Need help getting around 4 device limit on network.

[Arik5405]

My fiance and I moved into a new apartment a little over a month ago and have had some ongoing issues with the network and getting all of our devices connected to the internet.

In our apartment we are limited to only having 4 devices connected to the network at one time whether it be through the wireless or wired. I spoke to the guy who is in charge of our apartments network and he told me it's because of some ongoing issues with the network on our side of campus and won't change any time soon. The other apartments on campus have no problems with numerous devices being connected at once. He said there is nothing he can do to help me. If he changed the settings for me he would have to change them for everybody.

The first 4 devices we connect to the modem/router after it is power cycled are the only 4 devices we can use. The network guy I spoke to said they are using MAC filtering. So I thought, oh no problem, I will just spoof the MAC address from my desktop onto everything else. Of course this doesn't really work too well because if I spoofed the MAC onto say my Xbox 360, then my desktop would get kicked off of the network because of duplicate MAC addresses.

In the basement of my apartment there is a cable modem/router. I have an Access Point provided to me from the apartment that allows me to connect through the wireless. This is plugged into one of the 4 LAN ports on the back of the modem/router.

We are not suppose to have a router and when I tried to setup a router it wouldn't work. I'm pretty sure they block them some how. All I tried was Spoofing the MAC of my Access Point and also tried my desktop's MAC on the router, and this didn't work.

Current Connected Devices:
Mac 1 - Wireless Access Point
Mac 2 - My Desktop
Mac 3 - My Laptop
Mac 4 - Fiance's Laptop

other devices I need to connect:
- Hackintosh
- 2 Cell Phones
- Xbox 360
- Wii
- HTPC
- Computers I work on for people


Anyone have any helpful suggestions? Trust me, if it were as easy as "just find another apartment" I would gladly do that. But unfortunately we are stuck in a lease until next May. If I would have known of these limitations before I signed a lease I would have never done so. Thanks in advance for your help!

 

[spidey07]

There isn't really anything you can do if using a router won't work.

 

[Arik5405]

There isn't really anything you can do if using a router won't work.

hmmm ok. I thought maybe I was configuring my own router incorrectly. I'm not a networking specialists by any means. Hopefully someone can give me a few tips on how to set it up properly (I think to act as another Access Point).

Also, I don't have access to the settings of the modem/router in the basement or the access point provided by the school because they are both password protected and I'm not sure if I want to mess around with those trying to reset the password and what not.

 

[spidey07]

I won't condone breaking network policy, but a router reset to factory defaults should work. The outside interface would go to their modem, the inside to your devices.

 

[Arik5405]

I won't condone breaking network policy, but a router reset to factory defaults should work. The outside interface would go to their modem, the inside to your devices.

It isn't really a policy of any kind that I would be breaking. Everywhere else on campus is not affected by this setting. Only the building we live in, and apparently they are either not going to fix it or are in no hurry what so ever to fix it. It isn't written anywhere like a technology agreement form, apartment lease, or anywhere, that I would be or could be limited like this. If I can't figure it out myself I will most likely try to get in contact with some higher ups. The network guy I spoke was not helpful at all and was flat out rude. We pay a lot of money to live here and should be able to connect whatever devices we want. /mini rant

 

[her209]

I don't see how a router wouldn't work for you so long as you connect the wire coming from the apartment to the WAN port and all your equipment to the LAN side.

 

[ScottMac]

I don't see how a router wouldn't work for you so long as you connect the wire coming from the apartment to the WAN port and all your equipment to the LAN side.

The provider sets the TTL such that one more router expires the packet.

They also get a "TTL Expired" message letting them know you tried .. So they know to watch you closer.

 

[RebateMonger]

I spoke to the guy who is in charge of our apartments network and he told me it's because of some ongoing issues with the network on our side of campus and won't change any time soon.

As noted by others, a router would generally work, appearing to be a single PC hooked to the building's network. If their IT folks are going to the trouble of analyzing traffic to detect the use of a router, then they must have a pretty serious issue.

Here's some papers about how you can detect the use of a router.
http://www.topsight.net/article.php?story=2003042408350170&mode=print