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Forum Discussion
Custom Naming of Devices in the WAX610
Using the WAX610 AP web browser admin, under Management=>Monitoring=>Connected Clients, is there anyway to apply a "vanity" name to each device? Keeping track of MACs that jump in and out becomes tedious especially with DHCP.
In contrast, the web browser admin for the Orbi RBR20 allows for customization of the device name.
9 Replies
Using the WAX610 AP web browser admin, under Management=>Monitoring=>Connected Clients, is there anyway to apply a "vanity" name to each device?
Nope. This is more a feature your RBR20 has - because it hosts a DHCP server. Whatever you set there, for example if your network DHCP comes from a different device - it's not magically forwarded to the rest of your network infrastructure.
Assuming you are operating a private network: Many DHCP clients allow to provide a name and a client OS optionally.
For example, Android based systems offer a control - by network or likely the wireless connection - to use the effective Device MAC (vs. the randomized MAC address). Additionally, there is a control to provide the configured hostname to the DHCP server (by DHCP Option 12).
While the default on many clients is to help the privacy minded user, so offering a random MAC address, and have the platform OS suppressed. Unfortunately, there are some closed source devices (typically IOT ....) which don't offer a user control, but these at least are not randomizing MAC addresses.
Technically, each WAX610 does support up to 250 concurrent wireless clients. Depending on the use case, virtually an unlimited number of devices can associate over time. Where would you think an AP should store such an amount of aliases?
Hi schumaku, I get your valid point. I'm using the RBR20 in simple AP mode connected to a Netgate pfSense router. pfSense handles the DHCP. Nevertheless, the RBR20 in AP mode still allows me to go in an add vanity names to the mac's that appear on it's wifi. And as these devices come and go, their names seem to be remembered. I also have the WAX610 connected to a separate input port on the NetGate. I don't know how the WAX610 is designed but from what you say, i guess the WAX is somewhat dumb and doesn't have the ability to remember prior attendees and therefore has no place to store vanity names.
By the way, what's a "User Name", i.e. found on the Connected Clients list at the end of each device. All are set to "Unknown Username".
RBR20 in simple AP mode connected to a Netgate pfSense router
What you see on the RBR20 - also in access point mode is also a leftover from it's DHCP server. Like many DHCP server, it allows to override the hostname coming slong as part of the DHCP request.
Similar, the Netgear devices - here the WAC WAX or WBE have some code on board trying to identify the device or the device OS connected. If this does not succeed, some hostname is defined based on the MAC address.
Like 12-5D-72-xx-xx-xx at home of the vZug connected kitchen devices for example.
On Netgear Insight, these show like
Client Name
12-5D-72-xx-xx-xx
MAC Address
12:5d:72:xx:xx:xx
IP Address
(RFC1918 IP here)
OS
Unknown Device OS
Associated AP
WBE758-nnn
Association Granted
Apr 08, 2026, 16:59 p.m. (CET)
Signal Strength
i
RSSI -68
BSSID
54:07:7d:nn:nn:nn
SSID
....Real SSID here..
Mode
11ax
MLO Supported
No
Radio
5 GHz
Channel
100
VLAN ID
nn
Said that: Even on Netgear Insight with the virtually unlimited cloud storage, these names can't be customized.
I'm trying to remember if that is possible as I also have a WAX unit. I guess maybe time to reconnect it and find out.
I wanna say you could in the Insight mobile app, but it's been too long I think. I would think there should be a way...
Have you tried selecting one device and seeing there is any settings for it in the WEB UI?
I'm still learning about the WEB UI of the WAX610. Been playing around with it.
I'm also on page 239 of the 326 page user manual and nothing so far discusses naming.
In the "Connected Clients" list under Monitoring, Host Names are listed but i see no way to edit anything shown.
I'm also on page 239 of the 326 page user manual and nothing so far discusses naming.
In the "Connected Clients" list under Monitoring, Host Names are listed but i see no way to edit anything shown.Correct: There is none - at least none on that end of the food chain. And none in Insight App nor in Insight Web portal.
The only option you have on certain devices is to provide a device name or host name, most (but not all) might forward that name accordingly.
Typical IoT don't allow device naming however.
A much smarter start would be on the router end, or more specifically on the DHCP side if things.
Some routers allow defining host names. Good DHCP servers are supplying the host name in the answer to the DHCP request in the device name field, which is provided to the DHCP client in the so called Option 12, aka, SYSNAME field. Keep in mind the field is limited to 30 ASCII characters, no spaces, ... so it represents a correct hostname.
On some devices, like the in any aspects capable HP printers, you might have to change the priority from Standard to DHCP inthe HP embedded Web server (EWS), so this field is accepted (instead of the standard NPIxxyyzz name, derived from the Network Printer Interface and the MAC address) is used.
Needless to say, this requires operating all the devices on the network in DHCP client mode.
As I said before: If there is no meaningful name specified, or an empty null byte string is provided, the code on these wireless APs does create one, based on the MAC address (along with the by far not perfect detection of the device manufacturer and the OS).
Conclude, there are much better places to define a hostname, than manually force one in place on an access point.
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