Enable mac address filtering vs. Access restriction

What is the difference between enabling MAC address filtering and access restriction on my wireless router? I am curious if one is better than the other. Do they do the same thing?

"MAC address filtering" will permit (or deny) a computer to login to your wireless network, based on it's MAC address. For example, a person would input the MAC addresses of the three wireless computers they own, and permit only these three computers to access their wireless network. This setting would therefore prevent computers with other MAC addresses from connecting to your wireless network. This setting effects only wireless connections.
"Access restriction" is primarily used to restrict or deny Internet access to a computer that is already connected to your network. For example, you might want to permit your son's game computer to access the Internet only on Saturday and Sunday. This setting can effect both wired and wireless connections.
Be aware that either of these settings can be circumvented by those who are computer saavy. For example, a MAC address can be faked. So an intruder could gain access to your network this way, or your child could bypass the restrictions you placed on him.
If you want to keep intruders from accessing your wireless network, rather than using MAC address filtering, you should use WPA, or preferably WPA2 encryption, and a strong password.
Message Edited by toomanydonuts on 07-28-2007 12:36 AM

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WRT54G, v5, Cannot enable MAC address filtering - reverts to disable

I have a WRT54G version 5 with the latest firmware upgrade done several months ago. I recently moved my computer and for some reason the router reset back to factory defaults. I like to enable MAC filtering to ensure only my and my son's PC are on my wireless connection.
When clicking on "enable mac filtering" the browser sends the request to the router, and then on the browser refresh it returns it to "disabled". Likewise I cannot choose any kind of security setting - it is currently disabled and when I choose WPA, WEP or any other security protocol it reverts back.
There are *no* PCs currently in range of my wireless router as I have no yet moved my son's PC in range. Is this the reason why?

I have tried it using both Firefox 2.0 and Internet Explorer 7.0 with the same results...
I am using ZoneLabs freeware software firewall.Message Edited by fprintf on 02-01-200709:05 PM

Airport Express WiFi network MAC address filtering not working

I have an Airport Express WiFi network which I bought and installed new in 2011. Initially I enabled MAC address access control and populated a list. It was working perfectly, I know, because a niece visiting tried to connect her iPhone and could not until I added its MAC address to the allowed list. Now however, anyone can connect without being added to the list. I think I read somewhere that a recent firmware update permanently disabled MAC filtering in Airport Express, even when it was previously working? Can anyone enlighten me about what's going on here?

In a sense those are/were/should operate as two separate functions, which they did before recently.
They do operate as two separate functions.....but it all depends on how you have the default rule setup in Timed Access.
If the default rule in Timed Access is set to No Access.......then a wireless device cannot connect....even it has the password for the network.....unless it has been setup on the list of allowed devices in Timed Access.
I have checked this 3 times this evening to verify. It works as it always has, and as expected.
If the default rule in Timed Access is set to Unlimited, then any device can connect to the network if it has the password. Devices that are listed or specified in Timed Access will be allowed to connect at the specific times that have been set up for each device.
So, if you want to use the more traditional MAC Access Control settings, the default rule has to be set to No Access and then you must set up a rule for each device that you want to allow to connect to the network. Only devices on the Timed Access list will be allowed to connect to the network. Other devices will not be able to connect to the network....even if they have the correct password.
If a recent firmware update has changed things from what they have always been.....then I am not affected....and I should be if I am using the same firmware as others.

Time Capsule Set Up - SSID Broadcast and MAC Address filtering

How does one set up TC for MAC address filtering, and also to disable SSID broadcast? Apple store salesman assured me I could do both, but had no idea how. I can't find anything in the set up. I am used to looking at Linksys routers, so maybe it is buried somewhere.

Selecting only "Timed Access" doesn't really fully activate MAC Address filtering. Even you have that enabled any wireless client can join the network (provided they know the password, if you have any and the SSID, if disabled). You also need to do this:
In the AirPort Utility > Manual Setup > Access screen, the MAC address of the TC (defined as "default") is always listed. Select that and press "Edit" and on the next page, under ".... set the default network time limits" select No Access from the drop down list and then that will prevent computers that aren’t on the access control list from accessing the AirPort network. Is this what you wanted?
This is applicable to the new TC (I didn't have a old one, so can't comment) and it's undocumented. It took me hours to figure out. Hope this helps!!!

Set up MAC Address Filtering on WRT54G - now nothing connects

I set up MAC address filtering on the wireless router. Added 5 MAC addresses to the PERMITTED list, by selecting them from the available devices. Saved the changes. Now, none of the machines can connect to the access point. That includes the PC I use to log in and administer the access point. I connected the network cable directly to my PC to manage the router/access point. Still not able to connect. What happened? How do I get back in and turn that nonsense off. I know MAC Filtering is questionable wrt effectiveness, but I decide to try it.
Solved!
Go to Solution.

