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Anonymous User
Not applicable

question regarding wireless security on NowTV device

I would like to put a security question out to everyone to ask if this is something that others have seen on there network.

 

I own two NowTV devices, one in the living room (a small NowTV device) and one in the bedroom (a NowTV device with TV tuner). both work fine and I have no issues with the performance and streaming content.

 

But....

When I have them connected on my wireless router, I see some strange things visible on the network.

1. A network SSID called Direct-FA-Roku- (followed by a string on numbers)

2. A hidden SSID appears on the same frequency channel as my own network.

3. On my mobile phone a device appears on the WiFi Direct app called P2PDirect hub along with other devices not of my network, like Samsung TV, Apple and LGnote.

 

So after spending a couple of days chasing these devices down on the router home page and security WiFi access control page and trying to block them and mark them in the Black listings.

I decided to unplug my NowTV devices.

I then saw that the small NowTV device was still active and the MAC address was still listed in the online access control page.  So I decided to block my NowTV devices totally off of the wireless network.

To which, resulted in all the previous mentioned activity and discoverable devices disappeared from the network.

 

So, I would like to ask everyone/anyone if they know or is NowTV aware that there is P2Pdirect hubs available that can clone the devices security details and Mac addresses to connect to networks without the owners permission?

 

Cheers

Adrian

 

1 ACCEPTED SOLUTION
ukbobboy
Legend

@Anonymous User  @Mark_Weinreb 

 

Hi Adrian

 

Your posts remind me of the time when I was a much more intensive Internet user than I am now, back then I had an army of security and monitoring software/utilities all running simultaneously.

 

Anyway, I use a Roku 3 Internet set-top box, which I do enjoy using but whenever I am not using it, it's switched off at the plug. My main reason for this action is to prevent the device from burning out, even though it only uses a minimal amount of electricity when in powered down mode, it still burns.  But now, thanks to your informative posts, I realise that my preservative action also has security benefits.

 

Cheers

 

UK Bob

 

 

View solution in original post

8 REPLIES 8
Mark_Weinreb
Legend 5
Legend 5

@Anonymous User This is a Roku thing to enable  you to use the Roku app on a phone or tablet to control the devices, as opposed to the supplied remote. You’re not alone, as their presence annoys quite a lot of people, not only in the Now TV community, but also those using Roku sticks, boxes and tvs.

 

One of the secret menus may have an option to disable them. There are plenty of instructions on the web as to how to access the secret menues.

Mark_Weinreb
Legend 5
Legend 5

@Anonymous User Thinking further about this, if you can get to the secret  system network menu and disable Travel Connect, that should, no promises, get rid of the unwanted networking stuff.

Anonymous User
Not applicable

Hi Mark

Thank you for the reply.

 

One of the first things I did was to go through all the menu settings and have changed and disabled that setting that permits the use of remote devices. 

 

My concern is that there is discoverable devices appearing on my network that are not given permission to be there.

ie: Samsung TV, Apple and LGnote devices.

 

I have a high security setup with Access Control for Mac address filtering on my router, if these are visible on my network then there is a back door on NowTV's security settings.

 

I have never ever seen a streaming device broadcast two WiFi SSID signals on an open network.

 

I know I have dodgy neighbours next to me, who have no internet or router for internet displayed on the open network.

My router is high performance and provides me with information on all broadcasts and lets me view broadcast channels (Hidden or Not) it does this so you can select the right channel of frequency so not duplicate signals.

 

So I know who has what and what distance its signal is coming from and strength and frequency.

 

If this as you say a Roku thing!!!

then its security is weak and it is letting other people connect to my network through a P2PDirect hub and onto the net.

 

 

 

 

Mark_Weinreb
Legend 5
Legend 5

@Anonymous User But have you disabled Travel Connect? I’ve just read an article that specifically mentions “Direct-FA-Roku-<numbers> in connection to Travel Connect. It’s used to connect to the wifi systems in hotels that would otherwise need you to set up the connection with a pc/phone/tablet browser. 

Anonymous User
Not applicable

I have just been through the last mentioned settings as well as putting the NowTV device on lan connection, disabling the WiFi connection and resting the device.

I have disabled the WiFi access to the Device in the Access Control filter on the router.

 

Disabling the Travel connect, has now left my router firewall fighting a device.....

MAC DA:A1:19:75:EE:6B Google device on inbounded attack. sys.log DOS attack.

and now its randomly changing its Mac address and the NowTV device's network signals and AP are starting and stopping.  Blinking like a Christmas tree plugged into the Blackpool illuminations. 

 

I think the best thing for me now is to just to unplug the NowTV device and only use it when I want to watch something then leave it unplugged afterwards.

 

As I type this, My TV has just had a request to accept connection from an Samsung device.

 

I am out of here.........

End conversation

ukbobboy
Legend

@Anonymous User  @Mark_Weinreb 

 

Hi Adrian

 

Your posts remind me of the time when I was a much more intensive Internet user than I am now, back then I had an army of security and monitoring software/utilities all running simultaneously.

 

Anyway, I use a Roku 3 Internet set-top box, which I do enjoy using but whenever I am not using it, it's switched off at the plug. My main reason for this action is to prevent the device from burning out, even though it only uses a minimal amount of electricity when in powered down mode, it still burns.  But now, thanks to your informative posts, I realise that my preservative action also has security benefits.

 

Cheers

 

UK Bob

 

 

Anonymous User
Not applicable

Hi Bob

 

Thanks for the reply and turning things off when not used is a good idea.

 

There are more ISP's nowadays that are promoting "internet anywhere" and "share net" away from home.  Which means more and more home networks and ISP routers are running open port broadcast networks.

 

Which normally would not be an issue, but in today's world, we live with a growing number of people who don't act normal.

Meaning if they can exploit something they will.

 

I am and always have been a strong believer in buying your own router and learning how to setup and maintaining your own internet security.

 

And NEVER EVER let anyone share your network.

Because people always abuse the net when it's not there name on the bill.

 

ukbobboy
Legend

@Anonymous User  @Mark_Weinreb 

 

Adrian

 

You last sentence in you latest post:-

 

"And NEVER EVER let anyone share your network.

Because people always abuse the net when it's not there name on the bill."

 

That's my personal JAM, i.e. how I've always lived my live on the Internet and is one of the few things you never ever share in this life.

 

Cheers

 

UK Bob