Create Machine Address Filter List on a Home Router
This is a guide on how to create a Mac address filter list on your home router so that other people will not be able to use your Internet connection unless you grant them access rights. In order to create a Mac filter list on your wireless router, you will need to access the router's web-based configuration utility. All modern routers from major manufacturers since 802.11b will have s similar configuration tool.
Contents
Steps
- Click Start on your task bar.
- Select Run.
- Type in Template:Code. (This brings you to the command prompt). After running cmd, a window will pop out with black background and white words.
- Type in Template:Code for Windows XP/2000, or Template:Code for Windows 9x/Me, then press enter. The first box in red is the mac address which we are going to need later.
- Take note of the Default Gateway which is also in the red box.It should consist of various numbers.
- Open any Internet browser, such as Firefox, Internet Explorer, Opera, or Safari.
- Type in the numbers you see on the same row as the words Default Gateway then hit enter. In this example it is Template:Code (Linksys), but some routers may use Template:Code (ZyXel), or Template:Code (D-Link). Once you hit enter you will be prompted for a username and password.
- Enter the username and password. If you have not entered your wireless router interface before, the default username and password would be Template:Code for DD-WRT. For Linksys, the username is blank, but the password is Template:Code.
- Click on the Wireless tab then the Mac Filter sub tab
- Select the Enable radio button and then select Permit only PCs listed to access the wireless network.
- Select Mac Filter List. You will see something similar to this but the boxes are empty for you to fill in. You do not have to fill in every single box.
- Check you Mac address (refer to step 1 to step 4), except instead of looking at you Default Gateway, you'll need to look at the Physical Address.
- Enter the Physical address into the list and scroll to the bottom to select save settings. Congratulations! You have enabled security on your wireless router so that other people will not be able to access it. No more lag and high latency for wireless internet gaming.
Tips
- In step 4 you will see two interfaces. Ethernet Local Connection and Ethernet Wireless Connection. In this guide we are dealing with wireless so you should look under Ethernet Wireless Connection.
- Explore your wireless router's configuration, and learn more about network security features such as port blocking.
Warnings
- The screen shots shown above are from the open source firmware DD-WRT for a Linksys router. There are many different web-based configuration clients, however, most of the commands are the same, if not similar.
