Accounts Engine Hiccup Resets OnHub and Google Wifi Products To Default

[Julio Urquidi]

On Thursday, Google Wifi and OnHub owners reported loss of Wi-Fi functionality, a key feature in today’s wireless world. Apparently, these Google products were reset back to factory defaults, requiring product owners to rerun documented steps to set up their Wi-Fi all over again.

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According to reports, the problem was caused by an auth server bug that erroneously responded to incoming pings from OnHub and Wifis networks with a system reset call rather than a no-ops response. This action resulted in disabling Wi-Fi, resetting SSIDs, and leaving customers confused as they stared at their Google product’s indicator lights flashing as if though they were fresh out of the box.

Google responded with a support page to help address the reset problem, however, a bigger question is what else can Google do remotely that should probably be properly disclosed to its customers. Also, according to other outlets, the problem caused by the auth server bug reportedly logged users off of mobile devices, forcing phone, tablet and PC customers to log in to their account once again.

For more information, Google’s support/apology page includes instructions on getting your OnHub and Wifi products up and running.

 

[sfx2000]

Funny nobody brought this up - Google, earlier this week, had issues with their Auth servers - and returned Error 500 rather than no-ops - which then reset On-Hubs and Google WiFi back to factory settings.

https://support.google.com/wifi/answer/7335595

Nice of them to put up a Web page on how to fix things, but imagine the user experience as they can't get onto the internet to view the page...

 

[Elisha]

Funny nobody brought this up - Google, earlier this week, had issues with their Auth servers - and returned Error 500 rather than no-ops - which then reset On-Hubs and Google WiFi back to factory settings.

https://support.google.com/wifi/answer/7335595

Nice of them to put up a Web page on how to fix things, but imagine the user experience as they can't get onto the internet to view the page...

Weird issue. For some it only reset one or two of their Mesh nodes and not the primary one. For others it reset their primary node and not the Mesh nodes and other had all devices reset. None of my 3 in Mesh got reset!


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[pete y testing]

for google to have the ability to reset all its users routers is just bizarre and way to much big brother happening , what stops it happening again or someone hijacking the web site and crashing the lot ? too much control for my liking and should wake a few people up

 

[whsbuss]

Didn't like G-wifi when I tested it back in December, and I sure don't like it after this.

 

[thiggins]

for google to have the ability to reset all its users routers is just bizarre and way to much big brother happening , what stops it happening again or someone hijacking the web site and crashing the lot ? too much control for my liking and should wake a few people up

Any ISP has the ability to control your modem. Granted, Google isn't an ISP,... Then again think if what your carrier can do with your phone.

Big brother got here a long time ago....

 

[pete y testing]

Any ISP has the ability to control your modem

not factory reset them though

Big brother got here a long time ago....

this be one step to far for me and i assume a lot of others , its ok to know BB is there , just not letting him in the front door and giving him the keys , not being paranoid here , i just like separation between me and the www

 

[Elisha]

not factory reset them though

Yeah they do!
Rogers does it all the time. Hell at one time they were the only ones that could remotely access the modems to put them into bridge mode so that it would disable the gateway function.


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[pete y testing]

i mean most normal isp's , there is a distinct boundary between the isp and the connected user , sure they can connect and disconnect you but in most isp cases they dont have access rights and or control rights over what your modem or router is doing , if rogers does it then you have signed the t and c's that state they can do it and agreed to their access , i dont think anyone buying google wifi signed up to anything of that nature , well not knowingly anyway

 

[Mordred]

Any ISP has the ability to control your modem. Granted, Google isn't an ISP,... Then again think if what your carrier can do with your phone.

Big brother got here a long time ago....

Nonsense. My ISP can't control anything, does not have access to my modem,is not an ISP modem, has no TR69 enabled, only running in bridge mode.

 

[Mordred]

Getting a router from a company that earns money with user data is the biggest mistake you can make.

 

[Elisha]

Nonsense. My ISP can't control anything, does not have access to my modem,is not an ISP modem, has no TR69 enabled, only running in bridge mode.

Lol how do you think you actually get service? They may not be able to factory reset you but they can disconnect you at any time or block you.


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[thiggins]

Nonsense. My ISP can't control anything, does not have access to my modem,is not an ISP modem, has no TR69 enabled, only running in bridge mode.

Fine. Your ISP doesn't control your modem. But it sure as hell controls your connection. You want internet? You play by their rules.

 

[pete y testing]

You play by their rules.

its when those rules change and the purchasers are not aware of it that's the problem , to have such invasive control over private purchased equipment should not be seen as normal or accepted as such

 

[thiggins]

In the end the market decides. And the market has shown it doesn't really care about privacy over convenience.

And who do you really think wants to know more about you so they can sell the information Google or Facebook?

 

[Elisha]

In the end the market decides. And the market has shown it doesn't really care about privacy over convenience.

And who do you really think wants to know more about you so they can sell the information Google or Facebook?

I agree. I don't understand all this paranoia. Google is not trying to steal my identity, frame me, or destroy my credit!
I see a lot of this paranoia perpetuated in the Apple forums.
I could understand the argument if I were doing shady things but I'm not so convenience trumps privacy for me at this point in time.



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[DanH]

I'd bet dollars to donuts only your isp can update that modems firmware you think you have full control of. At least every isp that I have used in the US does it that way.

 

[Razor512]

If you have Verizon FiOS and are using their router as your main, they can change settings at will, as well as factory reset it. They can also view connected devices.

For a while I had to occasionally connect their router as main but only have the set top boxes connected to it, so they would activate the remote DVR and on screen caller ID. Basically there is no reason why it should not work I using you own router as the main, when the proper ports are forwarded, but then intentionally disable it a few days to weeks if they are unable to connect to the remote management function of their router to download stuff from it (not sure what though). Over time, the time between getting them to turn it back on, and automatically disabling it, has gotten shorter and shorter, to now, it will at best work for 2 to 3 hours. After I switch to my R7800 as the main.

 

[pete y testing]

I agree. I don't understand all this paranoia. Google is not trying to steal my identity, frame me, or destroy my credit!

its not a matter of paranoia , if you happy enough to have to reset your google wifi every time something has a so called hiccup then more power to you , i would and do prefer my router to not be manipulated in any manner that effect its performance unless i initiate it , in australia we dont have isp's that control modems at all , yes they can control your access but thats a different point all together , its simply a matter of i purchased this gear , i own it , i dont expect anyone to screw around with it but me

 

[Mordred]

Fine. Your ISP doesn't control your modem. But it sure as hell controls your connection. You want internet? You play by their rules.

LOL. I have dual wan my friend. With fallback to LTE. It is also no problem to change the ISP as the lines here are public property and not owned by any company. Thus ISP does not control anything. Maybe in your place.