Guide: How to Change MAC Address on Windows and Mac
The MAC (Media Access Controller) address is a unique identification number for your computer’s network hardware. In general it just works, but sometimes you have to change it. Apple and Microsoft don’t make it easy to change your MAC address, but it is possible. With a small change in his MAC address, he is on the network! Shutterstock
Why would you want to change it?
This setting does not give you any speed or performance advantage. It’s like the phone number of your hardware. If you change it to an existing number, you confuse your network. Shutterstock The most common reason for changing your MAC address is that another device has been locked to an old address. Your router or other piece of hardware may only accept or provide connections with a specific MAC address. I ran into this problem when connecting to my office computer. The IT help desk was closed, but I had to connect to the network with a different one laptopAs soon as I changed my new one laptop to my old one laptop’s MAC address I got on the network. Another reason to change your MAC address is for Wi-Fi networks that limit the time or number of connections. You shouldn’t use this to bypass time restrictions on a network, but you can transfer your connection time to another MAC address. For example, you can draw up for a few hours of WiFi on your tablet. Then you want your laptop on the network. Rather than paying for a different connection, change your laptop’s MAC address, so you don’t have to pay for an extra connection. Be ethical: Do not use this to bypass or cheat security. Finally, someone can track you via your MAC address. You can change it every time you connect to a network or just use any address.
How to Find a MAC address on a PC
If you are using a PC, the easiest way is through the command prompt. Type ipconfig / all and you see all your network interfaces and the physical address. That’s the MAC address.
You can also find it by going to Control Panel> Network and Internet> Network Connections. Then right-click on the network adapter and choose Status> Details. Again, the physical address is the MAC address.
PC command prompt Tips Here’s a list of cool command prompts tipsYou can even install apps from the command prompt.
How to Find a MAC address on a Mac
If you are on a wireless network, press and hold the option key while clicking the Wi-Fi icon in the menu bar. It will tell you the interface name and address. That address is your MAC address. If you are using Ethernet or some other connection, you will need to go to Network System Preferences.
Select the interface you are checking and go to Advanced-> Hardware. At the top is the MAC address.
You can also type ifconfig in terminal, and that will tell you the MAC address of all your interfaces.
Cool Wireless Mac Tools: That option key is just one of many hidden wireless Mac devices features
The easy way to change this on a Mac
The best program I’ve found on the Mac for this is WifiSpoof. It costs $ 9.99, but they offer a 2-week free trial. Not only does it make it easy to change the address, but it also works as a menu bar icon if you prefer. It can randomize the MAC address every time it is run. If you’re concerned about tracking, this is the app for you.
If all you want is an easy way to change the address, Mac MACSpoof does it for an optional $ 4.99 purchase. The interface is not that slick and the app requires an extra “helper” app to install.
The easy way to change this on a PC
Just like on a Mac, third-party software makes this easy for a PC. For example, Technitium MAC Address Changer is a free program that does this for you.
What I like about this app is that you can choose any MAC address if you just want to change the address for testing purposes. It also allows you to know which addresses are active. NoVirusThanks’ MAC Address Changer is another free program. It has fewer options, but it is easier to use than the Technitium version. Windows 10 users: Your computer’s hardware may support automatic MAC randomization.
The direct way to change this on a Mac
If you feel comfortable in the OS X terminal, type the command sudo ifconfig en0 xx: xx: xx: xx: xx Replace the XX with the number of the new MAC address.
The direct way to change this on a PC
Similar to the direct way on a Mac, this way works without any third party software. Go to Device Manager. Then click on the triangle and find the adapter you want to change. Remember again that each type of adapter uses a unique MAC address. After you find your adapter, click Properties and then Advanced. You will see the property named network address. Go to the Value: box and change the value to whatever you want.
Don’t forget to change it back
Whichever option you choose, don’t forget to change the MAC address again when you’re done. If you don’t, you may have problems with other networks. If your goal is to use a random address, you may run into problems if someone is already using that MAC address. ALSO SEE: How to Prevent a Mac from connecting to the wrong wireless network
How to Change MAC Address on Windows and Mac: benefits
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