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MyBT App and Smart Hub 2-Unknown Device

PilgrimsFan — Mon, 21 Dec 2020 10:26:43 GMT

I have just installed a Smart Hub 2 and have the MyBT App on iPhone & iPad. I have a problem:

The MyBT app, on both iPhone& iPad, shows an additional ‘Unknown’ device accessing my hub, which cannot be seen on either the web interface or by the BT Faults team. This ‘device’ strangely has no IP Address (just showing ‘NULL’) and has reconnected itself despite my having changed the router wireless key and deleted the device after the router reboot (when it was shown as not connected). It therefore suggests it is either something connecting via the web or maybe something on another connected device such as the MyBT app itself. Its MAC address type is ’Universal’ i.e. the same as Ethernet connected devices.

The BT Broadband Faults team could neither answer my questions nor pass me to someone who could. Instead they told me to raise the issue via a review on the app store!!! I did that but the developer response was to ring 150 or ask on this forum.🥴. I need to either identify it as ‘friendly’ or block it. Can anyone help?

Re: MyBT App and Smart Hub 2-Unknown Device

gg30340 — Mon, 21 Dec 2020 10:30:51 GMT

Do you have Power Line adaptors or wireless extenders or a Smart TV? If so it could be that.

Re: MyBT App and Smart Hub 2-Unknown Device

PilgrimsFan — Mon, 21 Dec 2020 11:06:05 GMT

Thanks, but no. After changing the key I have one at a time reconnected & identified all my wifi devices and only have 1 ethernet connected device (hive hub). Also they would show on the web interface and to the BT Faults team, the rogue device only shows up on the App.

Re: MyBT App and Smart Hub 2-Unknown Device

gg30340 — Mon, 21 Dec 2020 12:37:13 GMT

Try blocking it and see what if anything stops working. If you then identify it you can decide to unblock it if required.

Re: MyBT App and Smart Hub 2-Unknown Device

Anonymous — Mon, 21 Dec 2020 12:43:17 GMT

Do you have any iOS14 devices? if so that's the answer

https://support.apple.com/en-gb/HT211227

Re: MyBT App and Smart Hub 2-Unknown Device

gg30340 — Mon, 21 Dec 2020 12:58:38 GMT

The iOS14 is still using a MAC address: - "This unique, static MAC address is your device's private Wi-Fi address for that network only." so should still show up on the network.

Re: MyBT App and Smart Hub 2-Unknown Device

Anonymous — Mon, 21 Dec 2020 13:07:53 GMT

@gg30340

iOS14 generates a psuedo random MAC address that does not identify to the device that created it.

Ther have been several posts on this forum from others with the same problem and even an announcement from a mod explaining it

Re: MyBT App and Smart Hub 2-Unknown Device

gg30340 — Mon, 21 Dec 2020 13:23:04 GMT

I understand that but it is still generating a random MAC address where as the Op has stated "Its MAC address type is ’Universal’ i.e. the same as Ethernet connected devices."

EDIT:

The message from the moderator is here

Private Address-MAC Randomisation (IOS14) Apple de... - BT Community

Re: MyBT App and Smart Hub 2-Unknown Device

PilgrimsFan — Mon, 21 Dec 2020 14:05:53 GMT

Try blocking it and see what if anything stops working. If you then identify it you can decide to unblock it if required.

I blocked it for 24 hrs, but it remains connected and nothing seems to be impacted.

Re: MyBT App and Smart Hub 2-Unknown Device

PilgrimsFan — Mon, 21 Dec 2020 14:20:50 GMT

I agree with gg30340, as I have identified the MAC Addresses for all 4 iOS 14 devices in the house. These show as normal on the web interface, the ‘ rogue ’ device only shows on the MyBT App list of devices. I did wonder though whether iOS 14 was able to create a pseudo Address for the MyBT app or something else on one of my devices. The blocking only seems to stop devices accessing the internet, it does not block them accessing the router itself, not like the old MAC Address access control. Anyway, if it was just iOS 14 device MAC addresses, then there should surely be 4 of them, i.e. one for each device.

Thanks for all the suggestions, keep them coming.

Re: MyBT App and Smart Hub 2-Unknown Device

Anonymous — Mon, 21 Dec 2020 15:05:46 GMT

There's an easy way to settle it providing you have a device which will run the MyBT app and is not operating on iOS14.

Simply Switch all iOS 14 devices off, factory reset your hub and switch your iOS devices back on one at a time while monitoring on the app

Edit: Or alternatively, turn mac randomization off on all iOS14 devices and factory reset the hub.

https://btbusiness.custhelp.com/ci/fattach/get/223692/1232386784/redirect/1/filename/BT_Studio_3100_User_Guide.pdf

Re: MyBT App and Smart Hub 2-Unknown Device

PilgrimsFan — Wed, 23 Dec 2020 15:09:41 GMT

Hi All

Thanks for all the suggestions, it turned out to be a second Mac address for the Main Sky Q box , but why it was only showing on the My BT app and not the web interface I don’t know, and BT Faults cut me off three times when I rang to ask and they started investigating. They haven’t rung back yet!.

It appears that Sky Q boxes have at least 4 MAC Addresses each, one that doesn’t appear in the on screen info, but is the one that connects to the BT hub, plus one each for 2.4Ghz, 5Ghz and Ethernet. The 2.4 Ghz address is the one that seems to back door into the hub and can only be seen on the app.

I can confirm that iOS 14 private addresses will, if switched off then on (or vice versa), show two MAC Addresses on the hub, but only one will be connected at any one time. It also shows the device name against both, so you know what it is.

The mismatch between the app and the web interface seems to work (or rather not work!) in both directions, as I now have a device showing on the web, but not the app! Watch this space,,

Re: MyBT App and Smart Hub 2-Unknown Device

BAFlyer — Wed, 23 Dec 2020 20:34:13 GMT

The odd MAC address is a virtual network bridge used by the Sky Q box to get IP addresses for Mini boxes connected to the Sky Q 5 Ghz mesh network. It doesn’t appear on the hub web page as no IP address is associated with it, but clearly the App registers its transient connections. An Internet search “Sky Q Virtual MAC address” will give you more information if you’re interested but Sky don’t publish any detailed information abut this.