MAC Filtering BT2700HGV

[NACIT]

I have enabled MAC address filtering on this router but have noticed recently that new Lap-Tops can connect to the network and access Internet even if they are specifically blocked. On other routers MAC address filtering blocks access even if WPA and WEP security is turned off. Is there a fix to this or does anyone know how to make it work?

[rainbowarrior]

as per 2700 official documentation
(PDF file )
http://business.bt.com/pdf/BT_Business_Hub_tech_spec.pdf

mac address filtering takes place on wireless clients too. If it is not , could be a firmware issue . Try a factory reset .

Message Edited by James on 11-05-2009 11:02 AM

[NACIT]

Not sure I understand your first sentence ref MAC filtering on wireless clients?

[rainbowarrior]

errr..sorry my apologies.

example - you are connecting 3 pcs (wr1 ,wr2 wrn)by wire to the router and about 5 by wireless(W1,W2,Wn) , mac address filtering in some routers can only restrict the wired pcs and some like Linksys filter MAC address on the wirless pcs (W1,W2,Wn) only.
Yet other brands like belkin applies mac address filter to all pcs irrespective whether they are connected by wire or wirless.

Now as far as official documentation is concerned , 2700 MAC filter restricts the PCs connected wirelessly. If it is not doing so ; chances are that it needs a factory reset or we are missing some hitherto unknown setting ...

[NACIT]

Thanks for expanding. I did look for a firmware upgrade a while back but it said I was at the latest level. The MAC address filtering is on and I can still use a Lap-Top running Vista to connect without adding it's MAC address to the list and there are still machines that actually appear as 'blocked' and yet they still connect.

Have tried BT but they referred me to a technical support line that cuts me off and gave me an e-mail address that came back as not found, so I will probably look at an alternative hub/router as I have done for the other small businesses I support. May try a factory reset but trying to avoid this as I have internal and external fixed IP address that will need setting up again for servers and printers!

[rainbowarrior]

i dunno why you have had a problem reaching tech support. the actual number is

0845 600 7020  as per bt website. and they are pretty quick to diagnose the issue.

an online support form is also available.

Contact BT Business

is there a way to back up your setting from the router ?

Message Edited by Anna on 04-02-2009 12:19 PM

[NACIT]

Yep that's the number...two times cut off and 3rd time said ring back later. You must have been lucky...

Anyway finally got through to BT today and eventually got through to someone in the Ethernet department who said that they are waiting for

a firmware upgrade from 2wire.

I asked if there were any problems logged against that model or if the firmware had a fix in it. BT don't know and said that I can not

check myself with 2Wire. So I may get a firmware upgrade and it may fix the problem... but then a factory reset might and how do I know that it

will not stop working again unless the manufacturers confirm that the firmware fixes a problem. I will give it until friday before I go out and

purchase another manufacturers router...  

[rainbowarrior]

Oh .

neways  i also remember that one of the posts on BT business broadband office site mentions tech support number changed to unified 154 (free from BT phones).

[deborah_UCF]

Hello

we are experiencing the same issue, have you got a solution yet?

[Alun]

Hi All,

We had this looked into. On initial testing it appeared that Mac filtering didn't work, even though devices were showing as being blocked. Going to Settings> Diagnostics> Resets and reset the wireless back to default settings and then enabled Mac filtering again… this seemed to resolve the problem, any new devices that connected weren't able to authenticate and automatically added to the blocked list; moving the device to Allowed then allows that device to authenticate and get web access. It appears on factory reset, the router displayed the same behaviour, this again was resolved by accessing the Resets section of Diagnostics and resetting the wireless to factory default… from there Mac filtering worked as it should.

Hope this helps,

Alun

BT Business Support Forum Moderator