Nighthawk Mobile App device manager

[Myronjax1953]

Hello. I have a Nighthawk R7000 router. While using the mobile app, i have discovered that, under the Device Manager, all of my connected devices have an "allow access" button except one. It's description is "Unknown", and has a much higher link rate ( 866 Mbps vs 144 Mbps ) than the other connected devices. I'm feeling that this is a red flag for some nefarious activity-I've never been hacked but as much as i'm online, I've always felt it was just a matter of time. Can some of you talk me off the ledge, and, hopefully, explain why, of my connected 14 devices, only one doesn't give me the access to block. Thank you for any help.

Jim in Illinois

[Myronjax1953 · Accepted solution]

Michael,

did some sleuthing and....the answer was right under my nose...kinda. Turns out that the iphone-my iphone-the iphone in my hand that has the Nighthawk app telling me there is an unknown device i cant block hooked up to my local WiFi network-that iphone is the "unknown" device that i'm looking for🤣 Apparently, the latest IOS's have a "Private WiFi" address, and the default setting is "on"...wait-just figured it out.  The app wont give my access to block wifi access to "myself"- would be kinda dumb. That's why there is no "block access" button. Problem solved. Thanks for pointing me in the right direction (MAC address). Appreciate the help!

Jim

[michaelkenward]

What do you see when you look at the browser graphical user interface (GUI) and its lust of Attached Devices? It could reveal a MAC Address that you can track down.

One problem is that there can be various hidden, and legitimate, wifi sources from odd devices.

[Myronjax1953]

Michael,

Thanks for the suggestion! In the App's device manager, each device does give you it's IP address, as well as it's MAC address. I'll do some sleuthing with the various WiFi connected devices in my house and see if i can find and identify each. Thanks!

Jim

[michaelkenward]

IoT toys have a habit of staying under the radar.

[Myronjax1953 · Accepted solution]

Michael,

did some sleuthing and....the answer was right under my nose...kinda. Turns out that the iphone-my iphone-the iphone in my hand that has the Nighthawk app telling me there is an unknown device i cant block hooked up to my local WiFi network-that iphone is the "unknown" device that i'm looking for🤣 Apparently, the latest IOS's have a "Private WiFi" address, and the default setting is "on"...wait-just figured it out.  The app wont give my access to block wifi access to "myself"- would be kinda dumb. That's why there is no "block access" button. Problem solved. Thanks for pointing me in the right direction (MAC address). Appreciate the help!

Jim

[michaelkenward]

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@Myronjax1953 wrote:

Apparently, the latest IOS's have a "Private WiFi" address, and the default setting is "on"...wait-just figured it out.  The app wont give my access to block wifi access to "myself"- would be kinda dumb. That's why there is no "block access" button.

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That is a well known "feature" that has caused grief for plenty of people.

NETGEAR Mobile Applications and Apple Devices FAQ - NETGEAR Communities

You seem to have uncovered another consequence of this.

Some advise turning off that feature. Maybe that would change what you see.

But at least you can now clamber down off the ledge.