Alias name for client in EAP-Controller

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Alias name for client in EAP-Controller

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21 Reply
Re:Re:Alias name for client in EAP-Controller
2019-05-27 14:41:26

I still disagree. If devices don't let you change their name - either directly by static setting or by assigning them hostnames via DHCP -, they broke the standard and they should be fixed at first. Omada controller already displays names of all devices implementing the hostname mechanism correctly. Bugs should be fixed at the root and not by elsewhere fixing the symptoms they cause.

 

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#12
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Re:Re:Re:Alias name for client in EAP-Controller
2019-06-01 18:20:38

While I agree that it would be best for manufacturers such as Samsung (TVs), Amazon (Echo devices), and Logitech (Harmony devices) to provide an interface to change the local network hostname, they do not.  You can search those forums and find a litany of frustrated network administrators who ask for this feature to be available and these requests continue to fall on deaf ears.

 

Setting a static DHCP name on your router has no impact here.  A DNS name is simply an alias for an IP address. 

 

If the manufacturer has hardcoded a stupid hostname like "localhost" on their device, then it will dutifully report to the network that its hostname is "localhost".  If no hostname is assigned by that device and there is no facility to assign it a hostname on that device, then it wil show up as "Unknown" on the Omada controller clients page.

 

I do think given all of this, it would be a valid suggestion to have a way to apply metadata (tags) to connecting clients.  If I want to tag a client as a high risk, I should be able to.  If I want to associate a client MAC address with a department or team, I should be able to.  Right now there is no option to do that in the Omada controller interface.  I do hope TP-Link staff see this thread and take this feature request.

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#13
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Re:Re:Re:Re:Alias name for client in EAP-Controller
2019-06-02 12:33:21 - last edited 2019-06-02 12:40:51

While I can see enough reasoning in your feature request, this:

 

mikernova wrote

Setting a static DHCP name on your router has no impact here.  A DNS name is simply an alias for an IP address.

 

is wrong. You can indeed set the hostname of a system using the DHCP's hostname option, but the client has to ask for it. See https://www.ingmarverheij.com/configure-hostname-via-dhcp/. Of course, vendors not caring about the hostname won't ask DHCP for it, too.

 

It is also the way hardcoded hostnames make it into the DNS automatically (for example in dnsmasq which is a DHCP/DNS server). In fact, all the names seen in Omada Controller are added to the DNS forwarding server running on the router this way.

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#14
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Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Alias name for client in EAP-Controller
2019-06-02 17:23:46

The users of this forum are looking for ways to compensate for the shortcomings of the rest of the products they are using and also build reporting based on meaningful data points. They have asked for a feature "let me alias this IP/MAC to a word". 

 

For the product team reviewing this (if they even do), it would benefit them to think more about what it would mean to solve this ask, it is definitely something that may help many users.  The idea of metadata/tagging would solve this completely, and with a bit more work, they could also update the reporting interface to support custom grouping, the next logical ask here if they were to implement tagging.

 

It is also correct, dhcpd can be configured to assign a hostname to the requesting client when asked explicitly by the client (though nearly no one does this outside of special use cases).  I've personally only seen it used in environments built with configuration management tools, and I've literally never in a SoHo, home, or small business environment.  I know some people do this, but like to stay out of the homes of people that I suspect DO configure their network as such.  Weirdos.  

 

Configuring linux clients to pull their hostname is not awesome.. 

https://askubuntu.com/questions/104918/how-to-get-the-hostname-from-a-dhcp-server

 

Some common platforms don't even support client option 012, requesting a hostname assignment from the DHCP server as there are many better ways of doing this. 

https://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/ie/en-US/d58534f2-89e6-4cc3-8a73-030239bfd8d8/windows-dhcp-option-012-hostname?forum=winserverNIS

 

Finally, I wish people who are ostensibly trying to be helpful would try to actually be helpful and focus on what people are trying to solve instead of working to make others feel small by dropping a bunch of half-knowledge on everyone.

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#15
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Re: Alias name for client in EAP-Controller
2019-06-02 20:36:19 - last edited 2019-06-02 20:43:56

mikernova, I think you still didn't get my point. Here is a quick test with one of my SOHO devices.

