Anyway to turn off this horrid Device Manager UI?

[rmnhsd]

I know someone probably spent a few hours trying to make the duma UI look cool or whatever but it is incredibly unhelpful to do so and then not test it before releasing it to the public.

 

Specifically I have a giant map of 50 devices in "Device Manager" page- not in any order, constantly moving around as they go on and offline, and as far as I can tell there is no way to just see their IP and MAC addresses in a simple list like we have been able to for over a decade now. So if I wanted to find a device by IP I would have to click on each of the 50 little circles and copy/paste each one to notepad after waiting for the little window to open and refresh, whilst using the scroll bars to move the map around (since it is not scalable or resizable in any way once youre in fullscreen mode) all while hoping none of the devices dont go offline which moves them to somewhere else on the page and re-orders the other sections' devices around. Oh and if you have more than a certain number of devices, they can literally block each-other from being selectable my the mouse

 

Please tell me I'm missing the list mode for the connected devices?

 

Also the Bandwidth Allocation wheel is nearly impossible to use when you have dozens of devices, and the accompanying list is completely useless when it is only listed by name and devices can share identical names. Clicking on one doesnt even show its MAC or IP?!? wow

 

As far as I can tell there is actually no benefit whatsoever to the visual UI over the traditional text/field/dropdown one. We are egregiously hindered by this nonsense and cannot even use a find command on page source because everything is hidden in a layer or two of scripting.

 

Any help here? 

[kamoj]

First - I don't have an XR500, but the similar R7800.
Since DUMA is an addon to the Netgear Firmware, maybe you can find the information in the Netgear GUI.

For the R7800 you can get the information via: Advanced: Security : Access Control

[Netduma Admin]

I know someone probably spent a few hours trying to make the duma UI look cool or whatever but it is incredibly unhelpful to do so and then not test it before releasing it to the public.

 

Specifically I have a giant map of 50 devices in "Device Manager" page- not in any order, constantly moving around as they go on and offline, and as far as I can tell there is no way to just see their IP and MAC addresses in a simple list like we have been able to for over a decade now. So if I wanted to find a device by IP I would have to click on each of the 50 little circles and copy/paste each one to notepad after waiting for the little window to open and refresh, whilst using the scroll bars to move the map around (since it is not scalable or resizable in any way once youre in fullscreen mode) all while hoping none of the devices dont go offline which moves them to somewhere else on the page and re-orders the other sections' devices around. Oh and if you have more than a certain number of devices, they can literally block each-other from being selectable my the mouse

 

Please tell me I'm missing the list mode for the connected devices?

 

Also the Bandwidth Allocation wheel is nearly impossible to use when you have dozens of devices, and the accompanying list is completely useless when it is only listed by name and devices can share identical names. Clicking on one doesnt even show its MAC or IP?!? wow

 

As far as I can tell there is actually no benefit whatsoever to the visual UI over the traditional text/field/dropdown one. We are egregiously hindered by this nonsense and cannot even use a find command on page source because everything is hidden in a layer or two of scripting.

 

Any help here? 

 

Hi there - thank you for your feedback. The Network Map was always envisaged to give an overview of your network and to dynamically update when devices came online / offline. So it's more focussed on real-time information.

 

Reading your use case, as a power user, is very helpful. We will definitely look into adding an option to switch both the Network Map and Bandwidth Allocation into a table / list and providing more information on Bandwidth Allocation when there are several similarly named devices. 

 

I appreciate that this doesn't resolve your usability issues right now, but user feedback is a big part of our roadmap so please let us know if you have any other feedback for us. This is just the first iteration of DumaOS and we have so many new features and improvements planned, which because the OS is fluid, we can do quickly.

[Guest Killhippie]

First - I don't have an XR500, but the similar R7800.

Since DUMA is an addon to the Netgear Firmware, maybe you can find the information in the Netgear GUI.

For the R7800 you can get the information via: Advanced: Security : Access Control

Hi kamoj the access control was never in the Netgear firmware in the same way as the R7800. DumaOS takes over things that Netgear used to do. It would be good if Netgear added that feature back but I think the idea is to let the Netduma guys control as much of that as possible and the Netgear firmware is just there to bind it all together. what is needed is a toggle from the dynamic map to the simple access control style table view.

[rmnhsd]

Ironically I just found that the closest thing to a proper list would be when you try to "add" a new device to DHCP address reservation (Settings > Setup > LAN Setup > Address Reservation), you actually do get an html list of IPs and MACs that can be pasted into excel and then sorted

 

However the device names do not necessarily resolve from the device manager page, instead sometimes showing up again as a multiple "unnamed" device. But hey, for someone who doesnt have a secondary router/AP from which to draw a device list, this is a workaround.

[Guest Killhippie]

Ironically I just found that the closest thing to a proper list would be when you try to "add" a new device to DHCP address reservation (Settings > Setup > LAN Setup > Address Reservation), you actually do get an html list of IPs and MACs that can be pasted into excel and then sorted

 

However the device names do not necessarily resolve from the device manager page, instead sometimes showing up again as a multiple "unnamed" device. But hey, for someone who doesnt have a secondary router/AP from which to draw a device list, this is a workaround.

