MAC Address Filtering on the Plusnet Hub Two Router

[#1]

I want to configure remote access to my NAS box, but want to limit access to specific devices. I was hoping I could filter incoming traffic by originating MAC address in order to only forward requests received from known and trusted devices. Port forwarding in the firewall doesn't appear to offer that functionality. I've had a dig around in the other settings but can't find any way to achieve the filtering I'm after, but thought I'd ask if any one here has spotted something I've missed before I invest in a new router.

[#2 · Accepted solution]

@fluidaddict welcome to the community

I want to configure remote access to my NAS box, but want to limit access to specific devices. I was hoping I could filter incoming traffic by originating MAC address

I don't think you'll find the connecting device MAC address at the NAS is the originating devices MAC address, it will be the last network device it has passed through, in this case your Hub Two.

MAC addresses are confined to your local network.

Maybe consider a VPN server on your NAS drive for remote connections.

[#3]

Thanks Dan. I wasn't entirely clear in my initial post, but your answer has answered my question. I want the router to check the MAC address of the device that the request originated from and to then only allow whitelisted MAC addresses through to my internal network and the NAS. Your answer made me check what information travels with my phone's network traffic and, as you point out, that information only gets as far as the first device it hits (which would be the mobile network tower) so I can't achieve my desired result without a VPN tied to my router. Thanks again for your answer - it helped me sort out my thinking!