Sign in change for on board internet

[Ashland]

I always hate to start a new thread...but here goes.

 

Recently on Adventure and became aware of the change to access my Voom/Surf Stream account from a code to now requiring a username and password.

I have always been able to use my Firestick to watch Amazon Prime and Netflix on the in cabin TV. 

My Firestick doesn't have the capability/option to use this new format which I understand RCI is putting on all their ships. 

I thought about purchasing a travel router but have read that this may not be an option either.

 

Does anyone have any recent experience and can offer some help with this ?

[Biker19]

19 minutes ago, Ashland said:

Does anyone have any recent experience and can offer some help with this ?

Yes, you would need a router/repeater to have the Firestick work - you could buy it and try it at home before going on a cruise. Realize that inserting the router may degrade the quality (due to overhead) of whatever you are watching via VOOM.

[lovescats5]

I loved the new system but then I do not watch movies on board.  Glad someone else had an answer for you,

[PCWalton1]

I use a HooToo router. Cheap, a little over 20 bucks but works great so I can have both my phone and netbook connected at the same time.

 

https://www.hootoo.com/p/wireless-travel-router

 

 

[Clarea]

1 hour ago, Biker19 said:

Yes, you would need a router/repeater to have the Firestick work - you could buy it and try it at home before going on a cruise. Realize that inserting the router may degrade the quality (due to overhead) of whatever you are watching via VOOM.

 

If the travel router is configured to clone the MAC address of the Firestick, I wonder if they could log on using rhe travel router and then use the Firestick standalone?

[goldfish65]

FWIW I found this tutorial, an alternative to streaming you can watch content stored on an I-pad. It looks pretty easy...I am thinking on a long cruise, let's say I'm not feeling well one day, I could watch something of my choosing.  The short tutorial is on YouTube on a channel called MysteryShadow1969 on his Cruise Tips playlist.

[Merion_Mom]

I love the new sign up and sign on system.  SO much more user friendly!

 

I am currently on the Grandeur and have had NO problem streaming shows on my laptop.  I was shocked.  Just finished The Man in the High Castle. 

 

🙂 

[John&LaLa]

8 hours ago, PCWalton1 said:

yup, but since I am not sharing my wifi connection with another person I can sleep at night. 

 

I just like @twangster approach where he is not publicizing how to get around the measures Royal has taken to stop people from using a router to share the signal. Pretty sure most folks using them aren't like you and want free internet to keep their kids amused.

 

 

[Biker19]

13 hours ago, Host Clarea said:

 

If the travel router is configured to clone the MAC address of the Firestick, I wonder if they could log on using the travel router and then use the Firestick standalone?

Maybe, though anyone who has the skills to clone a MAC address, probably already has a solution to this issue.

[PokrChick]

14 hours ago, PCWalton1 said:

I use a HooToo router. Cheap, a little over 20 bucks but works great so I can have both my phone and netbook connected at the same time.

https://www.hootoo.com/p/wireless-travel-router

What happens when you leave your cabin with your phone, for example?  Do you lose internet on your phone?  Or do you just turn off the router prior to leaving so that connection goes away and no longer counts as a device?  TIA

[PCWalton1]

3 hours ago, PokrChick said:

What happens when you leave your cabin with your phone, for example?  Do you lose internet on your phone?  Or do you just turn off the router prior to leaving so that connection goes away and no longer counts as a device?  TIA

 

I just unplug it and reconnect my phone directly to the wifi

[PCWalton1]

10 hours ago, Merion_Mom said:

I love the new sign up and sign on system.  SO much more user friendly!

 

I am currently on the Grandeur and have had NO problem streaming shows on my laptop.  I was shocked.  Just finished The Man in the High Castle. 

 

🙂 

Finished that series last week. The ending really makes you think. 

[Ashland]

18 hours ago, Biker19 said:

Yes, you would need a router/repeater to have the Firestick work - you could buy it and try it at home before going on a cruise. Realize that inserting the router may degrade the quality (due to overhead) of whatever you are watching via VOOM.

We were recently on Vision (Med/Greece) just before Adventure (Snowbird) and they were still using the code to sign on for our internet and this worked great to watch our content on our in cabin TV via our Firestick.

 

I now understand people were able to hack the codes etc.....I just don't understand that mind set at all...and trying to get something for nothing....after spending $$$'s for the cruise what's a few more $$'s.

 

Thanks so much for your input and understanding what we are trying to do. After many cruises we prefer to spend our evening down time relaxing with a movie of our choice....not the horrible offerings RCI offers.

