1Password and Verizon FIOS Actiontec router login page

Omen

<div class="IPBDescription">1Password does not fill in the password correctly, or save it if asked</div>Hi,



I've noticed this problem lately, but I can't remember when it started.



The Verizon FIOS Actiontec router (MI424WR) has a web interface which requires the user to type in the admin name and password. The first time I logged in, 1P asked me if I wanted to create a new login entry; I did. Then I logged out and logged in a few minutes later and used 1P to fill in the username/password. I then got an "invalid password" error. After trying a couple of times to use 1P to fill in the password, I went into the 1P app and looked at the login entry I created. The username was filled in, but the password was blank. Hmmmm. I just created it a few minutes ago.



I manually put in the password into 1P and tried again to have 1P enter the username/password. But the login failed again. I then copied the password right from 1P and pasted it into the password field. I was then able to login. 1P asked me if I wanted to create a new login, and I specified that I wanted it to replace the previous Actiontec login.



The next day I went to log into the Actiontec and again, 1P failed to fill in the password. When I looked in the 1P login item in the 1P app, the password was blank! I manually typed in the password into the 1P login entry, then copied it and pasted it to the login screen. I was then able to login.



This is the only site where I'm having a problem with 1P filling in the password or remembering it. The site is 192.168.1.4/admin and local to the router, of course. I can see that the password dialog box that it puts up produces a variable number of '***' when each letter is typed. That's so that you can't tell the password's length. I don't know if that makes any difference.



Any ideas? Can I send you guys something to check this out. It's not a big deal, but the password is a 14 character one, and not easily (at all) remembered, so I'd have to open 1P and copy the password to the login screen every time I log into the Actiontec.



Thanks.

khad

Could you save the page and attach it in a reply? I have attached the Tumblr login page as an example.



Please let me know. Thanks!

Omen

[quote name='khad' timestamp='1291248649' post='16680']

Could you save the page and attach it in a reply? I have attached the Tumblr login page as an example.



Please let me know. Thanks!

[/quote]



Sure khad, here it it.

khad

Thanks for posting that, Omen! It is always helpful to get a look at the source code.



Unfortunately, it looks like the page is using some very...um, JavaScript-y code. Without being able to directly interact with it I cannot say for certain if it will do any good, but you might consider disabling autosubmit for that login. If you edit the login and change the Submit value from "If Autosubmit is ON" to "Never" that may fill the form correctly and allow you to manually log in. If that does not work by itself, I have seen some logins require you to click inside of one of the fields which will then populate them (after attempting a fill with 1Password).



I hope that makes sense. <img src='http://forum.agile.ws/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/skype_smile.png' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':-)' />



Please let me know how it turns out!

Omen

[quote name='khad' timestamp='1291272787' post='16739']

Thanks for posting that, Omen! It is always helpful to get a look at the source code.



Unfortunately, it looks like the page is using some very...um, JavaScript-y code. Without being able to directly interact with it I cannot say for certain if it will do any good, but you might consider disabling autosubmit for that login. If you edit the login and change the Submit value from "If Autosubmit is ON" to "Never" that may fill the form correctly and allow you to manually log in. If that does not work by itself, I have seen some logins require you to click inside of one of the fields which will then populate them (after attempting a fill with 1Password).



I hope that makes sense. <img src='http://forum.agile.ws/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/skype_smile.png' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':-)' />



Please let me know how it turns out!

[/quote]



Hi khad,



Unfortunately, neither process worked <img src='http://forum.agile.ws/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/sad.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':(' />



If 1P had an option when you click in the password field to paste the stored password, then that would probably work. Because right now I'm just swapping over to 1P, hitting Copy on the password field, swapping back, and hitting Paste. But I guess it's how 1P auto-fills the password field that confuses the java script processing the password.



Thanks for the help.

khad

Perhaps you have already done this, but...