You can name the devices in the device manager so they should show up as what you want them to be. I know its a bit messy when you have lots of devices but click on one you will have to check its Mac address against your DHCP list unless you know what the devices are by their IP unless ARP has passed the devices name on, then name each device press save and it's done.

[Netduma Jack]

Ironically I just found that the closest thing to a proper list would be when you try to "add" a new device to DHCP address reservation (Settings > Setup > LAN Setup > Address Reservation), you actually do get an html list of IPs and MACs that can be pasted into excel and then sorted

 

However the device names do not necessarily resolve from the device manager page, instead sometimes showing up again as a multiple "unnamed" device. But hey, for someone who doesnt have a secondary router/AP from which to draw a device list, this is a workaround.

 

Nice workaround! I work on a lot of the graphics for DumaOS we planned for a table view mode from the start. It's well-placed on our roadmap, and hopefully once it's implemented there'll be a neat table mode for Bandwidth Allocation as well. Unfortunately other tasks take priority, such as fixing router-breaking bugs etc. I believe table view modes will be created soon and this headache can be sorted out for people with smart-homes or lots of devices

[BeerOnTap]

I actually quite like the device manager.  I think it is a really unique and awesome view of the entire picture of my network.  I suppose those other options mentioned by OP would be good to add, however.  The more features the merrier! 

 

But while I'm at it, you guys really, really need to update and add to the device types.  Please add Set Top Boxes, Shield TV, Fire TV, Smart Watches, Smart Appliances, etc.

 

Again, you cannot add too much here.  The more the merrier.  

 

Will you all please consider this?

 

Edit: Also, Wii is the latest Nintendo Console available?

No Switch?  C'mon, you guys are a GAMING OS.

[Netduma Fraser]

Yes we will be adding much more device types! Nintendo Switch is in the next version

[DustoMan]

Sorry to be late to this thread but I've been wanting to post about the Device Manager for a couple days but couldn't get logged in to the forum.

 

I was thinking maybe a view toggle or a separate table showing Online and Offline devices would be helpful. My problem is that I paired my XR500 with a EX8000 mesh-extender. When a device hops over to the extender, it shows up in the device list under a virtual MAC address that it is assigned by the EX8000. Those devices show up as "unnamed devices" in the network map. It makes it difficult to manage. Here's what my Device Manager looks like after spending 30 minutes deleting devices:

[Netduma Admin]

Sorry to be late to this thread but I've been wanting to post about the Device Manager for a couple days but couldn't get logged in to the forum.

 

I was thinking maybe a view toggle or a separate table showing Online and Offline devices would be helpful. My problem is that I paired my XR500 with a EX8000 mesh-extender. When a device hops over to the extender, it shows up in the device list under a virtual MAC address that it is assigned by the EX8000. Those devices show up as "unnamed devices" in the network map. It makes it difficult to manage. Here's what my Device Manager looks like after spending 30 minutes deleting devices:

2018-08-03_1110.png

Thanks for the feedback Dusto and welcome to the forum! We're working on all of this - a table view, a filter for just online devices and also a way to show devices on the extender more clearly. Good to know you're interested in this feature too and let us know if you would like us to develop anything else as well.

[kthomas]

Hi Everyone,

 

I created this account just to express how much I agree with the OP. I'm referring to XR500 in case it matters.

 

I really like the OS and many of the things you've done, but this is completely useless. It's also the only reason we decided not to deploy these in several locations for clients.

 

I read above that this is on a list but not a big priority. I also read that you guys think this is a "power user" feature. 

 

We manage business networks and I'm telling you, this is not a power user feature; it's most definitely a basic fundamental feature that should be required since version 0.0. 

 

Likewise, I'm not sure what all is on your to do list, but it's a huge mistake to think this is a low priority. It's literally the only thing that our technicians hate about these routers. There is not a single new feature they care about that would be more important than fixing this. 

 

Check out this image to see what were dealing with. As you can see, it is in fact completely useless and has caused us many headaches that no other router causes. This is a huge step back...we need a table with useful information. 

 

Plus, I don't know why these routers can't figure out device names. Other routers have no trouble. 

 

Please, reconsider making this a higher priority. I don't believe it would take much development time.

 

 

Thanks!

[Netduma Fraser]

Hi kthomas, 

 

Managing business networks would almost certainly qualify as a power user if you're using this many devices. It was built with gamer use cases in mind rather than business use cases. What exactly are you using the routers for and what made you choose the router for this? Are there any other business features you would like to see added?

 

I will bring it up and see what the timeline is but there are many other things they will likely want to focus on first.

[kthomas]

Hi, thanks for the quick reply.

 

The first one I bought was for my house specifically for gaming. That's when I noticed the problem with Device Manager. Even as a gamer, it's terrible and should be a high priority. For one, my daughter got in trouble and I wanted to see if she was connected.  I also wanted to see if there were any devices logged in that I didn't recognize. I also had an issue setting up a roku TV and couldn't find it in the circle. I also added a device to use as backup storage for games and couldn't find the mac address. These are all very common scenarios that even cheap routers can handle for home use. So it's not exclusively a business thing. 

