Access Control blocking 1 device and unable to change to allow

[Gooner21]

Hi Guys

Just out of the blue, my work laptop is being blocked by Access Control on my Orbi router (RBR50)

I've tried both options of slecting the device and choosing "Allow"  and  clicking the radio button / edit / allow 

Both just revert straight away back to "Blocked"

Ive also tried diconnecting the device from the network, going to the bottom and removing all from the list (in the devices not connected) but as soon as it comes back it gets "blocked"

if i plug direct in the router its working fine so its only the 5G/Wireless" option that is being blocked

Only way to allow it to access the internet is to turn off access Control.......any fixes other than resetting the router back to factory setting and resetting up as I really dont want (or should have to) do this 

[Lumi_01 · Accepted solution]

This is an older thread, but hopefully will help someone. After several different approaches, I believe I've finally figured out this issue. Turns out, the older Genie software has an Allowed Device quantity limit, which includes both connected and unconnected devices. Once you reach that limit, the software will not Allow any other devices (ie, added to that list). Inane in today's age of wireless everything, but (almost) understandable when Genie was written.

The work-around solution is to clear out any outdated devices from your Unconnected listings - a list which simply grows and gets forgotten throughout the life of the router. Clear up 5 entries, gain 5 more entries for the Allow list. If you reach a point where you hit another "Blocked" device that can't flip over to "Allowed," you'll need to delete some more (hopefully) outdated devices. If you run out of Unconnected Devices to delete from the list and are still facing this issue, it's a sign that you need a newer router.

I've since swapped to a newer device that does not run on Genie. But, for those that might still need these routers, I hope this helps resolve the issue.

[ekhalil]

Are you using Parental Controls? Please check this in the Orbi app, you can't see this in the web GUI!

If parental control is active in the app then you need to use that to block or allow access.

[Gooner21]

No, I live on my own, have over 30 smart lights/google homes etc so never turned Parental controls on, this is the only device that keeps getting put on blocked list (despite changing to allow)

[ekhalil]

So when you open the Orbi app, on the start view, you don't see "Parental Controls" button?

[Gooner21]

No, def no parental controls on (or options visible when logged into router or using mobile app, I dont have Premium)

[ekhalil]

Ok, in the Orbi app, under Attached Devices, do you see a switch for each device to allow/disable access?

[Gooner21]

No, I can click on each device and see a Pause/play button but as mentioned the app is limited, Ive logged into the Router (on the work device and another laptop) and can definatley see that the device is working for wired "allow" and is red blocked for Wireless, no matter how many times I toggle allow it never changes to allowed, when the page refreshes its back to red "Blocked"

[CrimpOn]

Thanks for providing the screen shot.  In that picture, Access Control is not enabled. On my Orbi, I can make changes only when Access Control is enabled.  When I want to do things such as delete devices from the tables of "Devices that are..." I have to enable Access Control. Make the changes/deletions. Click Apply.  Then, Disable Access Control and Apply again.  (A tedious process.)

[Gooner21]

No as I mentioned previously, the only way I cant get this laptop to connect and work via wifi is to turn access control off (Which is why its off in the screen shot)

I have had it on, when I use both options to toggle it from blocked to allow, it defaults back immediately to blocked which is why I've posted this question

[ekhalil]

If you check the Access Control and also mark device and click Allow and then Apply. Then Unckeck the Access Control and click Apply.

Will this change anything?

[Gooner21]

Tried both options

Tried the check and Allow "and" clicking on the device, going to the next page and changing the drop down to "allow"

Both do not change once the page refreshes, the device is stuck on "BLOCKED"

Also, "If you check the Access Control and also mark device and click Allow and then Apply." cant be done, as soon as I check the device and click allow the page refreshes (can't then click apply)

[CrimpOn]

Sorry for being so "slow" today.  That Blocked device appears in the top table.

Unless I am mistaken, the top table is of devices that are currently connected to the system.

Can you please:

• Power off the TABLET
• Refresh the Access Control page until the TABLET moves to the very bottom table:
  "View list of blocked devices not currently connected to the network"
  Orbi's do not update status pages very quickly.  May take more than five minutes.
• Mark the device and Click Remove from the List

Does this make any sense?  Not really.  There are clearly marked boxes for "Allow" and "Block".  They should damn well work.  There is also a box for "Edit" which (on my router) brings up a drop-down menu with options for Allow and Block.  Have you tried Edit?