Reset the router back to defaults. Reconfigure it from scratch.

How to disable mac address filtering

Hello I have a macbook pro. I am using a Westell 7500 wireless router and my hp photosmart 110 printer stopped working, saying that "MAC address filtering may be enabled on your wirelss router". Not sure how to dissble this and/or why it all of a sudden was enabled. Printer had worked perfectly for 2 months previously since installation of new wireless router/internet in our home. Any help is appreciated!

You need to use AirPort Utility to change any of the AirPort Extreme's settings.
However, like Bob Timmons said I don't believe the tech really knows what he is after, and is lost in the weeds regarding MAC Address Filtering.
Perhaps you can ask for another technician who understands you are using an AirPort Extreme. Your Roku box should not require so much effort to configure.
Have you read these instructions?
http://support.roku.com/entries/244199-how-do-i-set-up-my-roku-player
I don't have a Roku but it seems very similar to my Blu-Ray player. Account registration and setup is performed on a computer by going to the address www.roku.com/link in Step 6.
It should not be necessary to change anything at all with your AirPort. Just make sure the Roku is within its wireless range.

Mac Address Filtering

I have 1252 autonomous APs acting as non-root bridges and 1242 autonomous aps connecting to the 1252s. I wish to lock down which 1242 access point can associated to which 1252 access point. I don't want the 1242s to roam.
Any suggestions on how to config this?

Here is the URl for the configuration for the AP Mac address filtering follow the configuration guide which will help you :
http://www.cisco.com/en/US/docs/wireless/access_point/1200/vxworks/configuration/guide/bkscgch5.html#wp1028504

Mac Address Filtering Issue with DI-624 router and HP D110 Wireless Printer

Just got the D110 Wireless Printer and cannot connect to the wireless router.
I have a D-Link DI-624 Air Plus Xtreme G 2.4GHz Wireless Router.
The error message that I'm recieving from the printer is that "Mac address filtering may be enabled on your wireless router. This can prevent your HP printer from connecting to your wireless network during setup....etc."
The D-Link is setup using WPA-PSK security. If I turn off all security than the wireless printer is able to connect. With WPA-PSK or even WEP enabled I cannot connect the printer to the wireless router. There is no connection to hardwire the printer and the router.
I've logged on to the router's admin and have confirmed several times that Mac filtering is turned off by going to Advanced > Filters > Mac Filters > and choosing Disabled Mac Filters. Where else is this setting? Why is the printer not able to connect?
Further, I check the logs on the router and it shows "Wireless PC Connected" and "Authentication Success" with a note that has the Mac Hardware Address matching the printer's mac hardware address on the Wireless Network Test Report. It would appear that the router is letting the Print in but that the printer is not able to communicate for some reason. It even shows under status > wireless that the printer is connected.
When i spoke to HP, they said to contact the router company and that they could not help. When I called D-Link they said tech support is no longer available for the model. I'm stuck, can anybody help?
This question was solved.
View Solution.

Windows XP, tried both the front of the printer as well as connecting via USB and using the software.
After a few hours on the phone with both D-Link and HP, the issue has been resolved.
Apparently eventhough Mac Filtering was disabled (set to Disabled MAC Filters), the Mac address had to be entered into the router to allow it while keeping the setting to Disabled Mac Filters. To me it appeared counter intuitive to enter the Mac address while it's set to Disabled Mac Filters so I did not try that before getting on the phone with HP. Further on this, the problem did not go away right after adding the mac address but rather after restarting the router as the mac address addition did not take effect without a reboot of the device.
HP was much more helpful than D-Link on this one though it would be nice for HP to add to their instructions and Wireless Network Test Report to add the Mac address just in case. I would have tried that step if it was stated that it's okay to add the mac address and keep mac filters disabled.

Despite active MAC address filtering turned on, computers still connect!

I am noticing a very strange problem that I was hoping v5.7 would fix but it hasn't. I have MAC address filtering turned on, as I have a number of MAC addresses listed in my access control tab.
Despite this, macs and pc's are able to connect wirelessly to my Base Station without being listed. Has anyone else noticed this major flaw?
I used WPA2 for a bit, but it must have slowed my network down by 40% so I would certainly prefer to use MAC address filtering instead.
Perhaps I am doing something incorrectly?
Thanks in advance,
Scott
Macbook Pro 2.0ghz Mac OS X (10.4.6)

scotteeboy, Welcome to the discussion area!
I don't know why they were still able to connect but MAC address filtering is not a real security measure since it is easily defeated.
WPA2 shouldn't cut your bandwidth 40%. Did you try WPA? That is also very secure.

Mac address filters on the 2006 wireless controller

How many MAC address filters that can be configured on the cisco 2006 wireless controller database?
Is it 100?

