ASUS Router iOS App V 1.0.0.0.95 - How to remove some Offline Clients

[LimJK]

Hi,

The new version of ASUS Router iOS App now provides:

• option to not allow remote access setup. Thank you!
• It also provide listing of Offline Clients. Thank you!

However, I discovered that I have some Offline Clients in the list, despite that they no more exist in my network for months. May I know:

• where is the offline Client information kept?
• how can I selectively remove clients that no longer exist in my network?

PS: I have tried ... somehow Offline Clients are still there

• remove and reinstall Asus Router iOS App, and
• factory reset on all my AiMesh Router and Nodes.

Thank you!

 

[OzarkEdge]

Hi,

The new version of ASUS Router iOS App now provides:

• option to not allow remote access setup. Thank you!
• It also provide listing of Offline Clients. Thank you!

However, I discovered that I have some Offline Clients in the list, despite that they no more exist in my network for months. May I know:

• where is the offline Client information kept?
• how can I selectively remove clients that no longer exist in my network?

PS: I have tried ... somehow Offline Clients are still there

• remove and reinstall Asus Router iOS App, and
• factory reset on all my AiMesh Router and Nodes.

Thank you!

View attachment 12863

I'd bet router Administration - Restore/Save/Upload Setting - Initialize would clear logged client data.

OE

 

[monaro-ds]

so is it 6 or 16 Devices ? my was showing 42 Devices (and i do ) but list for 16 + 10 offline ...

 

[Ronald Schwerer]

@LimJK The client data could be stored in 3 places. In order of likeliness:

1. NVRAM on the router(s)
2. On the phone (via the app)
3. ASUS spys on us through the app and stores it on their end.

#1 could be tested by ssh'ing into the router and type nvram show | grep {one of the offline hostnames}. If it shows up here, you could clear that name tag using the nram set command.
If the offline hosts aren't stored on the router, #2 could be tested by installing the app on a different phone. If those offline hosts don't show on the new phone, they must be stored on your original phone. I know with Android apps, you often are given the option of deleting the app's data along with the app. Maybe iPhones do that too?
So, if not #1, and the names do show up on the new phone, that leaves #3. And if that is true, there's another reason to never again use the app.

 

[Latzz]

The offline list is visible in the web UI uder LAN settings. The part where you can click on a client and assign static IP address.

No longer using the ASUS app past couple of weeks now as it gave nothing but trouble, including silent automatic firmware update.

 

[Ronald Schwerer]

The offline list is visible in the web UI uder LAN settings. The part where you can click on a client and assign static IP address.

No longer using the ASUS app past couple of weeks now as it gave nothing but trouble, including silent automatic firmware update.

OK, I found it. RMerlin mentioned a long time ago that ASUS exported some of the custom client list out of NVRAM. Those lists can get too long for the nvram data structures. I found them, along with the offline hostname/MAC/manufacturer in /jffs/nmp_cl_json.js. It is a json formatted file and you can carefully edit it to remove entries, but be careful to keep it properly formatted. It is one very long line of text. I'm sure there are tools or a better/safer way to edit it but it has been a while.

 

[LimJK]

@LimJK The client data could be stored in 3 places. In order of likeliness:

1. NVRAM on the router(s)
2. On the phone (via the app)
3. ASUS spys on us through the app and stores it on their end.

#1 could be tested by ssh'ing into the router and type nvram show | grep {one of the offline hostnames}. If it shows up here, you could clear that name tag using the nram set command.
If the offline hosts aren't stored on the router, #2 could be tested by installing the app on a different phone. If those offline hosts don't show on the new phone, they must be stored on your original phone. I know with Android apps, you often are given the option of deleting the app's data along with the app. Maybe iPhones do that too?
So, if not #1, and the names do show up on the new phone, that leaves #3. And if that is true, there's another reason to never again use the app.

Ronald,

Thanks for your guidance ... It is my fault ... While I did factory reset I restored a older copy of my dhcp_staticlist (MAC Address to IP Address) and custom_clientlist (MAC Address to Client Name) that included the client that is no longer in my network. Yes, like the rest have mentioned it appears that the Offline list comes from these lists that are not online.

 

[Ronald Schwerer]

Glad you figured it out. I also found some old devices that showed-up in my DHCP list (Offline section) and tried deleting them by clicking the 'X' on the right side. Although they disappeared from the list, I found that if I exited that DHCP Server screen and then re-entered it, they were still there. Seems to be a bug.
So I edited the /jffs/nmp_cl_json.js file and removed those entries. Now they're gone from the Offline section.