[Gooner21]

Yes I have done that, I actually have 2 Surface Pros (1 work 1 personal)

I've tried deleting all devices on the "not connected" list but as soon as it powers on I get the "this page is being blocked by access control" message for any website

I have a feeling no-one will know why this is happening and I will have no option than to factory reset and start again (and not knowing if this is just going to happen again as soon as I re-connect it)  😞 

[CrimpOn]

Are these Surface tablets configured to randomize MAC address or to use the hardware MAC address?

Can you force a similar issue with any other device?

[Gooner21]

Just stock standard like any laptop, I have been using both on this network since I set the Orbi's up about 7 or 8 months ago, its only started happening in the last week 

[ekhalil]

In my Orbi systems I have SPC (Smart Parental Control) active by default and I can’t find a way to disable it.
Basically if you Orbi is registered the you will have SPC activated and it’s up to you later to buy Premium services or just keep the basic SPC which is really just the simple Access Control (where you will just see list of all your devices (you will though see users instead of devices) and the option to allow internet or pause internet.
That makes me wondering why you don’t see SPC section in your Orbi app. Did you ever got a question whether you want activate SPC? Is you Orbi registered?
I believe the issue you’re seeing is related to a conflict between access control and SPC.

[Gooner21]

No I dont have Parental controls on,. That is only part of the Premium which I have never paid for

[csmba15]

same problem but in my case it blocs my roomba irobot. click the allow action does nothing. I can only use roomba if I disable access control .

if anyone found a solution, please post. netgear supports said to do factory reset.. haven't tried it yet and it is a pain . I am on the latest firmware

[bugwan]

Hi all, I have a solution that worked for me just now.

For most of today, four devices on my network randomly stopped accessing the internet. It took me ages to find out why and I finally found them all in the blocked devices list on my Orbi - RBR40, running latest firmware - V2.7.3.22.

Same as the OP, I couldn't remove the last device - it just kept coming back. So I ended up blocking another device (printer) on my network, then allowing the one that kept getting blocked. That worked. So I finally unblocked the printer and now everything is working again, without a factory reset. It's almost as if it 'needs' one on the block list and until it has another device added, the stuck one remains there...

Hopefully Orbi fixes this with an update, but for now this worked for me.

Good luck!

@csmba15 

[JohnnyHutt]

THANK YOU!! That got the original issue solved but now the newly blocked item is in the same boat as my old blocked item. So it helped. Kind of. Now I’m back with the same problem but for an older device that I don’t really use. So it’s a workaround but not ideal. This whole access control thing really needs to be resolved by these companies.

[Lumi_01 · Accepted solution]

This is an older thread, but hopefully will help someone. After several different approaches, I believe I've finally figured out this issue. Turns out, the older Genie software has an Allowed Device quantity limit, which includes both connected and unconnected devices. Once you reach that limit, the software will not Allow any other devices (ie, added to that list). Inane in today's age of wireless everything, but (almost) understandable when Genie was written.

The work-around solution is to clear out any outdated devices from your Unconnected listings - a list which simply grows and gets forgotten throughout the life of the router. Clear up 5 entries, gain 5 more entries for the Allow list. If you reach a point where you hit another "Blocked" device that can't flip over to "Allowed," you'll need to delete some more (hopefully) outdated devices. If you run out of Unconnected Devices to delete from the list and are still facing this issue, it's a sign that you need a newer router.

I've since swapped to a newer device that does not run on Genie. But, for those that might still need these routers, I hope this helps resolve the issue.

[LAKingsGeek]

I have this same problem with a RBT750 that I bought for my mother. When i first set it up I did not realize Access Control was turned on and right off the bat her MBP and Vizio TV were blocked. Considering these were among the first 3 devices connected to the router it seems unlikely that this is caused by some old legacy limit on devices allowed by the genie software.

I was able to turn Access Control off but about a month later i got panicked messages from my mom that she couldn't watch her Prime shows or connect to the internet. I assume a firmware update turned it back on. I tried allowing the devices under Access Control but they were immediately blocked again. Even turning off Access Control didn't seem to work at first but I eventually got it working after trying a few times.

This is unacceptable behavior for a router that's supposed to be easy to set up and use with the App. The fact that I can't control Access Control within the app is even more annoying. My elderly mother isn't going to understand how to use the web interface.

Has there been any official response for this issue from Netgear? It seems like this has been a problem for years. I'm not sure if I'll be able to return it so I might have to sell it and take a hit.