Devices randomly blocked by "Access Control in Router"

[bkl123]

This week random devices that have been on my Orbi network for years have started showing this message in the browser. I've disabled access control completely, rebooted and the device will have access for some short time and then starts getting blocked again. It seems to be jumping around to different devices as well. Some were blocked yesterday and then after a reboot they are unblocked, but now different devices are blocked. This is insane, please help!

[FURRYe38]

Have you set up IP address reservations for devices ON the RBR? 

What Firmware version is currently loaded?

Has a factory reset and setup from scratch been performed since last FW update? 

[bkl123]

No devices have reserved IP addresses.

Router Firmware Version
V2.7.3.22

I have not done a factory reset and re-setup. Trying to avoid it. Is there a way to save / apply the current config if a reset is required?

Thanks for the help!

[FURRYe38]

Yes:

https://kb.netgear.com/000062080/How-do-I-back-up-the-configuration-settings-on-my-Orbi-WiFi-System

I would save a back up first, reset and set up from scratch first, set up some IP reservations for devices that you want to be controlled by Access Control and then see how it runs...

[bkl123]

Thanks for the article.

Ok so if I want a device to be blocked by access control I should block it and assign it an IP address? 

Also, I went in and removed one of the devices from the access control list entirely (even though it was in the 'allowed' list) and then rebooted and so far that device hasn't reverted to being blocked. So that may be another way to get to this problem resolved. 

[FURRYe38]

Yes.