[Ashland]

17 hours ago, Host Clarea said:

 

If the travel router is configured to clone the MAC address of the Firestick, I wonder if they could log on using rhe travel router and then use the Firestick standalone?

Ohhhh...now you're speaking a language my non-tech mind can't understand.

I need simple 1st grade level instructions :)

[twangster]

In terms of streaming content to the cabin TV there are two issues that have to be overcome.  The first is using an HDMI input on the cabin TV.  

 

On some ships this is easy.  The TV is physically accessible and the remote is the original manufacturers remote control so picking the HDMI is as simple as mashing the "input" button.  Older ships are often like this, Empress, Majesty (in higher price cabins), Vision class, Voyager class.  The average OV cabin on Majesty has older TVs that don't have HDMI inputs so that's a show stopper.

 

Once you start getting into newer ships or some amplified ships the cabin TV is often integrated into the ship network so you can access your account, look at menus, order pay per view movies, etc.  On these ship the HDMI input is often locked out and the 3rd party remote doesn't have an "input" button.  There are some workarounds but this is where it gets beyond some folks ability to get connected to the TV.   Would I try to explain it to my elderly parents?  Heck no.  Can a techie person do it?  Sure.  

 

The second issue is getting a dongle like a Firestick or Chromecast connected to the internet.  My Firestick doesn't work with the new Voom portal on board so I've resorted to using my phone with an HDMI adapter to watch content on the cabin TV.  My phone has no issues with Voom and with various streaming apps I can access the same content that the Firestick can access plus more using the direct apps that sources like CBS, ABC, ESPN, MLB, etc. offer.  

 

Using my phone just works.  No travel router required, no MAC cloning, no other stuff to pack and plug into power.  The only accessory I need to pack is the HDMI adapter and an HDMI cable.    

 

On some ships a MAC cloned travel router can be discovered through advanced means that profile the type of device that has connected to WiFi.  MAC filtering is old school.  Some ships are using advanced means to profile devices and your MAC cloned travel router can be found out.  You may get it connected then 3 minutes later it is no longer connected.  Here starts the whack-a-mole game where you can try to change the MAC and connect again only to get another couple of minutes before it drops.  They are doing something to profile devices and they disconnect devices they don't like.  

 

My phone doesn't wander into a gray area of travel routers and if they violate terms and conditions or might be blocked by the powers that operate Voom even if I have no intention of sharing Voom.   Not carrying a travel router means one less thing to pack and one less technical toy to fudge around with on board.  

 

YMMV

[Ashland]

18 hours ago, PCWalton1 said:

I use a HooToo router. Cheap, a little over 20 bucks but works great so I can have both my phone and netbook connected at the same time.

 

https://www.hootoo.com/p/wireless-travel-router

 

 

Thanks so much for the link...also checking out the TP-Link TLWR902AC...I wish someone would post in about their recent experiences ... Most of us are only trying to watch Netflix on the in cabin TV with an already purchased Voom Surf/Stream package.

[Ashland]

5 minutes ago, twangster said:

In terms of streaming content to the cabin TV there are two issues that have to be overcome.  The first is using an HDMI input on the cabin TV.  

 

On some ships this is easy.  The TV is physically accessible and the remote is the original manufacturers remote control so picking the HDMI is as simple as mashing the "input" button.  Older ships are often like this, Empress, Majesty (in higher price cabins), Vision class, Voyager class.  The average OV cabin on Majesty has older TVs that don't have HDMI inputs so that's a show stopper.

 

Once you start getting into newer ships or some amplified ships the cabin TV is often integrated into the ship network so you can access your account, look at menus, order pay per view movies, etc.  On these ship the HDMI input is often locked out and the 3rd party remote doesn't have an "input" button.  There are some workarounds but this is where it gets beyond some folks ability to get connected to the TV.   Would I try to explain it to my elderly parents?  Heck no.  Can a techie person do it?  Sure.  

 

The second issue is getting a dongle like a Firestick or Chromecast connected to the internet.  My Firestick doesn't work with the new Voom portal on board so I've resorted to using my phone with an HDMI adapter to watch content on the cabin TV.  My phone has no issues with Voom and with various streaming apps I can access the same content that the Firestick can access plus more using the direct apps that sources like CBS, ABC, ESPN, MLB, etc. offer.  

 

Using my phone just works.  No travel router required, no MAC cloning, no other stuff to pack and plug into power.  The only accessory I need to pack is the HDMI adapter and an HDMI cable.    

