If you’ve received a notification from Capti stating that we detected multiple MAC addresses on your service, it means our system is seeing more devices directly connected than allowed. We should only be seeing the WAN MAC address of your CPE (Customer Premises Equipment)—usually your router or modem.

1. Why Should Capti Only See One MAC Address?

Capti’s network should only detect the WAN MAC address of your CPE (router or modem). The router’s job is to manage all your devices and present a single MAC address to our network.

When multiple MAC addresses are visible, it usually means:

  • Devices are connected directly to the NTU (Network Termination Unit) instead of through the router.
  • The router is configured incorrectly, allowing devices to bypass its management.
  • Devices might be plugged into the wrong port (e.g., plugged into the NTU instead of your router).

2. Why Do We Limit MAC Addresses and What Issues Can This Cause?

To keep our network efficient and stable, Capti limits the number of MAC addresses that can be connected to a service. Here’s why:

  • Performance: Limiting MAC addresses helps prevent network congestion and ensures a consistent, high-quality connection for all customers.
  • Network Management: It makes it easier for us to troubleshoot and manage services when we know exactly what’s connected.

If our system detects multiple MAC addresses:

  • Devices May Fail to Connect: Extra devices may be blocked or disconnected if the MAC address limit is exceeded.
  • Intermittent Connectivity: You might experience unstable connections if the system is managing more devices than allowed.
  • Service Issues: Critical devices (e.g., your laptop or phone) might get kicked off the network when the limit is exceeded.

3. How to Troubleshoot and Fix the Issue

If you received a notification about multiple MAC addresses, follow these steps to fix the issue:

a) Make Sure Everything Connects Through Your Router

The most common cause is devices connecting directly to the NTU instead of the router. Make sure your setup looks like this:

  1. NTU Setup:
    • Connect the WAN/Internet port of your router to the NTU.
    • Do not connect any other devices directly to the NTU.
  2. Router Setup:
    • Connect all other devices (computers, smart devices, etc.) to your router’s LAN ports or via Wi-Fi. This ensures that the router handles all the traffic and shows only its MAC address to Capti’s network.

b) Check Your Router’s Configuration

If everything is plugged in correctly, but you’re still facing issues, your router might not be configured properly:

  1. Access Your Router’s Settings:
    • Open a web browser and enter your router’s IP address (e.g., 192.168.1.1 or 192.168.0.1).
    • Log in using your credentials (default is often admin/admin unless changed).
  2. Check the Device List:
    • Go to the Connected Devices or Client List section.
    • Make sure all devices are connected through the router and that no devices are bypassing it by connecting directly to the NTU.
  3. Restart Your Router:
    • Restart your router to refresh the connections and ensure it correctly shows only its WAN MAC address.

c) Make Sure Devices Are Plugged into the Correct Ports

Sometimes, devices may accidentally be plugged into the wrong ports:

  • NTU: The only thing connected to the NTU should be the WAN/Internet port of your router.
  • Router: All other devices should connect to your router’s LAN ports or via Wi-Fi. This setup keeps everything managed under one MAC address.

d) Reset Your Network If Needed

If you’ve checked everything and still encounter issues:

  1. Power Cycle:
    • Unplug the power from both the NTU and your router.
    • Wait 10 seconds, then plug the NTU back in and wait for it to fully power up.
    • Plug your router back in and let it reconnect.

This will refresh your network setup and help reset any misconfigured settings.

4. Still Having Trouble? Contact Capti Support

If you’ve followed these steps and are still having issues with multiple MAC addresses being detected, reach out to Capti’s support team. Let them know you’ve checked your connections and router settings so they can provide further assistance.

By ensuring that your setup only shows the WAN MAC address of your router, you’ll maintain a stable connection and avoid any service disruptions.