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Forum Discussion
BarryD0706
May 24, 2025Aspirant
Access Control slows some web access in AP mode
My setup is a T-Mobile Home Internet modem/router which is ethernet-wired to a Netgear RAX120 router which is now in AP mode (with a fixed static address). I just made this change to resolve a double...
Kitsap
May 24, 2025Master
When your router is configured for AP mode, Access Control is one of the features that is disabled.
You need to look at the configuration of your T-Mobile device to find a solution.
- BarryD0706May 24, 2025Aspirant
Please look at the list you provided. At the top: "The following features are not available (grayed out)...".
I see that Access Control is in this list (I've seen other lists where it's not included) but it is NOT greyed out and it does work to block internet access for devices that haven't been allowed. There are many other things (like "Block Sites") that are greyed out. That's not one of them. Also, I see no reason why Access Control would have any effect on internet traffic with specific sites; it's function is to block all internet access for devices connected to the router, not to affect which sites they can interface with once they are connected.
There are no configuration options for the T-Mobile device, period.
- KitsapMay 24, 2025Master
Please look at the list you provided. At the top: "The following features are not available (grayed out)...".
I see that Access Control is in this list (I've seen other lists where it's not included) but it is NOT greyed out and it does work to block internet access for devices that haven't been allowed. There are many other things (like "Block Sites") that are greyed out. That's not one of them. Also, I see no reason why Access Control would have any effect on internet traffic with specific sites; it's function is to block all internet access for devices connected to the router, not to affect which sites they can interface with once they are connected.
There are no configuration options for the T-Mobile device, period.
That could be the reason you are having problems. By design, Access Control is not supposed to be part of function when the router is configured as an AP. Not only with Netgear, but other brands of home routers. Notice the list of devices the instruction applies to. The RAX120 is included in the list of models and the lists include virtually all of the Netgear line. The option should be greyed out. If not greyed out, either your firmware is corrupted or you actually do not have the device configured as an AP.
A couple of suggestions. Confirm the firmware installed on your router is the most recent. Manually re-flash a fresh copy of the most recent firmware over the top of what you have now. Do a full firmware default (factory) reset and reconfigure from scratch. If you upload a previously saved configuration file, you may re-introduce the problem.
- BarryD0706May 24, 2025Aspirant
I have long ago verified that I'm on the latest firmware. Since the modem issues addresses as 192.168.12.xxx it's pretty obvious that I'm in AP mode. Beyond that, all your suggestions only result in that option being grey-ed out if they work (unless it's a bug, and they're not likely to fix a bug on this old a router) which buys me nothing. I have to accept that AP mode doesn't support Access Control, which means that using the NetGear router in this setup is buying me nothing at all. I may as well just use only the T-Mobile router. But in fact, I like Access Control so I'm going back to double-NAT since it's only caused problems once in the last year or so. Thanks for your help! I appreciate it.