How to Remove and Block Devices from Smart Hub 2

[mc48]

I want to remove an unknown device that is connected to my Smart Hub 2 and also block the MAC address from reconnecting.

The device has been connected for the majority of the day and reconnected after I changed the Hub password. The name that appears is: android-eb4ff5ad17ac5856. MAC address 00:E0:4C:F6:33:63. IP is DHCP, so, not useful. Search engine didn't find anything for either the full name, just the number sequence or the MAC address.

I've searched the internet and scoured this forum so want to address some common themes/questions that appear in these posts:

- I'm not discounting the likely scenario that this is a device within the home that I haven't been able to locate, but I've been looking for 16+hours and haven't located so don't want to continue.

- I know that simply disconnecting the device and blocking the MAC address isn't an effective security measure since devices can easily change their MAC address and reconnect. I still want to be able to remove the device.

- I have already reset the Hub and changed the password then monitored closely whilst reconnecting each device so it definitely isn't those devices. This mystery android connected shortly after.

- I've been on the Hub Manager advanced settings and was able to remove disconnected devices but that isn't possible for connected devices.

- I've been on the MyBT app but that just restricts connected devices' internet access. I don't want these unknown devices connected to the Hub at all.

- I've turned off WPS.

- Yes, some devices run iOS14, I've switched off the "private address" function. Same with relevant Samsung devices.

- Some articles mentioned various free apps but they all look sketchy and seems like it would more likely cause the issues I'm trying to prevent.

-Also seen the suggestion about buying a better router than the Hub. This isn't a helpful initial response since I want to try to work with what I have, before looking into other solutions that will cost more time/money/hassle.

- Why? Peace of mind mostly, as I said I know it's unlikely something malicious, but the chance is still there so why not just remove unknown devices when I notice them? That's the issue with the insufficient access controls, in addition to restricting internet access, I also don't want these mystery devices to have access to the other devices connected to the Hub.

TLDR: How do I remove a device from my Smart Hub 2 while it is connected?

[Keith_Beddoe]

@mc48 

Have you tried using access control to see if it blocks the device?

https://www.bt.com/help/broadband/manage-service/how-do-i-use-bt-access-controls--wi-fi-controls--

Apart from that, there is no other way.

Its probably something physically connected to your network via Ethernet. Many devices like set top boxes etc, use the Android OS, so try making sure everything is turned off.

The fact that changing wireless password makes no difference, means it has to be physically connected to the home hub, or perhaps via powerline adapters or some other form of extender.

The device list in the hub manager is not a reliable indication of whether a device is connected via wireless, Ethernet, or wireless extender.

[mc48]

Yes I've tried access controls, as I mentioned in my post, it only allows you to block a connected device from the internet, nothing about the connection to the hub. That link says the same, hence the "(wifi controls)".

There's only one ethernet cable plugged into the Hub and that device shows on the account manager page as ethernet not wireless. This mystery android shows as wireless and I'm inclined to believe it since I can't actually see any other wired connections.

We only have one BT disc extender but it's not plugged in because we want to test the difference with and without.

[licquorice]

Its a Realtek device

[Keith_Beddoe]

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@licquorice wrote:

Its a Realtek device

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As @licquorice  has said.

Its probably the network card in your computer.

From https://macvendors.com/

[mc48]

Would it be a Macbook or PC? Because there's just the one mystery android connected but we have two Macbooks in the house and two PCs I don't know the make of but think use Windows.

[mc48]

I've just done a search for network card infomation because I don't know what they are. Is it true that the MAC address cannot change since they are set during manufacture?

Because the mystery android with the MAC address I posted has now disconnected but the same name is reconnected with a new MAC address. And just 30 mins ago, both MAC address were connected at the same time and were both connected for at least a couple of hours.

[licquorice]

Just check either the IP address of the suspect devices or check the mac address of the network card in the suspect devices to see which it is.

[licquorice]

At the end of the day, I can guarantee it is one of your devices and is not a problem.

[mc48]

How do I check the MAC address of the network card? I'm using a Macbook 2017 and can only find the device MAC address.

So is it that only for some devices the network card will also show as connected?