topic Re: Need a fixed Mac address on mobile data in Tech Support

Need a fixed Mac address on mobile data

Samkc87 — Wed, 17 Feb 2021 21:29:26 GMT

Good evening, I use an application for work to access sensitive data that I need to access through my phone. Part of the security is a Mac address check. It's fine on WiFi as I've set the Mac address to be fixed as my device Mac address on my galaxy S21 plus. The problem I'm having is my mac address keeps changing on my mobile data. Is there anyway to have this as a fixed mac address?

Re: Need a fixed Mac address on mobile data

MI5 — Wed, 17 Feb 2021 21:34:50 GMT

@Samkc87

The easiest way is to use a vpn.

Re: Need a fixed Mac address on mobile data

Samkc87 — Wed, 17 Feb 2021 21:36:42 GMT

I have a surfshark account...can I set a fixed mac address through this then?

Re: Need a fixed Mac address on mobile data

Samkc87 — Wed, 17 Feb 2021 21:43:32 GMT

I've looked online and a VPN wont allow me to fix a mac address...only hide/change my IP

Re: Need a fixed Mac address on mobile data

MI5 — Wed, 17 Feb 2021 21:52:15 GMT

Yeah I was thinking ip but aren't mac addresses fixed anyway?

Re: Need a fixed Mac address on mobile data

Samkc87 — Wed, 17 Feb 2021 21:53:58 GMT

That's what I thought but every time my network loses signal and reconnects so does my mac. I've managed to set my phones mac on WiFi to stick to my device mac but can't seem to do the same on mobile data

Re: Need a fixed Mac address on mobile data

Anonymous — Wed, 17 Feb 2021 21:55:18 GMT

@Samkc87 Hi,

All network adapters and network capable devices have a unique MAC address.

Mobile data wont change your MAC address, it communicates by IP address.

A router or server can allow or reserve an IP address to a MAC address ( An individual device or adapter)

Re: Need a fixed Mac address on mobile data

Samkc87 — Wed, 17 Feb 2021 22:00:43 GMT

That's what I thought but every time I restart my phone with WiFi off it generates a new mac address. Managed to generate 5 completely different mac addresses

Re: Need a fixed Mac address on mobile data

Anonymous — Wed, 17 Feb 2021 22:06:15 GMT

@Samkc87 Your phones MAC address can't be changing it's set from the factory, the only way to change your phones MAC Address is to remove the network chip and replace it.

An IP address can be Static (Stays the same) or Dynamic (Changes from time to time) but that is provided by your ISP.

Re: Need a fixed Mac address on mobile data

MI5 — Wed, 17 Feb 2021 22:07:06 GMT

There must be multiple network adapters to generate different ip addresses, surely?

Re: Need a fixed Mac address on mobile data

Samkc87 — Wed, 17 Feb 2021 22:08:14 GMT

I don't know. Its really strange. Just got a friend to use the What is my mac address app on his android and turn off WiFi and leave data off and restart his phone and every time his mac address changes too.

Re: Need a fixed Mac address on mobile data

MI5 — Wed, 17 Feb 2021 22:13:50 GMT

I'd guess that there is a setting somewhere to use "random hardware adresses".

Check the network / hardware settings etc.

It won't be physically changing but just reporting spoof addresses.

Re: Need a fixed Mac address on mobile data

Samkc87 — Wed, 17 Feb 2021 22:23:53 GMT

I've checked everywhere. I found a setting with specific WiFi networks allowing me to choose between mac address type (choice of "phone mac" or "randomised address") which I've set to phone mac which gives me a fixed mac when connected to that Wireless network but there is no option for mobile data anywhere

Re: Need a fixed Mac address on mobile data

MI5 — Wed, 17 Feb 2021 22:25:26 GMT

@Samkc87

It seems like it's built into the ROM on mobile phones these days.

Found this that seems to have been implemented since android 6.

https://source.android.com/devices/tech/connect/wifi-mac-randomization#:~:text=MAC%20randomization%20prevents%20listeners%20from,and%20Wi%2DFi%20RTT%20operations.

Re: Need a fixed Mac address on mobile data

Samkc87 — Wed, 17 Feb 2021 22:28:31 GMT

Yeah I saw that and you have the ability to turn it off for WiFi but doesn't appear you can for mobile data.

Re: Need a fixed Mac address on mobile data

MI5 — Wed, 17 Feb 2021 22:33:38 GMT

You'd need to root your phone to modify the code I guess, not really an option unfortunately.

Re: Need a fixed Mac address on mobile data

Anonymous — Wed, 17 Feb 2021 22:34:55 GMT

@Samkc87 To access a secure server with a reserved MAC address (Your work) You will need your device set to it's genuine MAC address and this MAC address needs to be the same as the ones logged by the server/router.

That's the whole point of the security feature.

Re: Need a fixed Mac address on mobile data

Samkc87 — Wed, 17 Feb 2021 22:37:24 GMT

Yes I know. That's the issue. There is no way of setting my phone to its genuine mac address unless I'm on WiFi.

Re: Need a fixed Mac address on mobile data

MI5 — Wed, 17 Feb 2021 22:48:40 GMT

Looks like it's not possible to do on mobile data unfortunately unless there is an app out there that will do it?

Re: Need a fixed Mac address on mobile data

Samkc87 — Wed, 17 Feb 2021 22:50:58 GMT

I've looked through 3rd party apps and can only find ones that will do it on WiFi. Lol