 

Hardcoded name:

 

# cat dhcp.leases 
1559505374 40:3f:8c:xx:yy:zz 192.168.11.68 Neffos_N1 *
#

 

Change hostname in DHCP:

 

config host                                                                     
        option mac '40:3f:8c:xx:yy:zz'                                          
        option ip  '192.168.11.68'                                              
        option name 'MySmartphone'                                              

 

DNS query:

 

# nslookup 192.168.11.68
Server:    127.0.0.1
Address 1: 127.0.0.1 localhost.

Name:      192.168.11.68
Address 1: 192.168.11.68 MySmartphone.lan

#

 

No modification or "weird software" needed in client device software. So we already have two authoritative places to define the hostname: on the device itself (if not lacking the capability to do so) and in DNS/DHCP. Every SOHO router I know of adds static name mappings from DHCP into its DNS no matter whether it's a master or forwarding DNS.

 

Thus, if TP-Link enhances the controller, in my opinion they should just use DNS lookups for unknown devices providing no WiFi hostname so that there is one central place to define names. The client device itself does not need to set or modify its hostname and it does not need to use the DHCP 012 option.

 

In contrast, adding another database with aliases just for WiFi hostnames not provided by the device would introduce more weirdness in my opinion.

 

Before you complain that a DHCP hostname is just a hostname for a device based on its IPs: yes. If you rather want to be able to add a note for clients which come and go and where IPs are re-used from day to day like in public hotspots: that's a completely other thing than a hostname.

 

YMMV, you need not to share my opinion, I have absolutely no problem with this. Since this topic comes up every then and when since years already, I'm now out of this discussion.

 

 

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#16
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Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Alias name for client in EAP-Controller
2019-08-11 00:54:46
For us Network Administrators that have use Competitor Network Equipment (eg. Cisco, Ubiquity etc) we have had this feature on those devices, USED IT and LIKED IT. Irrespective if you personally find it the Wrong way to do things. For My Business doing it this way is a Must. I have switched to TP Link Omada for its ease of use. Also a couple of other features that are totally not needed to mention here. However, I need to keep track of: IoT Devices (fixed IP address with no way to change Host name or add an Alias. Staff Devices, (I have rotating staff whos Iphones simply turn up as "Iphone" It is not my place to tell my staff to name their phnes correctly) Customer Hotspot Actual.... Customers who have a Voucher for regular use for a period of time (our locals, normally 12 months) Customer Hotspot Temp.... Customers who use a voucher for 2-3 hours use I also have to deal with Data Theft so need a way for tracking Devices who have the correct login, say for Staff, but are not Staff. This happens with Apples WiFi Login Details Sharing which some of our staff have and our children have. Frankly its a Pain as we had 200G stolen during a closed weekend in May. I know the Mac and IP addresses of those who did this, But buy using a Nickname, Alias, or Hostname customisation (Or whatever else it is called) I do not have to remember, or take notes of Suspicious activity. THIS FEATURE NEEDS TO BE ADDED
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#17
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Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Alias name for client in EAP-Controller
2019-08-11 07:33:35

Totally agree with you Polarice, it is the easiest way to do it, even though some people like to do it the hard way via dhcp server, not all DHCP servers have this option to change devicename so it should be possible and do it on the controller or for those who want it on DHCP server. 

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#18
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Re: Alias name for client in EAP-Controller
2019-08-11 07:53:35 - last edited 2019-08-11 08:32:32

Polarice wrote

For us Network Administrators that have use Competitor Network Equipment (eg. Cisco, Ubiquity etc) we have had this feature on those devices, USED IT and LIKED IT. Irrespective if you personally find it the Wrong way to do things. For My Business doing it this way is a Must. I have switched to TP Link Omada for its ease of use.

 

My critics is not about liking it or not, it's about work-arounds of broken things in unrelated software instead of fixing broken things in broken devices, where fixes belong to. When Omada Controller will become overloaded with features like in Cisco's, UBNT's products (BTW: why don't you use them if they have such features?) etc., it will lose the »ease of use« like some of today's IT products, which have lost the »ease of use« already (a good example is TLS with strong ciphers, which breaks downward compatibility for old Mail Transfer Agents and web browsers). For my part, I just don't buy IoT products which don't support setting a hostname in usual ways, that's DNS/DHCP-assigned or static hostnames.

