Help! Is there a limit to number of wireless devices defined in the FIOS router?
nitrohawk
Enthusiast - Level 1

My current settings:

I have an Actiontec MI242WR router at home for my FIOS Internet/TV connections.  Security setting in the router is set to WPA2 and SSID broadcast is set to 'Disabled'. We've had this router for a number of years and everything seems to work fine.

My issue:

Currently, I have 10 wireless devices defined in the router, set to be the only devices accepted by the router. they are all normal devices such as laptops, printers, smartphones, etc, defined through menus (Wireless settings/Advanced security settings/wireless MAC authentication).


They all work fine but it seems when I add a new wireless device, it drops one of the previously defined devices from the list. Can't remember if drops the last or the first one previously defined. I'm trying to add about three or four more wireless devices to the list but can't afford to drop any of the other ones. Is this a limitation of this router? Am I doing something wrong? Do I need to buy my own router to replace it with? Thanks for your help in advance

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Correct answers
Re: Help! Is there a limit to number of wireless devices defined in the FIOS router?
Anti-Phish1
Master - Level 1

nitrohawk wrote:

By 'MAC Address Filtering' do you mean using 'Wireless MAC Authentication' screen


Yes.


nitrohawk wrote:

Are you saying that this setup is not effective/useless and is the reason why I can only put in 10 MAC addresses on the screen? 


Yes, I am saying MAC address filtering is ineffective since MAC addresses are transmitted in the clear and are easily sniffed/spoofed.


nitrohawk wrote:

Should I then just turn it off ?


Yes.  Your best security is to use WPA2 with a strong passphrase.

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Re: Help! Is there a limit to number of wireless devices defined in the FIOS router?
dslr595148
Community Leader
Community Leader

#1 With MAC Address filtering there are the following problems/issues:

a) Regardless of the type of encryption (Wireless encryption types include WEP, WPA, WPA2) MAC Address(es) are always sent in the clear!

b) Not only it is possible to spoof/clone a MAC address in a NAT router..

For example as noted as shown at http://ui.linksys.com/files/WRT54G/v8/8.00.0/WanMAC.htm

..it is also possible to spoof/clone the MAC Address on a computer!

c) If an attacker user does not know how to spoof/clone a MAC address without encryption: While they can not use your network, they can see what you are doing!

#2 So just use the highest level of wireless encryption that all of your gear supports.

Re: Help! Is there a limit to number of wireless devices defined in the FIOS router?
Anti-Phish1
Master - Level 1

You don't indicate if you're using MAC address filtering for wireless.

However, from your description it seems you are.

There is a limit of 10 MAC addresses when using MAC address filtering.

There is no limit to the number of wireless devices if MAC address filtering is turned off.

As dslr595148 pointed out, MAC address filtering is worthless.

The six dumbest ways to secure a wireless LAN

Re: Help! Is there a limit to number of wireless devices defined in the FIOS router?
nitrohawk
Enthusiast - Level 1

dslr595148 and Anti-Phish,

By 'MAC Address Filtering' do you mean using 'Wireless MAC Authentication' screen on the router menu that you can get to by navigating through Wireless settings/Advanced security settings/wireless MAC authentication screens? If so, then yes, I have it turned on.  On that screen I have checked the box 'Enable Access List'.  I then entered a list of 10 MAC addresses that I wanted the router to allow wireless access.  My thinking was that this would prevent any unauthorized access to the network.

Are you saying that this setup is not effective/useless and is the reason why I can only put in 10 MAC addresses on the screen?  Should I then just turn it off and put in all the MAC addresses I need in excess of 10?

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Re: Help! Is there a limit to number of wireless devices defined in the FIOS router?
Anti-Phish1
Master - Level 1

nitrohawk wrote:

By 'MAC Address Filtering' do you mean using 'Wireless MAC Authentication' screen


Yes.


nitrohawk wrote:

Are you saying that this setup is not effective/useless and is the reason why I can only put in 10 MAC addresses on the screen? 


Yes, I am saying MAC address filtering is ineffective since MAC addresses are transmitted in the clear and are easily sniffed/spoofed.


nitrohawk wrote:

Should I then just turn it off ?


Yes.  Your best security is to use WPA2 with a strong passphrase.

Re: Help! Is there a limit to number of wireless devices defined in the FIOS router?
nitrohawk
Enthusiast - Level 1

Thanks Anti-Pish

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Re: Help! Is there a limit to number of wireless devices defined in the FIOS router?
nitrohawk
Enthusiast - Level 1

Anti-Phish,

Sorry, I hit the reply button to fast!  Thanks again.  You solved an issue I've been having for a long time.  I now can now add a number of additional wireless devices to the router.

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