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Re: Access Control - Orbi

_DamN_
Aspirant

Access Control - Orbi

Hardware Version RBR50
Firmware Version V2.7.2.102
GUI Language Version V1.0.0.375

 

After recent upgrade to above mentioned firmware I lost "access control" from web GUI. From what I understood so far, your default policy is "open/accept all new devices" then you will get notified on your application where you can decide whether device is/is_not allowed on the network. I hope that I overlooked something in the configuration because if this is a design then somebody should think it through again. Moving the functionality to configure your network device to the application on the phone is not a good idea.

Please advise.

Thanks

Model: RBR50|Orbi AC3000 Tri-band WiFi Router
Message 1 of 13

Accepted Solutions
_DamN_
Aspirant

Re: Access Control - Orbi

So just a quick update: we had a power outage recently which forced my Orbi to the power cycle. Looks like Orbi realized that his owner is a bit pissed due to that Access Control feature not being available and "it fixed itself". This morning, just randomly checking the status of the devices on the network I saw "Access Control* being available again. I do not like this behavior but seems like the only thing which was required from me to  do was a power cycle procedure instead of just rebooting the device. Anyway, closing this thread and looking forward to write another questions as my Orbi announced new firmware being available for me.

Thanks to all who responded !

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Message 11 of 13

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CrimpOn
Guru

Re: Access Control - Orbi


@_DamN_ wrote:

After recent upgrade to above mentioned firmware I lost "access control" from web GUI. From what I understood so far, your default policy is "open/accept all new devices" then you will get notified on your application where you can decide whether device is/is_not allowed on the network. I hope that I overlooked something in the configuration because if this is a design then somebody should think it through again. Moving the functionality to configure your network device to the application on the phone is not a good idea


There is more to this than it appears. I, also, have an RBR50 with firmware 2.7.2.102. When I go to the Security menu, Access Control, it appears just as it always has (see image attached).

Message 2 of 13
_DamN_
Aspirant

Re: Access Control - Orbi

This is quite interesting ... same FW, same HW and different screen .. Can someone please explain this to me ? There must be some logical explanation ...

Model: RBR50|Orbi AC3000 Tri-band WiFi Router
Message 3 of 13
CrimpOn
Guru

Re: Access Control - Orbi


@_DamN_ wrote:

This is quite interesting ... same FW, same HW and different screen .. Can someone please explain this to me ? There must be some logical explanation ...


I have 2.7.2.102 on my "spare Orbi" which I got a year ago (used on eBay) to experiment with Voxel's Orbi firmware.  Have never connected the Orbi "app" to this one.  (To be completely honest, I am not 100% certain how to do that since this Orbi has never been registered to my Netgear account and I don't want to mess up the app that is tied to my "in use" Orbi.)

 

Maybe "something happens" when the Orbi app is tied to an Orbi running firmware 2.7.2.102?

If Access Control is important, I would get out my trusty paperclip and reset the Orbi.

Message 4 of 13
FURRYe38
Guru

Re: Access Control - Orbi

MIne appears like @CrimpOn s picture. Only idea would be that did you set up your system using the Orbi app or did you use the RBRs web page using a PC and web brower. Mine was setup using RBRs web page. 

 

Has a reset been performed since you updated? 

Message 5 of 13
_DamN_
Aspirant

Re: Access Control - Orbi

Well after upgrading the firmware, I did not perform another reset as I thought that reconfiguring the whole thing would wipe everything clean. And app was used for initial setup ... damn hell, what kind of architect designed this thing ? 😞 So now, if I want to change the global access policy I need to re-upload firmware ...

Model: RBR50|Orbi AC3000 Tri-band WiFi Router
Message 6 of 13
CrimpOn
Guru

Re: Access Control - Orbi


@_DamN_ wrote:

Well after upgrading the firmware, I did not perform another reset as I thought that reconfiguring the whole thing would wipe everything clean. And app was used for initial setup ... damn hell, what kind of architect designed this thing ? 😞 So now, if I want to change the global access policy I need to re-upload firmware ...


(I'm probably exposing even more of my ignorance, but.....)

 

If an Orbi is set up using the "app", it seems that the only things that can be configured are the SSID & password.

I hesitate to Factory Reset my Orbi because I have spent a lot of time (far more than any "normal person" would thing reasonable) assigning IP's to each permanent device, customizing the Attached Devices name, description, and device type, setting up DDNS and VPN.  None of those things can be done from the "app", can they?

