topic Re: Blocking updates for certain devices on my Plusnet 2 hub...I need an idiots guide please in My Router

Blocking updates for certain devices on my Plusnet 2 hub...I need an idiots guide please

leadhead — Thu, 16 Oct 2025 18:59:55 GMT

I am trying to get into my HUB 2 router and add a couple of instructions to prevent some providers from updating their software...I have followed a few guides, but the terminolgy they use, doesnt correspond to the words/names in my router settings, and I get confused..I need an idiots guide please, specifically for this router...

Thanks in anticipation...

Re: Blocking updates for certain devices on my Plusnet 2 hub...I need an idiots guide please

jab1 — Thu, 16 Oct 2025 19:03:22 GMT

I'm no expert on this, but I suspect you may find that near impossible. What exactly are you trying to avoid updates on - which is not usually a good idea, anyway?

Re: Blocking updates for certain devices on my Plusnet 2 hub...I need an idiots guide please

leadhead — Thu, 16 Oct 2025 19:10:04 GMT

Hi John....Thanks for your reply..I dont want to say at the moment which providers software I wish to stop, but it is necessary if the changes are going to stop me using the device to its full potential.

Re: Blocking updates for certain devices on my Plusnet 2 hub...I need an idiots guide please

iannewson — Thu, 16 Oct 2025 19:13:10 GMT

A small Burning Twig of the Amazonian variety I would guess 😁

Re: Blocking updates for certain devices on my Plusnet 2 hub...I need an idiots guide please

leadhead — Thu, 16 Oct 2025 19:16:35 GMT

Yes...thats it...For years, sideloading was accepted, now they are trying to prevent it, I hoped to start with stopping the updates on my router, especially as of lots of other routers support this blocking method

Re: Blocking updates for certain devices on my Plusnet 2 hub...I need an idiots guide please

jab1 — Thu, 16 Oct 2025 19:24:32 GMT

AFAIK, the Hubs don't. You could always get a suitable router.

Re: Blocking updates for certain devices on my Plusnet 2 hub...I need an idiots guide please

iannewson — Thu, 16 Oct 2025 19:27:23 GMT

Theres a link at xda which should help block OTA updates https://xdaforums.com/t/system-user-fire-cube-stick-tv-tablet-ps7704-fireos7-rs8149-fireos8.4759215/ without trying to block at hub

Re: Blocking updates for certain devices on my Plusnet 2 hub...I need an idiots guide please

leadhead — Thu, 16 Oct 2025 19:30:12 GMT

Hii....with great respect, and to your number of posts, but I really need an answer that doesnt include an AFAIK...I was away last week and tried remotely doing it, I managed to put the 3 commands I had(supposedly into the router settings) to block 3 possible addresses of where the instructions come from....but when I go into my router theres no sign of these instructions I added..Why would other routers provide this blocking feature(he used an Asus router) and Plusnet dont...

Re: Blocking updates for certain devices on my Plusnet 2 hub...I need an idiots guide please

jab1 — Thu, 16 Oct 2025 19:34:32 GMT

Why would other routers provide this blocking feature(he used an Asus router) and Plusnet dont...

Re: Blocking updates for certain devices on my Plusnet 2 hub...I need an idiots guide please

leadhead — Thu, 16 Oct 2025 19:36:32 GMT

Hi...thanks for the link...Ive already attempted this on a new stick I bought...but the stick says it is about to update next time I plug it in....and my older firesticks wont recognise half of the instructions in these methods...these instructions are only for more recent models....This is why I thought a router blocking command would be far easier...

Re: Blocking updates for certain devices on my Plusnet 2 hub...I need an idiots guide please

leadhead — Thu, 16 Oct 2025 19:42:56 GMT

Thanks again for your answer....Maybe you are correct, as I cant find any information on "blocking sites"....I was maybe hoping if it wasnt possible a "Plusnet technical employee" would come on and say its not possible.....It IS possible to block things for say...my kids...so I dont really understany why blocking updates isnt possible...

Re: Blocking updates for certain devices on my Plusnet 2 hub...I need an idiots guide please

jab1 — Thu, 16 Oct 2025 19:50:08 GMT

PN staff don't (a) patrol this forum on a regular basis and (b) I doubt those who do (between 0800-2000) would have the knowledge or authority to answer. Blocking specific categories is possible, but only those listed in the section you refer to.

Re: Blocking updates for certain devices on my Plusnet 2 hub...I need an idiots guide please

iannewson — Thu, 16 Oct 2025 19:54:44 GMT

It may be possible to do it at DNS level by using something like opendns and then doing a blacklist through that.

Re: Blocking updates for certain devices on my Plusnet 2 hub...I need an idiots guide please

jab1 — Thu, 16 Oct 2025 19:56:41 GMT

I'll leave this to you @iannewson - not my area of experience.

Re: Blocking updates for certain devices on my Plusnet 2 hub...I need an idiots guide please

leadhead — Thu, 16 Oct 2025 20:00:18 GMT

Hi...thanks again for that...so where would you suggest I go to get the no...or even yes answer....How do I get in touch with the person who is in the know!...

Re: Blocking updates for certain devices on my Plusnet 2 hub...I need an idiots guide please

leadhead — Thu, 16 Oct 2025 20:05:22 GMT

It may be possible to do it at DNS level by using something like opendns and then doing a blacklist through that.

Thanks for that, but I dont recognise any of those terms...this is why I need an idiots guide...

Re: Blocking updates for certain devices on my Plusnet 2 hub...I need an idiots guide please

leadhead — Thu, 16 Oct 2025 20:06:42 GMT

I'll leave this to you @iannewson - not my area of experience.

Thanks for your input John....

Re: Blocking updates for certain devices on my Plusnet 2 hub...I need an idiots guide please

iannewson — Thu, 16 Oct 2025 20:11:36 GMT

Theres a video here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5S4YwX2L_SY of how to block facebook. It would be a case of supplementing your sites for facebook. Not being on being on plusnet i cant test for you or I would.

Re: Blocking updates for certain devices on my Plusnet 2 hub...I need an idiots guide please

RobPN — Thu, 16 Oct 2025 21:23:13 GMT

@leadhead wrote:

Yes...thats it...For years, sideloading was accepted, now they are trying to prevent it, I hoped to start with stopping the updates on my router, especially as of lots of other routers support this blocking method

@leadhead

There's always everybodys friend Mr Google who is usually very knowledgeable.

If it's just the prevention of sideloading which you're trying to get around, apparently it's a trivial matter to do so, here's one result from a quick Google search that says it's still possible even with later updates;

Search terms used

Re: Blocking updates for certain devices on my Plusnet 2 hub...I need an idiots guide please

leadhead — Thu, 16 Oct 2025 22:35:53 GMT

Thanks for the link....but...the main problem I have, is that my new stick said...."Next time you power this on, it will automatically update(not the exact words, but thats what it meant)"...and this is the reason I dont want to add anything to the stick before I can get a command into my router settings to "stop ungrades"....I said earlier that I remotely sent some commands to my router using Plusnet Safeguard and although I can see them in my router under "blocked websites"...but theyre in RED and I got a message "unable to save" so not sure if they are active or not...

I'm sorry but I am in my senior years and get confused if a website doesnt explain things in unambiguous sentences...

is Plusnet safeguard there just to stop categories like Pornography...or is it there also to stop things like updates to existing programs....it doesnt really explain that...