I work from home but go to the office two days a week. When I get there, they tell me my laptop isn't on their list of authorized devices and I have to use my mobile data. It's absurd because I need to download large files for my work. Do they have the right to block my access to the company network?
Yes, your company has every legal right to control which devices connect to their network. It's a pretty common IT security measure, especially if they handle sensitive information. The corporate network is the company's property, and they can set whatever rules they want about who accesses it and how. It's not unreasonable from a legal standpoint, though I get that it's frustrating for you.
What you can do is formally request that they add your laptop to the list of authorized devices. Usually there's an IT department or systems administration team that handles this. Prepare the information they'll ask for: your machine's serial number, MAC address, model, that kind of thing they typically need. If you work two days a week in the office and need to transfer large files, explain that clearly in your request, noting that mobile data isn't sufficient for your role. Most companies authorize devices that actually need to be connected.
If after making a formal request they keep blocking you without reason, then there could be an issue with discriminatory treatment or breach of your employment terms, but first exhaust the normal process. Sometimes it's just that nobody knew you needed access - not that they're deliberately denying it.
Technically they have the right to do it, but what you could do is ask the IT team to register your laptop on the authorized devices list instead of having to request exceptions every time you go in - it's a two-minute process they can handle without any problem.
What's happening to you is frustrating, but the bottleneck here is administrative, not legal. I've been in similar situations where nobody had simply done the paperwork to register my device, and the solution was to go straight to the IT or information security team and ask them to add me to the list once and for all, instead of asking for temporary access every week. It's a process that should take five minutes if your company has things even halfway organized. If they keep denying you access after you've asked them formally, then it's an internal management problem that you can escalate to your boss or HR.
Ask IT to add you to the list, but when you do, ask them exactly what information they need from your laptop (model, serial number, MAC address) so there's no confusion later. In the meantime, a quick option is to ask if there's a "guest" or temporary network you can use for those two days without being formally registered, because a lot of companies have one specifically for cases like this and nobody ever mentions it! If you really need those large files and this keeps being a mess, suggest using an external drive or cloud sync before you go to the office, that way you won't depend on that corporate wifi that day.
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