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On Ubuntu 14.04 LTS

Using Google'd instructions, i.e. from:

  1. https://www.maketecheasier.com/change-mac-address-windows-ubuntu/
  2. How do I change / spoof my MAC address and easily switch between multiple ones?
  3. How to change the MAC address of pc?

I was able to change (spoof, clone, mask) my MAC address to connect to the internet successfully using these instructions, both using the method to change it through the terminal and through the Edit Connections UI. One reason one might wish to do this is for personal privacy.

However, currently when I use either method to clone my MAC Address, I can no longer connect to any WiFi networks successfully. I have been able to find no reason why this would be the case and completely lost as to discover the reason why this is happening with Ubuntu for me.

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Drawninpictures
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1 Answers1

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After determining that we could use the computer's original MAC address to spoof itself, and that changing just one character could break it, a Google search for "valid MAC address" turned up a wealth of information.

There are actually 4 sets of Locally Administered Address Ranges that can be used on your network without fear of conflict, assuming no one else has assigned these on your network:

x2-xx-xx-xx-xx-xx
x6-xx-xx-xx-xx-xx
xA-xx-xx-xx-xx-xx
xE-xx-xx-xx-xx-xx

Replacing x with any hex value.

Useful translation of the wikipedia version: "Universally administered and locally administered addresses are distinguished by setting the second least significant bit of the most significant byte of the address. If the bit is 0, the address is universally administered. If it is 1, the address is locally administered. In the example address 02-00-00-00-00-01 the most significant byte is 02h. The binary is 00000010 and the second least significant bit is 1. Therefore, it is a locally administered address.[3] The bit is 0 in all OUIs." – Adam Brand

In universally administered MAC addresses, the three most significant bytes are preassigned to specific companies/vendors.

A MAC address validator can be found at http://sqa.fyicenter.com/Online_Test_Tools/MAC_Address_Format_Validator.php.

heynnema
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