Why Devices Appear Under the “Restricted” Tab in Omada
When the Omada app labels devices as “Restricted,” it doesn’t mean the controller has suddenly invented limits. It’s simply showing clients that are subject to some type of restriction or limit, such as per‑client bandwidth limits or blocking rules. Even if you have no site‑level or network‑level bandwidth limits, individual clients can still be limited or blocked.
What the “Restricted” Filter Shows
- Rate‑limited clients: Omada allows administrators to apply bandwidth limits to a specific client or group of clients directly from the Clients page. When a limit is set, the client moves to the “Rate‑Limited” filter. The official user guide notes that selecting Rate Limited or Blocked on the clients page shows only those clients subject to a per‑client rate limit or block:contentReference[oaicite:0]{index=0}.
- Blocked clients: You can block a device from connecting via its MAC address. Blocked devices are also displayed in the same restricted filter. Unblocking them removes them from this list:contentReference[oaicite:1]{index=1}.
- Per‑client settings override global limits: Omada’s manuals stress that rate limits can be applied on a per‑client basis, independent of SSID or site‑level limits. You can create a custom rate limit profile or disable it for selected clients:contentReference[oaicite:2]{index=2}:contentReference[oaicite:3]{index=3}. Devices with such per‑client profiles will appear as restricted, even when the site and SSID settings are unlimited.
- Left‑over settings: If a device was previously connected to a network with rate limiting or was blocked and then moved to another SSID, the controller may retain the per‑client setting. Those devices will continue to be listed under “Restricted” until you explicitly clear the limit.
- Access‑control rules: ACLs, guest‑network portals, or bandwidth control policies on the gateway can mark clients as restricted. For example, setting a minimum RSSI threshold or enabling load balancing can cause the AP to drop or throttle weak clients.
Possible Reasons You’re Seeing Many Restricted Clients
- Per‑client limits were applied inadvertently. The Omada mobile app lets you swipe on a client and apply a rate limit. It’s easy to set a limit accidentally, especially if you tapped the “Block” or “Limit” icon.
- Default profile bug in older controller versions. In some releases of the mobile app and controller, the “unlimited” rate limit profile still flagged clients as restricted. Updating the controller and app to the latest version often clears these false positives.
- Devices were previously on a limited SSID. If a device was first connected to an SSID with rate limiting and then moved to another network, the per‑client profile may persist until you remove it.
- Access Control or Bandwidth Control rules. Gateway‑level bandwidth control rules, ACLs, or RSSI thresholds apply restrictions to clients. Devices affected by these rules will appear under the restricted filter, regardless of SSID settings.
How to Clear Devices from the Restricted List
- Check per‑client settings.
- Go to Clients > Restricted in the Omada controller or app.
- Select a client and open its settings; if it shows a Rate Limit profile, choose Disable or assign the Unlimited profile:contentReference[oaicite:4]{index=4}:contentReference[oaicite:5]{index=5}.
- If the client is blocked, select Unblock.
- Review SSID and site‑level rate limits. Ensure that no SSID has a default rate‑limit profile applied. Even if the site is set to unlimited, an SSID‑level profile will still mark clients as rate‑limited.
- Inspect bandwidth‑control and ACL rules. In the controller’s settings, check Network > Bandwidth Control and ACL pages for rules targeting the affected clients or subnet. Remove or adjust any unnecessary rules.
- Update firmware and controller software. Upgrading to the latest Omada controller and device firmware resolves known UI bugs where unlimited profiles were flagged as restricted.
- Delete stale client entries if necessary. If a device remains in the restricted list after unblocking and removing rate limits, delete its entry under Insight > Known Clients. When the device reconnects, it should show under the normal All clients tab.
Summary
Seeing numerous devices in the Omada app’s Restricted tab doesn’t mean your network has imposed unexpected limits; it simply reflects which devices currently have per‑client bandwidth limits, have been blocked, or are affected by access‑control rules. The Omada controller retains those settings even when site‑level and SSID‑level limits are disabled. By reviewing per‑client settings, clearing unwanted rate‑limit profiles, checking bandwidth‑control and ACL rules, and keeping your controller software up to date, you can ensure that the list accurately reflects only the devices you intend to restrict:contentReference[oaicite:6]{index=6}:contentReference[oaicite:7]{index=7}.