R7000 Disable Anywhere Access in Web Interface/Remote Management??

[MHCLV941]

How do I disable (or even check the status) of "Anywhere Access" via the router's web interface.  I dislike using apps and don't want to waste my time setting it up just to change one setting.

I have seen references to "Remote Managemnt" which I also want to disable.  However, various articles say that this is a setting in Advanced Setup, but I cannot find it.  Was it replaced by "Anywhere Access"?

R7000/AC1900, firmware v.1.0.11.128_10.2.112 (Current as of this writing).

[Portwey84]

@MHCLV941  Hi. I have a feeling that you're really not going to like my suggestion, however, download the Nighthawk App and if you want to disable Anywhere Access, it's just so much easier from there. Once downloaded, just go into 'Settings' and Anywhere Access is there at the bottom of the list. It really couldn't be simpler. The other plus about the App, is when your'e away, you do have some control over your own router.

I get it you dislike apps, but sometimes you really do just have to go with the flow.

I would say though, don't rely on the App for info like firmware updates and certainly, I would never personally recommend updating firmware via the App, only ever by ethernet cable. I'm on v.126 and clearly v.128 is available and has been since September, but the App says there is no update. For info, I did upgrade to v.128, but it completely broke my 5ghz WiFi so I binned it and reverted to v.126 and all is well again. I won't ever be upgrading the firmware for this router again. There have been far too many updates in the last 20 months none of which I have personally seen that have been of any benefit, though I do accept that 'security updates' can be somewhat invisible and obviously beneficial. One thing with this router that did make me laugh, was that when I had 'Logs' enabled, it constantly threw up reports of DNS attacks. I solved that issue by, disabling logs.

[FURRYe38]

There mabe a slider button under Advanced Tab/Adanced Settings/Web Management Service? 

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@MHCLV941 wrote:

How do I disable (or even check the status) of "Anywhere Access" via the router's web interface.  I dislike using apps and don't want to waste my time setting it up just to change one setting.

I have seen references to "Remote Managemnt" which I also want to disable.  However, various articles say that this is a setting in Advanced Setup, but I cannot find it.  Was it replaced by "Anywhere Access"?

R7000/AC1900, firmware v.1.0.11.128_10.2.112 (Current as of this writing).

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[MHCLV941]

Thanks but no joy.  There is not even an item "Web Management Service" on the web interface.

[MHCLV941]

You're right, I don't like the answer, expecially because the "wonderous" app won't connect to the router.  My tablet is connected to the router (actually I tried both 2.4 and 5) but the app could not see the router, even after repeated tries on both bands.    Next router I buy won't be NetGear.

[FURRYe38]

You might downgrade FW to see if it brings back the remote management page on the routers web page. I believe NG removed it in recent FW versions. 

[Portwey84]

@MHCLV941  Could it be that the App just isn't compatible with the tablet? The App works absolutely without issue on my iPhone XR on iOS 15.1. What is the tablet you are using and what os is it running?

[MHCLV941]

It is not the tablet, nor the Samsung S20, at fault.  The problem is the app itself becasue it will not connect to the router if it has not internet connection and/or the WiFi SSID and passcode have been changed.  If the two, no internet connection seems to be the rout cause.

Since you will ask, I am configuring the router offline for a client who uses fixed IP addresses from his ISP and, frankly, becasue I do not want to take ther rest of my network off the internet to humor this router.   In fact, save for the security hole named Anywhere Access, I was fully successful in doing exactly that.  Had NetGear not made use of the app necessary for disabling Anywhere Access, I would never have bothered with the app.

In order to turn the @#$@#% thing off, I had to default the router and start over again.  As I suspected, I found the app rather simply minded and limiting access to many settings that are readily available in the web interface, one of which was changing the wireless SSIDs and passcodes.  Technically, this supposedly can be done in the app, but it failed to do so despite several tries.

[Portwey84]

@MHCLV941  To be fair, the Nighthawk App itself is pretty basic and I only really ever use it myself if there's a need to do a router reboot or I want to carry out a quick speed test. It's pointless for checking firmware updates because it tells me there aren't any updates when there are, but then the router browser GUI does exactly the same.

Personally, I'd save yourself the continued bother and get another router, which is exactly what I'm going to do once the WiFi 6 router I've seen is available again at a decent price. It won't be Netgear.

I have no idea why Netgear keep mucking about with the firmware on this particular model of router and to be honest, there's only so much I can take myself before saying enough is enough.

[MHCLV941]

I've come to the same conclusions.  I would have happily ignored the app save for the fact that one cannot disable Anywhere Access in the web interface.

The next router I buy will not be a Netgear one that forces one to that inane app.

[MHCLV941]

If I hadn't already defaulted the router and put up with the app long enough to turn off Anywhere Access before going  back the the adult interface, I would give that a try. 

[Portwey84]

@MHCLV941  I wonder which firmware version one has to revert back to in order to get the 'Anywhere Access' on/off toggle?

Guess, what? I never actually want to find out! Luckily for me, as I say, the Nighthawk App works on my iPhone so I can use that feature if I need to.

It's not all doom and gloom with this router however, when it works well, it works well and since reverting to v.126, it's worked just great, but the router isn't so great that I want to keep it, especially when there are superior options available. This router for me on purchase was a cheap and cheerful buy, I just never knew at the time that Netgear would keep messing about with the firmware to the point where it just becomes a pain in the rear.

[amonynuts]

@MHCLV941 I have the same complaint on the Netgear Nighthawk RAX45.  There is no option to disable Access Anywhere in the web interface (FW V1.0.5.106).  Worse yet, it appears that this setting is only in the Nighthawk app and not even saved on the router.  Case in point:  I disabled Access Anywhere in the app, then uninstalled and reinstalled the Nighthawk app for an unrelated issue.  Later I find when running the Nighthawk app that it's attached to my router using Access Anywhere, and I can't even switch it off because it's in use.  I would like to disable Remote Access on this router for security reasons, but it's acting like it's always enabled in the router even though the feature can be switched off in the app.