 

On some ships a MAC cloned travel router can be discovered through advanced means that profile the type of device that has connected to WiFi.  MAC filtering is old school.  Some ships are using advanced means to profile devices and your MAC cloned travel router can be found out.  You may get it connected then 3 minutes later it is no longer connected.  Here starts the whack-a-mole game where you can try to change the MAC and connect again only to get another couple of minutes before it drops.  They are doing something to profile devices and they disconnect devices they don't like.  

 

My phone doesn't wander into a gray area of travel routers and if they violate terms and conditions or might be blocked by the powers that operate Voom even if I have no intention of sharing Voom.   Not carrying a travel router means one less thing to pack and one less technical toy to fudge around with on board.  

 

YMMV

So I can just use my (AT&T) iPhone with HDMI adapter/cable.....so sorry but this is where I need some step by step instructions. I haven't really used many of the capabilities of my iPhone...can I say I was previously a flip phone/Razor user...Yes that was me.

I absolutely appreciate so much the help you're offering and certainly the time you're taking with this.

[PCWalton1]

17 minutes ago, Ashland said:

Thanks so much for the link...also checking out the TP-Link TLWR902AC...I wish someone would post in about their recent experiences ... Most of us are only trying to watch Netflix on the in cabin TV with an already purchased Voom Surf/Stream package.

I used the Hootoo to watch episodes of Outlander on my netbook 😀

[Ashland]

8 minutes ago, PCWalton1 said:

I used the Hootoo to watch episodes of Outlander on my netbook 😀

Recently ? On one of the ships that have changed from the code access to the username password ?

Trying to be able to watch on the TV for a larger picture instead of a laptop etc.

[PCWalton1]

17 minutes ago, Ashland said:

Recently ? On one of the ships that have changed from the code access to the username password ?

Trying to be able to watch on the TV for a larger picture instead of a laptop etc.

Yes, it is a bit convoluted.  I physically connect the hootoo to my netbook by cable. I then connect the netbook to the royal wifi through through the logon screen with username/password. finally I select on the netbook the Hootoo wifi connection. This causes the Royal wifi logon screen to pop up again where I once again enter username/password. That connects the hootoo to the wifi and I can now connect my phone to that hub. Hope that makes sense, 

[twangster]

1 hour ago, Ashland said:

So I can just use my (AT&T) iPhone with HDMI adapter/cable.....so sorry but this is where I need some step by step instructions. I haven't really used many of the capabilities of my iPhone...can I say I was previously a flip phone/Razor user...Yes that was me.

I absolutely appreciate so much the help you're offering and certainly the time you're taking with this.

 

Using an HDMI adapter (white dongle in photo) I can connect to the cabin TV HDMI input.  I have Samsung TV's at home so I bring a remote control with me to make it easier to switch inputs.  Sometimes I have to disconnect the TV from the ship and unplug the power from the TV briefly to be able to use my remote control.  When I am done I plug the TV back into the ship network and briefly unplug the power again.

 

 

The HDMI adapter mirrors your phone to the TV.

 

 

Most streaming apps, in this case HBO GO recognizes the HDMI adapter and sends the show to the TV while leaving your phone on a screen where you can control playback, pause, rewind, etc.

 

 

In this manner I watched the final episode of GoT on Ovation.  

 

 

Amazon's Prime Video app on a phone can access virtually the same content that a Firestick can using the same Amazon account.

 

Here on Oasis I use the USB port on the TV to charge my phone (white cable) while the HDMI (black cable) goes to the HDMI input on the TV.

 

 

 

This way I am "legal" with the Voom T&Cs.  

Edited December 6, 2019 by twangster

[Ashland]

4 hours ago, PCWalton1 said:

Yes, it is a bit convoluted.  I physically connect the hootoo to my netbook by cable. I then connect the netbook to the royal wifi through through the logon screen with username/password. finally I select on the netbook the Hootoo wifi connection. This causes the Royal wifi logon screen to pop up again where I once again enter username/password. That connects the hootoo to the wifi and I can now connect my phone to that hub. Hope that makes sense, 

Thank you so much for all your help...I always try to pay it forward on subjects I know...tech stuff not so much.

[Ashland]

twangster.....Thank you so very much for all the above...I'll show this all to my dear husband and hopefully he'll be able to figure it out...Again many thanks for all the time you've spent helping me. Hopefully I will be able to pay it forward someday with something I actually have knowledge about.

[goldfish65]

Wow thank you Twangster, your contributions really enhance this site. For me, having Prime content to access is more than enough, in the event that we want to look at some TV. 

[luv2sailAgain]

Wow Twangster, thanks!  I think you have more tech knowledge in your little finger than I have in my whole body. The pictures were very helpful.