 

[LimJK]

Glad you figured it out. I also found some old devices that showed-up in my DHCP list (Offline section) and tried deleting them by clicking the 'X' on the right side. Although they disappeared from the list, I found that if I exited that DHCP Server screen and then re-entered it, they were still there. Seems to be a bug.
So I edited the /jffs/nmp_cl_json.js file and removed those entries. Now they're gone from the Offline section.

Ronald,

I think both the NVRAM settings dhcp_staticlist (MAC Address to IP Address) and custom_clientlist (MAC Address to Client Name) need to be updated. I agree that it is a GUI BUG, when removing a device from GUI, it should be removed it from both list at the same time.

Observation of My problem:

• I used the GUI to update the dhcp_staticlist, so the old device(s) were remove from this list,
• unfortunately the device(s) still exist in custom_clientlist that is not accessible from GUI.
• I figured iOS ASUS App picks up the offline list from custom_clientlist.

My work around: (Copy custom_clientlist to Thumbdrive, Edit to remove unwanted devices, Restore the setting as follows)

• nvram get custom_clientlist > /tmp/mnt/ASUS/custom_clientlist.txt
• Edit custom_clientlist.txt to remove any old devices
• nvram set custom_clientlist="`cat /tmp/mnt/ASUS/custom_clientlist.txt`"

PS:

• If we manually create the dhcp_staticlist after factory reset, we should not see this problem
• Unfortunately, I have a long list of about 30 devices and I am lazy
• I recalled long ago dhcp_staticlist used to hold (MAC Address, IP Address and Device name) now it is stored differently.

 

[roguetr]

The json file is a collection of custom, active and stale. To simply remove the stale entries I did:

killall networkmap&&rm nmp_cl_json.js

When networkmap comes back it'll regenerate the file without the stale entries.

Sent from my MI 5 using Tapatalk

 

[roguetr]

Ronald,

I think both the NVRAM settings dhcp_staticlist (MAC Address to IP Address) and custom_clientlist (MAC Address to Client Name) need to be updated.

I agree but you mustn't have had stale entries, which are only presented in the json file. Problem is, like most json files, it's loaded into memory and can't be edited whilst networkmap is running or it will just revert half a minute later. I had a few entries that didn't show up anywhere else.

Admittedly I still have a heap of custom entries I'd like to cull and it'd be nice if the GUI facilitated that.

Sent from my MI 5 using Tapatalk

 

[sanke1]

The iOS router app has UI issues on iOS 13 Beta 2. The entire UI has shifted few hundred pixels below.

 

[Michael Bierman]

Ronald,

I think both the NVRAM settings dhcp_staticlist (MAC Address to IP Address) and custom_clientlist (MAC Address to Client Name) need to be updated. I agree that it is a GUI BUG, when removing a device from GUI, it should be removed it from both list at the same time.

Observation of My problem:

• I used the GUI to update the dhcp_staticlist, so the old device(s) were remove from this list,
• unfortunately the device(s) still exist in custom_clientlist that is not accessible from GUI.
• I figured iOS ASUS App picks up the offline list from custom_clientlist.

My work around: (Copy custom_clientlist to Thumbdrive, Edit to remove unwanted devices, Restore the setting as follows)

• nvram get custom_clientlist > /tmp/mnt/ASUS/custom_clientlist.txt
• Edit custom_clientlist.txt to remove any old devices
• nvram set custom_clientlist="`cat /tmp/mnt/ASUS/custom_clientlist.txt`"

PS:

• If we manually create the dhcp_staticlist after factory reset, we should not see this problem
• Unfortunately, I have a long list of about 30 devices and I am lazy
• I recalled long ago dhcp_staticlist used to hold (MAC Address, IP Address and Device name) now it is stored differently.

I tried this and the devices only disappear from the offline device list temporarily. I can't believe that this isn't available through the regular UX!

Can anyone confirm if the above workaround was permanent for them?

 

[Michael Bierman]

Ronald,

I think both the NVRAM settings dhcp_staticlist (MAC Address to IP Address) and custom_clientlist (MAC Address to Client Name) need to be updated. I agree that it is a GUI BUG, when removing a device from GUI, it should be removed it from both list at the same time.

Observation of My problem:

• I used the GUI to update the dhcp_staticlist, so the old device(s) were remove from this list,
• unfortunately the device(s) still exist in custom_clientlist that is not accessible from GUI.
• I figured iOS ASUS App picks up the offline list from custom_clientlist.

My work around: (Copy custom_clientlist to Thumbdrive, Edit to remove unwanted devices, Restore the setting as follows)

• nvram get custom_clientlist > /tmp/mnt/ASUS/custom_clientlist.txt
• Edit custom_clientlist.txt to remove any old devices
• nvram set custom_clientlist="`cat /tmp/mnt/ASUS/custom_clientlist.txt`"

PS:

• If we manually create the dhcp_staticlist after factory reset, we should not see this problem
• Unfortunately, I have a long list of about 30 devices and I am lazy
• I recalled long ago dhcp_staticlist used to hold (MAC Address, IP Address and Device name) now it is stored differently.