Please try saving the login manually like this:



1. Enter your username and password, but DO NOT submit the form.

2. Click the 1Password button in your browser's toolbar, and choose Save Login.

3. Set the Action field to Create New Login (or to Replace <login-name>, to update an existing Login item).

4. Click the Save button.



Once you have saved the new login, edit the password stored in the login (which will actually be empty because of the way the page is scripted). Enter your actual password and see if that now works.



The last resort would be installing a JavaScript blocker (like [url="http://homepage.mac.com/drewthaler/jsblacklist/"]JavaScript Blacklist[/url] for Safari) and adding 192.168.1.4 (or whatever the IP address of your modem/router is) to the blacklist. I'm not sure if the login will even work without JavaScript enabled, but it's worth a shot. Try re-saving the login using the steps above after you disable JavaScript (if you attempt it).



You can also just temporarily disable JavaScript globally (Safari Preferences > Security > UNCHECK Enable JavaScript) and see if it works before bothering to install the [url="http://homepage.mac.com/drewthaler/jsblacklist/"]JavaScript Blacklist[/url] extension.



I would be interested to hear how it turns out.

Omen

[quote name='khad' timestamp='1291320251' post='16792']

Perhaps you have already done this, but...



Please try saving the login manually like this:



1. Enter your username and password, but DO NOT submit the form.

2. Click the 1Password button in your browser's toolbar, and choose Save Login.

3. Set the Action field to Create New Login (or to Replace <login-name>, to update an existing Login item).

4. Click the Save button.



Once you have saved the new login, edit the password stored in the login (which will actually be empty because of the way the page is scripted). Enter your actual password and see if that now works.



The last resort would be installing a JavaScript blocker (like [url="http://homepage.mac.com/drewthaler/jsblacklist/"]JavaScript Blacklist[/url] for Safari) and adding 192.168.1.4 (or whatever the IP address of your modem/router is) to the blacklist. I'm not sure if the login will even work without JavaScript enabled, but it's worth a shot. Try re-saving the login using the steps above after you disable JavaScript (if you attempt it).



You can also just temporarily disable JavaScript globally (Safari Preferences > Security > UNCHECK Enable JavaScript) and see if it works before bothering to install the [url="http://homepage.mac.com/drewthaler/jsblacklist/"]JavaScript Blacklist[/url] extension.



I would be interested to hear how it turns out.

[/quote]



khad,



I've tried many times to save the login as a new item or over the existing one, but everytime tie 1P login fails.



But I found out something strange.....if I let 1P fill in the userid/password without autologin, then hit the spacebar once in the password field, the login works! Evidently the javascript is checking for a keystroke from the keyboard; if there isn't one, then the login fails. But if I manually put in a space (or more) at the end of the password field, then hit login, it works.



I'm running Firefox 3.6.12, and I haven't tried disabling javascript yet. I can try and report back.

Omen

[quote name='Omen' timestamp='1291339644' post='16845']

I'm running Firefox 3.6.12, and I haven't tried disabling javascript yet. I can try and report back.

[/quote]



I just disabled javascript, and I get an error 404 when I try to login. So javascript need to be active.

khad

Yeah, I wasn't too optimistic about disabling JavsScript, but it never hurts to try. You solution to press a key in the field works on many sites. Apologies for not mentioning it above. Some sites merely require a mouse click, so clicking inside one of the fields to give it focus works. In some cases they are looking for an actually key press. Usually I recommend adding a character to the username (so it is visible) and then deleting it, but the password field may be the only place it will work in this case.



Thanks for the update!

JeremyBechtold

not sure if anyone is still subscribed to this thread or not... but thought I'd add a bit to it in case something else might be done to kill this horrendous fios/verizon router login setup.



first, omen, when you were seeing "blank" items in your 1P password field, there were characters actually there, just that they are generated as something unusual by the javascript and if you tried to select them instead of just clicking into them, you'd see that there are about 5-10 empty-visual characters, probably something displaying like a 'non-breaking space' html character, but I assume even worse that it's not that, but a character created by the js script that does not actually exist therefore 1P or anything else cannot render it. the js would assume to decode itself in the script and it wouldn't mater to the page, but it makes trying to save the pw in 1P useless. I've resorted to storing the pw itself in the 1P entry, and also making a dupe in case it should ever accidentally get overwritten by my natural tendency to include all pws in 1P for the great purpose it serves.



