Security using white list does not work
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(Serial Number 2209L6006398, purchased February 2021 from Amazon)
For the past year, this router has worked correctly and reliably on Spectrum cable 400Mbps service. But over many years (cable since 1998) I have used the "MAC address validation" feature in routers as a Whitelist, or automatic password, to block unwelcome logins in my urban environment with restaurants that are within walking and wifi distance.
The Archer A7 manual calls MAC address validation a "Whitelist", but I have not been able to make it work on the Archer A7. I set up the router assuming Whitelisting worked, but then none of my devices could get access! I could see from another table that the devices were trying to access the router but were being blocked. When I turned off Whitelisting, all of them got access, and all have continued to work. I tried re-entering a couple of the MAC addresses as an experiment; the devices still didn't get through if Whitelisting was enabled but did when it was disabled. I have never used the Blacklisting feature.
Is it known already by other users or by TP-Link that Whitelisting fails? Is anyone using it successfully? I have not tried doing a firmware upgrade because of the risk of turning my router into a brick. It is unfortunate that there is no way to upgrade the Archer A7 firmware except live online. I'd feel more confident if I could download the firmware using my computer, compare a CRC check of the firmware to a number on the website, then put the firmware on a USB flash drive and install it from my computer or from the USB port of the Archer A7.
No, I am not mistaking Blacklisting for Whitelisting; the user interface on the Archer A7 is clear and straightforward.
I am not sure the "Hardware Version" and "Firmware Version" above are correct--there is only one note on my paperwork, which says "Ver 5.8". The router is physically mounted up high where it is not easy to get that information from the back panel. I wrote down the serial number above when I got it and am sure that is valid.
--EngrLee
