Router MAC filtering is a security measure that can save you more of a headache and prevent unwanted people from accessing your network. Its implementation through the router is very simple and you can protect your data from possible attacks.
Every day there are more devices that have MAC filter options, there are even cell phones that have this feature to control who they share their connection with. There are currently tools and applications that are used to crack the password of a network and access it.
This makes your network vulnerable, but MAC filtering allows you to have the control of connected devices. It is one of the best options for increasing network security and control.
What is MAC filtering?
To understand the concept, the first thing to know is that it is a MAC (Media Access Control), or address MAC is a unique identifier value assigned by a manufacturer to a network device, be it a network card or a mobile phone. The value of a MAC is usually alphanumeric and does not repeat.
The term should not be confused with the IP address. So long as the MAC address identifies the device, while the IP address is a logical value that is assigned to a device to be identified within the same network.
The router detects the MAC addresses of all devices connecting to the network and that's when MAC filtering comes into play. Knowing the MAC of all devices, it is possible to configure from the router which devices have access to the network.
It is possible to determine which devices can be connected to the network or to block others in particular. This is done through the implementation of the so-called blacklists and whitelists. You can allow the connection of all home devices and at the same time refuse the connection of unknown devices.
MAC filter configuration
As mentioned above, the configuration of the MAC filter it will be done through the router. Access the router configuration options from your browser.
The IP address for connecting to the router may vary depending on the device, network configuration or even the ISP contracted. Although the usual login address is 192.168.1.1. Log in with your username and password.
The default routers do not have MAC filtering enabled and therefore any device can access the network. When you create the configuration you have two options:
- A whitelist, which includes all devices that have access to the network. Only those on this list can access.
- A black list, where all the devices that do not have access to the network are inserted. You can connect any device except those in this list.
In the setup menu, identify the Wi-Fi or Wireless option. It is important to remember that the MAC filter works for devices connected to a network wirelessly. The option we have to select is the MAC filter or the MAC filter.
Once you get to this point, select the type of list you want to apply. If you want to implement blacklist or whitelist and the next thing is to enter the MAC addresses, one by one. It can be a tedious job, but it's a one-time setup.
Advantages of implementing the Wi-Fi filter
It represents a very safety barrier important that only an experienced user could jump to access the network. In case someone manages to crack the network password, they should be whitelisted to log in or not be blacklisted.
However, the possibility exists for a person to clone a network MAC address whitelisted via a sniffer or virtually masking your MAC address to bypass the filtering blacklist.
