiny
>>>> surface mount connectors typical inside modern WiFi devices. They look like:
>>>>
>>>> [image: image.png]
>>>> [image: image.png]
>>>>
>>>> I will try just popping the connectors off surface mount sockets, but I
>>>> an not sure that will give me enough attenuation of the transmitter. If I
>>>> could clip some small (inexpensive) dummy loads onto those connectors, it
>>>> should reduce leakage even more.
>>>>
>>>> I would appreciate suggestions and sources.
>>>>
>>>> Thanks!
>>>> Brian
>>>> NX9O
>>>> involuntary network administrator at RF Acres.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>> Fourlanders mailing list
>>>> Fourlanders at contesting.com
>>>> http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/fourlanders
>>>> Sent to: tommcelroy.mail at gmail.com
>>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>> Fourlanders mailing list
>> Fourlanders at contesting.com
>> http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/fourlanders
>> Sent to: w3cp at w3cp.info
>>
>
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