Randomised Mac v Device Mac ?

deejaybee

Whats says the MSE jury ?

My Vodaphone broadband App is recommending to switch our devices that connect to our home WiFi,from randomised Mac to Device Mac.

Read up on this, and Device Mac makes it easier to be tracked etc ? Have left on Randomised for now as dont have any issues connecting to the WiFi.

DullGreyGuy

By having a device MAC, which historically was the only option, you can prioritise traffic to certain devices, control what can access which port or force traffic down certain ports and at the extreme can set it so only your device MACs can connect to the router thus avoiding neighbours or such who guess your password having access to your network. 

It depends on what you are more scared of... strangers connecting to your wifi and therefore potentially accessing data/files etc or Wetherspoons being able to see which of their pubs you are going to? We've certainly used the benefits of fixed MAC in the past but mainly with devices that weren't mobile. When line speeds were much slower then prioritisation was useful so work laptop would get data for your Skype call and not be knocked out by the kids/wife starting to stream videos

Vitor

On mobis I show Device MAC to home Wi-fi network, randomise MAC to untrusted networks. I need static IP allocation based on MAC over the private 192.168.1.x network for certain services.

flaneurs_lobster

Vitor said:

On mobis I show Device MAC to home Wi-fi network, randomise MAC to untrusted networks. I need static IP allocation based on MAC over the private 192.168.1.x network for certain services.

Me too. I'm on the BARB panel and they need device MACs to know which device, and therefore which household member (nominally) is watching what telly programme in the house. 

DullGreyGuy

flaneurs_lobster said:

Vitor said:

On mobis I show Device MAC to home Wi-fi network, randomise MAC to untrusted networks. I need static IP allocation based on MAC over the private 192.168.1.x network for certain services.

Me too. I'm on the BARB panel and they need device MACs to know which device, and therefore which household member (nominally) is watching what telly programme in the house. 

They wouldn't get your MAC address using a standard router at home? If you're using their app on the device then they could potentially. Dont know how it works these days. 

flaneurs_lobster

DullGreyGuy said:

flaneurs_lobster said:

Vitor said:

On mobis I show Device MAC to home Wi-fi network, randomise MAC to untrusted networks. I need static IP allocation based on MAC over the private 192.168.1.x network for certain services.

Me too. I'm on the BARB panel and they need device MACs to know which device, and therefore which household member (nominally) is watching what telly programme in the house. 

They wouldn't get your MAC address using a standard router at home? If you're using their app on the device then they could potentially. Dont know how it works these days. 

Don't have apps installed on any device. There's always a call from their engineer when a new phone or laptop etc starts to be used in the house if I've forgotten to let them know. They need to add who is the usual user of the device.

There's a bunch of extra kit connected to TV/TV Box/router, never bothered to find out exactly how it works.

deejaybee

thanks everyone