RT-AC68U Wireless MAC Filter

[oturn]

Starting with 3.0.0.4.378.3813, ASUS removed per-band wireless MAC filtering, replacing it with a single filtering list. Does Asuswrt-Merlin follow the lead of ASUS, or is per-band filtering still present?

 

[john9527]

Follows the ASUS release.....single list.

 

[oturn]

Curious as to the reasoning behind this. I found filtering per wireless band very convenient. Why remove this feature?

 

[john9527]

Curious as to the reasoning behind this. I found filtering per wireless band very convenient. Why remove this feature?

I don't think anyone knows for sure, but I remember Merlin saying in another post that it definitely was deliberate and required code to change. My speculation for what it's worth....it was causing problems with the Quantenna drivers in the AC87 or became unmanageable with the tri-band AC3200 and they wanted to keep a common code base.

 

[Burt W]

Does Merlin have any plans to implement a method for per-band wireless MAC filtering again? I'm stuck on ASUS firmware 3.0.0.4.376_3626 because the feature is required for my network configuration. Help!

 

[L&LD]

I'm stuck on ASUS firmware 3.0.0.4.376_3626 because the feature is required for my network configuration. Help!

Not only are you leaving your network susceptible to potential security holes that have since been fixed, 'required for your network' also indicates that you are setting up your network wrong too.

 

[Burt W]

Not only are you leaving your network susceptible to potential security holes that have since been fixed, 'required for your network' also indicates that you are setting up your network wrong too.

I'm a little confused by your statement that I'm "setting up [my] network wrong." This implies that there is only *one* correct way to set up a wireless network. If that were the case, there would be no need for any options or settings; everyone would have the same configuration with no adjustments necessary.

In my case, I use per-band MAC filtering to force devices to connect to the band that I want them to use, but still allow both bands to operate with the same SSID. While this may not be the methodology that you find appropriate for *your* network, it does serve very specific purposes on *my* network. I understand that there are potential security holes from the older firmware, which is why I'm investigating options to upgrade to non-standard firmware such as Merlin. However, at this time, the per-band MAC filtering is proving to be a deal-breaker, and so I may investigate new hardware if I can't find a firmware fix in ASUS or Merlin.

Perhaps you'll consider not responding to threads in the future if you're not going to provide a constructive solution to the issue at hand.

 

[L&LD]

I'm a little confused by your statement that I'm "setting up [my] network wrong." This implies that there is only *one* correct way to set up a wireless network. If that were the case, there would be no need for any options or settings; everyone would have the same configuration with no adjustments necessary.

In my case, I use per-band MAC filtering to force devices to connect to the band that I want them to use, but still allow both bands to operate with the same SSID. While this may not be the methodology that you find appropriate for *your* network, it does serve very specific purposes on *my* network. I understand that there are potential security holes from the older firmware, which is why I'm investigating options to upgrade to non-standard firmware such as Merlin. However, at this time, the per-band MAC filtering is proving to be a deal-breaker, and so I may investigate new hardware if I can't find a firmware fix in ASUS or Merlin.

Perhaps you'll consider not responding to threads in the future if you're not going to provide a constructive solution to the issue at hand.

I think you assumption of what it implies is off base.

If you simply want one ssid and also want to direct what band a device will use; you're setting it up wrong, imo. Maybe not with the old firmware you're using, but without doubt in any firmware you should be running (as security patched as possible).

What I offered was constructive. Make of it what you will. But sticking to old firmware for arbitrary reasons like one ssid is what is the 'wrong' here, imo.

Btw, RMerlin's firmware is considered the standard here, even above Asus factory firmware (he fixes many bugs while offering more options to end users too).

 

[RMerlin]

Band-specific filtering was already added by Asus a few months ago.