I don't think there is any limitation on the number of MAC filters that can be configured on the Wireless LAN Controller. When you use MAC filtering for client or administrator authorization, you need to enable it at the wireless LAN level first.

Missing MAC addresses filtering in Linksys E2500 config

Hi,
I'm currently setting the MAC address filtering for my Linksys E2500 router.
I have about 20 devices which i'm allowing to access my router, so i keyed in the MAC addresses into the config page and save setting.
But only 16 addresses are registered, the rest refused to register no matter how many times i key in, it just reset back to 00:00:00:00:00:00 after i click on save setting.
Please help.
Thank you.

I am having exactly the same problem with the same device (E2500; Firmware Version 1.0.01).
For the first several days (less than a week after I upgraded from excellent by every measure WRT54GL) E2500 worked fine with twenty one MAC addresses in the list.
Yesterday I tried to add a twenty second MAC address, and the list went down to 16 items (the rest being zeroes) .
Now I am limited to 16 addresses in the list.
It looks like a firmware bug to me.

How to remove MAC-address filtering? Where? Officejet 4632+HP15 notebook + Huawei 4G

I can't connect wirelessly my new Officejet 4632 printer to my HP15-g041sa (win 8.1) notebook.
Printer can not connect to Wi-Fi router (Huawei E3276 4G Sonera modem in use).
How can I get MAC address filtering off from my system (which can cause this problem)?
Where to go to find the place to get off MAC address filtering?
I got some advice: "Remove the MAC address from the router's access list."
But where is this place to remove... In my laptop, somewhere?
Help would be greatly appreciated.

Hello there! Welcome to the forums @Ysi9
To change your Mac address filtering, you would need to access your router settings. If you're unsure about how to do this, I would personally suggest contacting your routers manufacturer for assistance.
I hope that helps you!
Happy Monday
R a i n b o w 7000I work on behalf of HP
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SSID broadcast & MAC address filtering

Have just replaced my elderly Belkin 54G router with a Homehub 3. My network still has some kit where WSP security won't work, so I've always disabled SSID broadcast and used MAC address filtering as well as the obvious password access control. Can't see how to do either of these with Homehub 3. Anyone found the solution? RPH

downfall with BT homehub 3, there is no way so disable SSID Broadcasting this should be a feature to be added within the next firmware update
Kind Regards, Bert

Telstra Gateway max - mac address filtering no longer available

My router received firmware update 2 days ago.
I cannot see anywhere in the config where i can apply mac address filtering.
This is a key security feature that i used and was available in the previous firmware.
Why was it removed and how can i get it back

MPCSM After seeing that this update has apparently failed to fix DHCP reservations, which was reported months ago, and has also now removed the Wireless Card Access List functionality (MAC filtering) I'm very glad I chose some time ago to bridge my C6300BD and put a decent router behind it. It is always extremely risky to remove features in either software or firmware that is in use by clients, because there might be some who are using that feature. When it is an important security feature like MAC filtering, there would almost certainly be clients who depend on it. Telstra appears to have completely ignored this.
The only published detail I could find about what this update was intended to do made no mention that it would remove MAC filtering, and for those who were using this function, and now can't, it is probably sufficient grounds to request and be given a refund.

Cisco wlc2504 mac address filtering

I am using a wlc2504 software version 7.4.100.0. I use MAC filtering for wireless device to connect to our wi-fi. Currently I have about 249 saved MAC address that can access the wi-fi. About once a week, the controller looses or forgets 3-5 MAC addresses, thereby devices looses connectivity to wi-fi. Is there a limit to number of MAC address configured to be saved? What is causing this? What can I do to prevent this from happening? Thanks.

MAC Address Filter (MAC Authentication) on WLCs
When you create a MAC address filter on WLCs, users are granted or denied access to the WLAN network based on the MAC address of the client they use.
There are two types of MAC authentication that are supported on WLCs:
Local MAC authentication
MAC authentication using a RADIUS server
With local MAC authentication, user MAC addresses are stored in a database on the WLC. When a user tries to access the WLAN that is configured for MAC filtering, the client MAC address is validated against the local database on the WLC, and the client is granted access to the WLAN if the authentication is successful.
By default, the WLC local database supports up to 512 user entries.
The local user database is limited to a maximum of 2048 entries. The local database stores entries for these items:
Local management users, which includes lobby ambassadors
Local network users, which includes guest users
MAC filter entries
Exclusion list entries
Access point authorization list entries
Together, all of these types of users cannot exceed the configured database size.
In order to increase the local database, use this command from the CLI:
<Cisco Controller>config database size ?
<count> Enter the maximum number of entries (512-2048)
http://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/support/docs/wireless-mobility/wlan-security/91901-mac-filters-wlcs-config.html

Enable mac address filtering vs. Access restriction

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