 

I say again, if Access Control is important, then....

Message 7 of 13
_DamN_
Aspirant

Re: Access Control - Orbi

My Orbi does not have that much settings in place yet as I am still in that "honeymoon" period. I am finding more and more limitations on Orbi than I am willing to accept. Hardware is apparently fine, kernel itself and drivers are fine but it's just that management software which is causing all that noise around. It looks to me like development teams are not talking to each other as often as they should and features are being developed in very weird way. I'm happy with the stability of my wifi now, it's much better than my R7000 which was apparently overloaded with number of clients on it. Anyway, to asnwer the question: yes, I think the only part of the config which you can set is SSID and password. Not sure what's causing this Access Control not being available. On the other hand, I am receiving notifications on the app about new devices logging in and they're by default "Allowed" which I do not like. It's likely that I will go over reinitialization again just to get this feature back. It's kind of silly not to have it available .... whole purpose of access control is gone.

Message 8 of 13
CrimpOn
Guru

Re: Access Control - Orbi


@_DamN_ wrote:

Well after upgrading the firmware, I did not perform another reset as I thought that reconfiguring the whole thing would wipe everything clean. And app was used for initial setup ... damn hell, what kind of architect designed this thing ? 😞 So now, if I want to change the global access policy I need to re-upload firmware ...


This is not correct.  The only way to set up Access Control is using the web interface.  Sometimes, customers who set Orbi up using the Orbi "app" no longer know the web interface password. (User name cannot be changed from "admin".) In that case, the Orbi can be Factory Reset (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cMw4ePACgc4 ) which will reset the web login to "admin" and "password".  Firmware does not need to uploaded again

 

It is probably worth noting that setting Acess Control to "New Devices CANNOT connect" is a very different way to manage the network.  With the Orbi "app" saying, "Hey, a new device showed up" there are choices. (a) say, "well duh, of course it did. I just bought a new <whatever>", or (b) "What the s**t, no way am I allowing THAT on my network and push the slider to "pause" it.

With the web interface, that new device WILL NOT WORK.  The <significant other> will be screaming, "the damn WiFi is broken. I wanted to show grandma that picture of the kids on her iPad and it wouldn't connect to the WiFi.  I am SO MAD."

Message 9 of 13
_DamN_
Aspirant

Re: Access Control - Orbi

Not sure if you saw my screenshot but there is no such option for me anymore. I will very likely need to reinstall the whole thing just to get that setting back unless there is another solution which I do not believe exists.

Message 10 of 13
_DamN_
Aspirant

Re: Access Control - Orbi

So just a quick update: we had a power outage recently which forced my Orbi to the power cycle. Looks like Orbi realized that his owner is a bit pissed due to that Access Control feature not being available and "it fixed itself". This morning, just randomly checking the status of the devices on the network I saw "Access Control* being available again. I do not like this behavior but seems like the only thing which was required from me to  do was a power cycle procedure instead of just rebooting the device. Anyway, closing this thread and looking forward to write another questions as my Orbi announced new firmware being available for me.

Thanks to all who responded !

Message 11 of 13
mpjayne
Aspirant

Re: Access Control - Orbi

This was helpful and the end result is that I will attempt to Factory Reset my Orbi.  MY ISSUE is that my kid keeps changing his Computer IP so it allows him access to his satellite.  I want and NEED the ability to say "ok, go ahead and access" or "NO ACCESS FOR YOU right now!!".  Can't do that as of now.  Hopefully I will upon reset and setup.

Message 12 of 13
CrimpOn
Guru

Re: Access Control - Orbi

A lot has changed in the past 15 months.  It may be more productive to begin a new discussion by posting in the correct forum for your specific model of Orbi:

Original Orbi AC products (50, 40, 20): https://community.netgear.com/t5/Orbi/bd-p/Orbi 

Newer Orbi AX products (750, 850, 960 etc): https://community.netgear.com/t5/Orbi-WiFi-6-AX-and-WiFi-6E-AXE/bd-p/en-home-orbi-ax 

 

It will help if you mention

  • the specific Orbi model
  • whether you administer the Orbi using the web interface or the Orbi 'app'
  • if you have subscribed to one of the Parental Control features

Good Luck

Message 13 of 13
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