TL-WR940N - is it possible to restrict access of wired connections but not wireless ones?

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TL-WR940N - is it possible to restrict access of wired connections but not wireless ones?

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TL-WR940N - is it possible to restrict access of wired connections but not wireless ones?
TL-WR940N - is it possible to restrict access of wired connections but not wireless ones?
2023-11-13 16:59:41 - last edited 2023-11-13 17:02:11
Model: TL-WR940N  
Hardware Version:
Firmware Version:

I have the TL-WR940N and I would like to let only one, known wired device (one MAC address) have internet access (i.e. have a whitelist), but then I'd like for any device to be able to connect to WiFi (as long as it knows the SSID & WiFi WPA Password). Is this possible?

 

If I turn on Access Control and set up a rule with the MAC address, it works perfectly for limiting access to only the device whose MAC address I put in the list - but it also affects WiFi connections (i.e. I can only access internet over WiFi if my device is on the list of approved MAC addresses).

 

I can set it up the opposite way to what I want - if I disable access control and set MAC filtering in the WiFi settings, then any device can connect to the internet over LAN wire but only authorized devices over WiFi.

 

How do I set it up so that any device can access internet through WiFi but only allowed devices can get internet access over wire/LAN?

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#1
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Re:TL-WR940N - is it possible to restrict access of wired connections but not wireless ones?
2023-11-14 00:07:01

  @LMF5000 

 

No, you can't restrict only wired connectons - there's no such granular control over the TL-WR940N LAN ports.

The "wireless MAC filtering" affects only wireless clients, but Aceess Control affects both wired/wireless clients.

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Re:TL-WR940N - is it possible to restrict access of wired connections but not wireless ones?
2023-11-14 00:11:55

  @terziyski 

Thanks for confirming - looks like I'm out of luck :(

 

Do you know the next-cheapest TP-link product that can perform such a function?

 

Alternatively, if I connect a wireless access point to this router and put the MAC address of the access point in the allowed devices list, would the access point be able to freely give internet access to any device over WiFi?

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Re:TL-WR940N - is it possible to restrict access of wired connections but not wireless ones?
2023-11-14 00:38:23 - last edited 2023-11-14 00:41:40

  @LMF5000 

 

Another WR940N or TL-WR841N in router mode would do the job - in this case you'll introduce double NAT in your network.

If these are in AP mode, they would transmit their clients' MAC address to your main WR940N - this scenario will avoid double NAT.

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Re:TL-WR940N - is it possible to restrict access of wired connections but not wireless ones?
2023-11-14 00:57:34

  @terziyski got it. So, if I have two routers set up like this:

 

Modem -> router 1 -> router 2

 

Router 1 in router mode, WiFi radio off, access control on, permitting only the MAC address of router 2 to gain access (plus any desired wired devices)

 

Router 2 in AP mode, no access control

 

Would devices connecting wirelessly to router 2 have internet access? I am assuming router 1 only sees the MAC of router 2 - not the addresses of the individual devices themselves?

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Re:TL-WR940N - is it possible to restrict access of wired connections but not wireless ones?
2023-11-14 01:02:38 - last edited 2023-11-14 01:03:26

  @LMF5000 

 

Yes, but Router 2 should be in "router mode" as well, so its wireless clients MAC addresses can't be seen by Router 1, i.e. Router 1 only sees the MAC of Router 2.

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Re:TL-WR940N - is it possible to restrict access of wired connections but not wireless ones?
2023-11-14 01:08:17
Oh, now I understand. In AP mode no NAT takes place so the MACs get passed through, in router mode they all get represented under the router address. All clear now, thanks!
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#7
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