that said, it doesn’t help that the js in the pw input field goes all [s]crazy[/s], [s]stupid[/s], [s]idiotic[/s], [s]assinine[/s], overzealous, and prevents even the intended use from being one that is logical. for example, for anyone not used to seening the screen, the input field always about half a dozen (hidden pw) bullet characters in place. you cannot 'select all' or try to delete them, they just re-appear. there's no way to go to the front or back of the characters, you just have to accept that they are there and hope that your entry doesn't get mixed up with theirs in the script and you'll be able to succeed in submitting the form.



I've found that if I place my cursor in the field, and paste from 1P's copy option, it works about 50/50. in the end, I have to click to edit the entry so that I can see the actual pw, and then type it by hand.



I'm all for verizon doing what they can to prevent neighborly snoops from trying to get in and mess with my network, but this goes beyond anything logical. anyone snooping around trying to do something is going to recognize what verizon is doing and get annoyed. but the worse scenario is that anyone who actually should be using the screen might have difficulty due to the counter-intuitiveness (is that even a word? I bet it would be via verizon's js code), and really making it confusing or frustrating for the average or below-average computer user who just wants access to their network settings or the ability to change a wifi pw on a regular basis. hell, it's a PITA for me and I'm used to handling it for my house, my inlaws' fios, and my grandfather's house. all fios, all very secure in terms of passwords, but good luck being able to use anything extremely long because you'll never fit all the characters into the field without screwing yourself up in the process.



I don't see verizon changing this any time soon, as it would require a firmware update, but still... it's annoying, and if adding to this thread helps anyone, I've done a little of my part for it.



moral of the story is, make your vz/fios password something complicated that you can remember easily but won't screw it up typing since you'll have NO IDEA what you've typed s far.



if anyone wants to see the page in action, let me know and I'll screencast using it so you can see what we're up against. I don't think this is worth asking agile to work on. so many people use vz/fios, but as long as that script is in place, I don't think anything else will work. the space workaround might be worth a peek, but from now on I'll just tell people to make it a couple words or sentence that you can recall easily and won't mess up typing.

Omen

Hi Jeremy,



Thanks for responding with some "techtalk" on this frustrating situation. Unfortunately, as you said, there seems to be no workaround and probably never will be. I just wanted to chime in and say something about changing the password to an easily-remembered word/phrase -



Originally, the Actiontec router came configured from Vz with the admin password set as "password". Later, when everyone with an IQ over 80 figured that one out, they changed it to "password1". This is in the days when Vz actually had some real customer service (i.e. humans), rather than endless automated voice-prompt debugging menus and user-only installations and repairs. Naturally, when I got my first Vz FIOS router, I promptly changed the password to something that only I knew. This change worked well until Vz put out the last firmware upgrade, which changed the admin password to the unique product serial number. I didn't realize that the new firmware contained this little embedded gotcha' until I went to do some wireless network tuning with my home network (I only use the Vz WiFi for 2.4 GHz traffic). Boy, did I scramble about trying to find out what that new password was! Eventually I figured it out, but I'm leery to change it again. If I needed a service call (heaven forbid!), I would definitely want to change the password back to the new default one, so as not to be accused of damaging the network myself and incurring a service charge for the visit. I've convinced myself that it's really no big deal to open up 1P and cut/paste the password.



At least I think that way while my medication's in good supply <img src='http://forum.agile.ws/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':)' />

khad

Have you tried the login in Chrome or Safari 5.1 ([i]not[/i] Safari 5.0)? They are both using our latest form filling code, and I'm curious if it works any better for you than the Firefox code.



You may need to re-save the login before testing it as the form [i]saving[/i] code is also updated. I'm not too optimistic with that crazy page, but it's worth a shot. <img src='http://forum.agile.ws/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/skype_smile.png' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':-)' />



Oh, and welcome to the forums, Jeremy!