 

However, because the performance was good, back at work we deployed a few mostly as Access Points, or routers for small simple networks that didn't need anything fancy, but were using VoIP. We thought the QoS, bufferbloat, etc. may be useful here, so we tried it and it works great. But I assumed, like the OP, that this was some kind of 'slick' default setting, which could be switched back to "normal view". I spent loads of time trying to find that setting, until I realized it didn't exist.

 

Regardless if gaming or in a small office, you have a basic feature that is fundamental to every router on the market that simply doesn't work. Why would you develop new features before fixing what you know is broken? In fact, one of the techs here, who is a huge gamer, specifically isn't buying this for gaming (your target market) because of this one feature. 

 

I think you guys are underestimating how bad this is. One simple tweak, that could be completed in a day, would not only make your current customers happy, but it would open up a whole new market for these otherwise amazing routers. Don't sell yourselves short 

 

"there are many other things they will likely want to focus on first"

 

I mean come on, how hard is it to just display the info in a table instead of that circle nonsense? Or at least give us an optional table view. I've never understood how some dev teams can get real feedback from real users, and then confirmation of the exact same thing from other real users, and conclude that no one cares much about it. This would be a super easy fix that would go a long way in making your customers happy, so I think it's worth revisiting the priority. Especially since there isn't anything to "develop" because you already have the information we want to see. It's just a matter of displaying it in a view that's more useful and more readable. That can't be too terribly hard for you guys.

[Netduma Fraser]

Thanks for your feedback and more in depth info on your use cases. I'll bring it up with the team.

[xlr8r]

have to agree with OP. I totally hate this interface for Device Manager. Its ok and fine for those with only a few devices. But for the like of other (like myself) who have a multitude of devices, navigation on the interface can be a nightmare.

 

I have noticed it can look differently on different web browsers too. i.e. some have larger font making it difficult to read due to overlapping, which in turn makes you click the wrong device, and you end up clicking back and forth , back and forth,  to select the right one !!!.

 

its also impossible to read on a mobile device or tablet as its all squashed together.

 

a simple table view (with the same functionality)  is all we need. 

 

glad to see the devs are looking into it. 

[Netduma Jack]

have to agree with OP. I totally hate this interface for Device Manager. Its ok and fine for those with only a few devices. But for the like of other (like myself) who have a multitude of devices, navigation on the interface can be a nightmare.

 

I have noticed it can look differently on different web browsers too. i.e. some have larger font making it difficult to read due to overlapping, which in turn makes you click the wrong device, and you end up clicking back and forth , back and forth,  to select the right one !!!.

 

its also impossible to read on a mobile device or tablet as its all squashed together.

 

a simple table view (with the same functionality)  is all we need. 

 

glad to see the devs are looking into it. 

 

Exactly yeh - there's definite improvements we can make here. That's interesting about browser / device compatibility as well - thanks for the feedback.

[Guest Killhippie]

I quite like it, but a table version would be useful as well. In fact Netgear really need to add back access control as well.

[Netduma Jack]

I quite like it, but a table version would be useful as well. In fact Netgear really need to add back access control as well.

 

Yeh both are definitely needed. We designed the Network Map to give you a more intuitive view of all your devices, but it loses its usefulness when there's ~15-20+ devices on there. Both the Tree view and a table view would be ideal for every user

[TWISM]

I just signed up to ask for this same thing, glad its being worked on. 

[Netduma Jack]

I just signed up to ask for this same thing, glad its being worked on. 

 

Welcome to the forum! Feel free to let us know anything else you'd like to see. It's always tricky to prioritise what to work on next and what is vital for the most amount of people. We're currently working hard on a proper VPN feature for the XR500 since many of our international users need this feature for everyday use. I'm hopeful that Table Modes won't fly under the radar, and I'm personally pushing for our developers to work on it as soon as possible!

[Jbonnett]

I would like to see this modified to group the wireless and wired devices to match e.g. Laptop1 (wireless) and Laptop1 (wired) to just be one device.

Also the same with VPN service devices.

[Netduma Fraser]

That's a good suggestion but they will have different IPs/MAC addresses so maybe something we could give you the option yourself to do but I could foresee potential issues with QoS/Geo-Filter.

[Netduma Alex]

Inside every computer or console, the wireless and ethernet adapters are considered entirely separate devices from the router's point of view.

I think that if we tried to merge these automatically, the likelihood of accidental device combinations would be quite high.

As Fraser says, a manual merge option might work.

[Cmfbrock]

In addition to kthomas’s discrepancy with the device list UI, I also have a view that looks much like this.  I haven’t found the table view to be much help either as I cannot sort by connected/offline devices.  My list looks much like that and I am using it for home use.  I have IP cams, various IoT smart devices, a NAS, a few pi running various applications.  In total I have roughly 50 devices always on and then a slew of wireless that come and go.  Is there a way to wipe out the offline list to make this look a little neater when managing?  It’s no problem to me if a device is offline and I clear the list to see what’s on, if it comes back on it will just go through the dhcp and that will be that.  I have liked everything about this router except this issue which has plagued me for setting up new devices or making changes to existing ones.