That may have cracked it ...

Had checked the MAC for an iPad earlier - nothing like it. But yes, they use "private MAC addresses" and don't identify the device type to te network either. The Router can tell me what brand of phone, laptop, alram system &c, but this one "nothing"

Now turned OFF

My SH2 device screen is littered with unknown_macaddress entries.

I came across this when assigning a meaningful name to each device. After a few days, I saw unknown and then traced it to the 5 Apple devices

Glad to have helped instead of asking for help

In reply to a post by MHC:

Had checked the MAC for an iPad earlier - nothing like it. But yes, they use "private MAC addresses" and don't identify the device type to te network either. The Router can tell me what brand of phone, laptop, alram system &c, but this one "nothing"

Exactly, I have various DHCP servers here, and when "private" mode is on, you can't tell which Apple device it is. Fing box and even general linux dhcpd doesn't even get sent the device name. Great for using public WiFi hotspots, but irritating at home.

It makes this sort of tool, or equivalent parental controls, almost painfully useless:
https://www.fing.com/products/fingbox

Thanks,

That was next on my list to try, I had found an old WAP to use. But as you have seen above, finally solved as an errant iPad !

Yep, thanks.

As I mentioned, it is in the home of an elderly man, who is 95 and very frail.

I had a "random" connection which turned out to be a smart meter. No idea if that may be what you are looking for,

In reply to a post by Rhynchelma:

I had a "random" connection which turned out to be a smart meter. No idea if that may be what you are looking for,

I thought they worked on a different system and could not be picked up by normal Wi-Fi.

In reply to a post by zyborg47:

I thought they worked on a different system and could not be picked up by normal Wi-Fi.

In Scotland the smart meter to engergy company uses a low freq network built specially. In england the smart meter to energy company is over mobile data (3G or 4G). The link from the meter to the "in home display" could be a WiFi connection but is unlikely to be given interference.

If smart meters connected to our internet WiFi routers there would be problem every time people swapped ISP and had a new router. The call centres would be overloaded. This is why they don't use your home WiFi.

In reply to a post by jchamier:

In Scotland the smart meter to engergy company uses a low freq network built specially. In england the smart meter to energy company is over mobile data (3G or 4G).

Only in the Southern England, I believe. In NE England, at least, they use Arqiva's purpose built Long Range RF network

The link from the meter to the "in home display" could be a WiFi connection but is unlikely to be given interference.

They use ZigBee for the HAN.

Edited by Davey_H (Sun 02-Jul-23 11:31:26)

In reply to a post by Davey_H:

Only in the Southern England, I believe. In NE England, at least, they use Arqiva's purpose built Long Range RF network.

I thought the boundary was very north, ie Newcastle just gets the dedicated network, and everything south is cellular ?

They use ZigBee for the HAN.

Thanks, that makes sense. Searching the DCC website shows they're using 2.4 GHz just like Philips Hue light bulbs or Hive thermostat. There is also a new 868 MHz low band for problematic areas.

Absolutely no way a Smart Meter item should show on a home router!

This very old page says Telefonica in the south, and Arqiva in the north but doesn't show the line...
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/award-of-smart-me...

I guess the Govt at the time realised cellular wouldn't work in the north with so many holes in coverage.

Edited by jchamier (Sun 02-Jul-23 11:41:35)