 

What's more, tracking devices to identify users is forbidden by law in the EU according to the DSGVO (data protection law). Also, tracking devices and privacy concerns are the reasons why vendors introduced randomly changing MAC addresses of mobile devices years ago (»MAC address spoofing«, much like IPv6 privacy extensions), which will prevent tracking devices by MAC address by using randomized MAC addresses when searching for WLAN networks.

 

But actually, I don't care about features I won't use as long as they don't break existing functionality - a good example of such a broken functionality in OC is the »integration« of client isolation in a new »guest network« function for SOHO users, who were not able to set up a guest network by normal means. For me as a Network Administrator this silent change did cause hours of support b/c of suddenly broken hotspots, whose junior network admins did turn on »guest network« out of curiousity (we speak of hundreds of hotspots with ten-thousands of users).

 

In fact I don't care about alias names for MAC addresses in OC as a replacement of hostnames, but I still think it's the wrong place to »fix« it, no matter whether Cisco or UBNT do so in their products.

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#19
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Re:Re: Alias name for client in EAP-Controller
2019-08-11 20:19:27

Firstly,

Not all of us are in EU Juristriction. It is fully leagal to Data mine in NZ

But unlike EU it is Illegal to Steal Data in NZ.

 

Secondly,

I guessed you would say go to the other devices.

Not an option as Others do not have either functions I need.

It was a case of Lesser Evils in my choice.

 

Thirdly,

A work around is just that. An ambulance at the bottom of the cliff.

 

Fourth,

If you are putting such energy into defending TP Link and thier lack of inclusion of a simple feature that could actual improve Customers experiance, I would ask....

Are you actually employed by them?

And

Couldn't that energy be, and your excellent knowledge be put into adding this feature?

Rather than writing screeds and screeds of Defense and Complicated workarounds that I and I guess others dont have time or skills to attempt.

 

Not all of us use TP Link because we are a big corporation.

Some of us chose it out of price, not only functions. 

We are a Family Business, So I am the IT nerd, Marketing Designer, Electrician, Waiter, Brewer, Delivery Boy, etc.

 

Anton

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#20
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Re: Alias name for client in EAP-Controller
2019-08-11 21:47:13 - last edited 2019-08-11 23:02:36

Polarice wrote

Secondly,

I guessed you would say go to the other devices.

 

No, I asked why people request features on the grounds that »Cisco and UBNT has this feature, too« instead of buying Cisco or UBNT in the first place. I would do so if I need certain features not present in Omada Controller, but present in Cisco or UBNT controllers. In fact I use UBNT routers in Omada networks for the very reason because of their features not present in TP-Link routers.

 

If you are putting such energy into defending TP Link and thier lack of inclusion of a simple feature that could actual improve Customers experiance, I would ask....

 

 

You are terribly wrong; I don't care about such a feature. TP-Link already promised to add this feature in a future version of Omada Controller, they just need some time. I only hope they will prioritize outstanding fixes to real Omada Controller bugs still present before adding work-arounds for bugs in broken IoT client devices. Also, I hope they consider DNS queries to set hostnames defined at the place where such definitions belong to in addition to add aliases manually as a last resort.

 

Remember, OC is a business-class product and professional network admins can usually work-around such limitations of clients not setting a hostname (except maybe for crappy IoT products not obeying any standards) as I and others have suggested. If such suggestions are not helpful for you, just ignore them and wait for addition of this feature as announced by TP-Link already.

 

Are you actually employed by them?

[...]

 

We are a Family Business, So I am the IT nerd, Marketing Designer, Electrician, Waiter, Brewer, Delivery Boy, etc.

 

As a nerd you could recognize posts of TP-Link employees by their »TP-Link« badge below their nickname, so to answer your question: no, I'm not employed by TP-Link, I'm just a user of their business-class products.

 

Just be patient, TP-Link did announce adding the alias name feature already.

 

No need to remember them every two weeks by digging out old threads from as far as 2017. Until it has been implemented you could try the suggestions from me and others to set up hostnames in DHCP servers, it will at least work with devices obeying common standards - and yes, it works in almost all business-class DHCP servers this way except probably in DHCP servers used in cheap SOHO devices. For example, it works in UBNT EdgeRouter X, a 49$ business-class device running isc-dhcp and/or dnsmasq, the two most popular DHCP servers in the industry, which are both included in EdgeOS as well as in any Linux system and which is one of the reasons I use UBNT or any other Linux-based router even in Omada networks.

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#21
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