Using random hardware address

[pchelp]

https://imgur.com/a/gm8COFN

Can someone please eli5 what hardware address is?

Is this similar to mac address?

The wifi port will have separate hardware address, lan separate and if there's a vpn installed then it will have a separate hardware address, right?

Which is the best software to change or make the hardware address random? And does it make it random for everthing in Control Panel\Network and Internet\Network Connections ?

[Levent]

MAC Address is the hardware address. Just because your MAC address shows up in a public wireless network doesn’t mean you are unsecure.

 

VPNs generally don’t need or have MACIDs. 
 

Not all devices support spoofing macids. Personally the ones that support it have an interface in device manager properties of the interface.

[pchelp]

10 minutes ago, Levent said:

MAC Address is the hardware address. Just because your MAC address shows up in a public wireless network doesn’t mean you are unsecure.

 

VPNs generally don’t need or have MACIDs. 
 

Not all devices support spoofing macids. Personally the ones that support it have an interface in device manager properties of the interface.

But a simple google search showed many hardware id randomiser apps for windows. They claim to make the mac id random for everything. Are they trustworthy?

[Levent]

Just now, pchelp said:

But a simple google search showed many hardware id randomiser apps for windows. They claim to make the mac id random for everything. Are they trustworthy?

Who knows. Using random apps downloaded from random websites is not a smart move. As I said unless there is a specific reason why your current Mac can’t stand as is, this is an worthless endeavor.

[pchelp]

8 minutes ago, Levent said:

Who knows. Using random apps downloaded from random websites is not a smart move. As I said unless there is a specific reason why your current Mac can’t stand as is, this is an worthless endeavor.

Some of those apps were FOSS from github.

[Lurick]

Why do you want to change your MAC address anyway?

1 minute ago, pchelp said:

Some of those apps were FOSS from github.

Just because something is on github and FOSS doesn't make it secure or safe.

[BillBill]

5 hours ago, pchelp said:

https://imgur.com/a/gm8COFN

Can someone please eli5 what hardware address is?

Is this similar to mac address?

The wifi port will have separate hardware address, lan separate and if there's a vpn installed then it will have a separate hardware address, right?

Which is the best software to change or make the hardware address random? And does it make it random for everthing in Control Panel\Network and Internet\Network Connections ?

Windows has a setting for using a random hardware address. You can find it in network & internet settings. But it will only display those settings if you have compatible hardware.  

[pchelp]

On 5/19/2024 at 11:19 PM, BillBill said:

Windows has a setting for using a random hardware address. You can find it in network & internet settings. But it will only display those settings if you have compatible hardware.  

Not able to find it anywhere. Is there an article/tutorial as in how to do it in windows?

[BillBill]

9 hours ago, pchelp said:

Not able to find it anywhere. Is there an article/tutorial as in how to do it in windows?

The settings will only be displayed if you have compatible hardware.  

[pchelp]

On 5/29/2024 at 4:02 AM, BillBill said:

The settings will only be displayed if you have compatible hardware.  

Is there a thread/article on the minimum requirements and about those settings? It should be a good read.

[BillBill]

10 hours ago, pchelp said:

Is there a thread/article on the minimum requirements and about those settings? It should be a good read.

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/why-use-random-hardware-addresses-060ad2e9-526e-4f1c-9f3d-fe6a842640ed         

[BillBill]

10 hours ago, pchelp said:

Is there a thread/article on the minimum requirements and about those settings? It should be a good read.

https://www.elevenforum.com/t/turn-on-or-off-random-hardware-addresses-for-wi-fi-networks-in-windows-11.4535/