Looking for guidance on selecting a router that manages user access?
Looking for guidance on selecting a router that manages user access?
Hi, I’m planning to connect my cabin to the internet using the Netgear LB1121 LTE modem. I want a separate router—something more than the standard combo device you call a router. My goal is to set daily limits on bandwidth and data usage for each user. I’m comfortable with Ubiquiti gear, but I need a dedicated AP that lets me configure caps per user.
My ideal configuration would look like this:
- A default user gets capped until I manually change their MAC address to unlimited. Only a few devices should stay under the cap.
- Other users enjoy full speed (around 40 Mbps) until they reach a daily limit, say 300 MB. Once that’s hit, their connection slows to about 1 Mbps and blocks streaming sites for the day.
- Every night at midnight, the throttling resets, giving everyone back full speed for another 300 MB.
- Ideally, some hours each day should have complete disconnection so capped users can’t access it.
I also want limited-time restrictions—maybe the network automatically disconnects after an hour or two of use. This would prevent people from just showing up to grab a spot without paying attention.
Since we have a monthly LTE cap, I don’t want outsiders exceeding our limit. A hidden network might work, but if people discover it, we’d lose it. I’m open to ideas or hardware suggestions to make this system more reliable! Let me know your thoughts!
You need a router with Quality Of Service capabilities. Not every home router comes with this feature turned on. Using QOS lets you set bandwidth limits for each device or IP address. This means you're aiming for more sophisticated networking, so I recommend choosing a model that supports OpenWRT, DD-WRT, or a custom ROM. Check out https://openwrt.org and ask the community—they might have a solution for your needs.