Access control is blocking allowed device

[nagendraprasath]

Whenever i enable Access Control, i see random behaviors. Sometime it blocks allowed devices, Sometime it blocks new devices but never show up in the blocked list

Any idea whats going on?

[weblee]

This may happen with Apple devices as they use a unique MAC address for each network.  This MAC will change IF the Apple device owner clicks "forget network" then joins/attaches again.  Since the MAC is different it is blocked.  Other devices may also have this behaviour.  This also happens with Apple devices if you change your SSID (network name).

For PC's I have seen the addition of VPN or other network drivers cause the MAC to be virtualized and is therefore different so you get blocked.  

Track the MAC address and not the device name and see if this is the case.

[nagendraprasath]

Hmmm Nope. none of these changes in this case.

Blocked but never shown device are Aladdin Connect and a Windows laptop. None of them changes mac. 

[CrimpOn]

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@nagendraprasath wrote:

Hmmm Nope. none of these changes in this case.

Blocked but never shown device are Aladdin Connect and a Windows laptop. None of them changes mac. 

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About blocking Allowed Devices, I have no clue. These are devices which appear in the table of "Allowed devices that are not currently connected (with the correct MAC address) and when they attempt to connect nothing happens?

About devices that are blocked but never shown. This list is at the bottom of the Access Control web page?

I am pretty confident that those bottom two tables (Allowed devices not currently connected, and Blocked devices not currently connected) are Orbi's method of keeping track of MAC addresses that are either allowed access or denied access should they appear again.) Orbi has a long memory.

I am not confident about how devices get included in those tables.  I have a suspicion that when devices are specifically "blocked" in the top table (using the "Block" button, then "Apply") they would be denied access.  If they disappear, that bottom table will keep a record of the MAC address in order to block it if it appears again.  i.e. it can be "new" only one time.  If you allow "new" devices and decide to block that one.  It can never connect again.

If new devices are not allowed on the network, they can never show up in either of those two tables.

There are probably an experiments one could run to test this theory.  i.e. pick some device that is not super critical, block it, "Apply", then power it off.  It should show up in that bottom table (eventually. Tables do not update instantly on Orbi's.)  What happens when it is powered on again?

[weblee]

I always set access control to enable then select "allow new devices to connect" then turn on every device in the house.  Once I see a complete list of connected devices I select the "do not allow new devices to connect" option.