Question

W130 QoS/Device Priority list

  • 22 February 2023
  • 2 replies
  • 81 views

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I have a “Plus W130” and I can access the Surfboard app just fine.  My network is set up fine.

 

But for the life of me.  I can’t figure out this Device Priority settings menu.

Once I tap on Add Device, I see a list of … things and it wont let me scroll at all.  I’ve discovered that I have to just keep attempting to scroll and on the .. 12th or 20th time I try, it might respond and then scroll down a little bit, stop again, then I’ll have to repeat the process.   That’s annoying, but I can deal with it now that I know it will .. some times work.

 

What I CAN’T deal with:

…. why in the WORLD are there devices listed as “Device”???  What is this?  Device?  What does that tell me about what I’m trying to prioritize?

 

NONE of these entries even match what I have listed in my devices menu.  I have computers and laptops set up with their own unique names and I can verify their IP addresses and make sure all of that information is correct - but when I go into the Device Priority Settings and attempt to Add a Device - All I see are icons of smart phones, some things listed like my printer or TVs or even smart phones - BUT NOT A SINGLE COMPUTER NAME AT ALL?!

 

I’m guessing that’s what these “Device”s are.  I can see four of them listed.  I have no idea what DEVICE means.  There is NO WAY (that I am aware of, please help) to check the IP or MAC address of these devices in the Device Priority Settings so I can’t even verify I’m editing the correct “DEVICE”.  I have 4 computers wired in with Ethernet cables, which “DEVICE” is the computer I want to prioritize?? This is maddening.  I don’t understand the insistence in using this phone app with these bare bones features.  I understand you want this to be EASY for the “common person” to use and set up and you know what, it more or less is - but give us users who are slightly more advanced the OPPORTUNITY to actually CHANGE some of these settings without arbitrarily refusing access because you .. what?  Just don’t want to grant them?  I can’t even view any kind of IP traffic information!  What is this?!

 

I paid so much money for this “Plus” version and I can’t even do anything with it other than turn it on, shrug and just hope its working and nothing bad is happening on my network.   Because I have absolutely no way of verifying it.  I bought this mesh system, along with a satellite AND modem - all for Arris - because I loved your modems so much.  This makes me feel like I was a fool for not looking into what kind of settings I would even have access to.  Silly me thinking I’d have access to BASIC firewall and router settings that have been in place for DECADES.  I had an ASUS router that would let me change ANYTHING I wanted.  I could even HIDE my SSID!!! What a BIZZAR CONCEPT!! I don’t even see a way to restrict MAC filtering access.  This is seriously making me reconsider any future Arris purchases in the future.

 

Anyway.  Is there anyway to figure out what “Device” I am attempting to prioritize or not?

 

I feel like I already know the answer.


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2 replies

Userlevel 6
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I can’t speak to the quality of the app as I’m just a random from the community, but I can talk a little bit about the “device” issue. 

Problem is that android/apple both moved to having a default option for “security” that allows random mac/ip address. The router uses the mac address to identify the device. When they’re using random one’s, it creates issues with identification. Its not just arris that is having issues with this but multiple manufacturers because how do you ID something that’s randomly generating its own mac address. 

 

(and hiding your ssid is not beneficial, its not hard to scan for an ssid and only hurts a network as some devices struggle with a hidden ssid)

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That’s great and all, but the issue is that “Device” refers to my computers.  I assume.  Because those aren’t in the list anywhere.

 

My entire family's phones actually appear on this list just fine.

 

I’ve never once owned a router that I couldn’t tell what device I was applying QoS to, at the bare minimum, there should be an IP address listed under each entry.  Or swipe to the right to see more info or frickin something.