So maybe this is a stupid question, but can't we use the same steps to set dhcp_staticlist after a factory reset ? Would that solve the problem?

Interestingly,
nvram get custom_clientlist | sed -e "s|><|\n|g" -e "s|>>| |g" -e "s|<|\n|1" | sed 's|>| |1g' | sed -e "s|<|\n|g" -e "s| >||g"


is not the same as the list I see in the webclient GUI so maybe I don't understand the data structure.

 

[LimJK]

I tried this and the devices only disappear from the offline device list temporarily. I can't believe that this isn't available through the regular UX!

Can anyone confirm if the above workaround was permanent for them?

Michael,
Yes, I see it as a BUG, and Yes the workaround I suggested in the above post works for me
However, you need to

• edit it carefully (I use Hex Fiend to do edit and save), and
• remember to save the NVRAM and reboot router; and
• careful with the various apostrophes.

For my case I use the following SSH

• nvram set custom_clientlist="`cat /tmp/mnt/ASUS/custom_clientlist.txt`"
• nvram commit && reboot

 

[Michael Bierman]

Michael,
Yes, I see it as a BUG, and Yes the workaround I suggested in the above post works for me
However, you need to

• edit it carefully (I use Hex Fiend to do edit and save), and
• remember to save the NVRAM and reboot router; and
• careful with the various apostrophes.

For my case I use the following SSH

• nvram set custom_clientlist="`cat /tmp/mnt/ASUS/custom_clientlist.txt`"
• nvram commit && reboot

Ah. I did not reboot after. I will try that. Thanks.

 

[Michael Bierman]

Michael,
Yes, I see it as a BUG, and Yes the workaround I suggested in the above post works for me
However, you need to

• edit it carefully (I use Hex Fiend to do edit and save), and
• remember to save the NVRAM and reboot router; and
• careful with the various apostrophes.

For my case I use the following SSH

• nvram set custom_clientlist="`cat /tmp/mnt/ASUS/custom_clientlist.txt`"
• nvram commit && reboot

Actually I don't see how it can work. Here's an example.

nvram get custom_clientlist | sed -e "s|><|\n|g" -e "s|>>| |g" -e "s|<|\n|1" | sed 's|>| |1g' | sed -e "s|<|\n|g" -e "s| >||g"

gives me a nice formatted list just so I can review it. It does not contain some of the entries I want to get rid of. So they don't show up in the file to edit in the first place when I follow your instructions.

 

[LimJK]

Actually I don't see how it can work. Here's an example.

nvram get custom_clientlist | sed -e "s|><|\n|g" -e "s|>>| |g" -e "s|<|\n|1" | sed 's|>| |1g' | sed -e "s|<|\n|g" -e "s| >||g"

gives me a nice formatted list just so I can review it. It does not contain some of the entries I want to get rid of. So they don't show up in the file to edit in the first place when I follow your instructions.

Michael,
If it is not in the "custom_clientlist" then our problem is different.

I preserve the "dhcp_staticlist", "custom_clientlist", and device icons (in a few other posts long ago) after I do a complete factory reset whenever I upgrade to new firmware. It has been my SOP for quite a while since the introduction of AiMesh.

By the way, where did you see the re-appearing of the deleted "client", iOS Apps (try reinstalling), Browser (try to clear browser cache). Power OFF and ON your Router ... all the best.

 

[Michael Bierman]

Michael,
If it is not in the "custom_clientlist" then our problem is different.

I preserve the "dhcp_staticlist", "custom_clientlist", and device icons (in a few other posts long ago) after I do a complete factory reset whenever I upgrade to new firmware. It has been my SOP for quite a while since the introduction of AiMesh.

By the way, where did you see the re-appearing of the deleted "client", iOS Apps (try reinstalling), Browser (try to clear browser cache). Power OFF and ON your Router ... all the best.

In the web client if I go to LAN > DHCP server Client Name and scroll to the bottom there is a link to Show offline client list. In the iOS client, simply go to "Devices" and scroll to "Offline".

The iOS client is storing offline clients on its own? Yikes bad design.

That too seems not to match what I see though. I just deleted the iOS app and reinstalled it and it is showing devices that have not been on my network (some of which are "valid" in that they will be back at some point and some will never be back and I tried to get rid of them.)

I also cleared my browser cache. Neither changed anything.

The later set show up in the web client as I described above.

By the way, these devices were never reserved IP addresses. They were assigned addresses via DHCP and I never customized them (names, icons, etc) so I imagine they never were a part of the custom_clientlist, right?