#Python mac address changing library mac#

Computer crackers can use MAC spoofing to gain access to networks utilising MAC filtering if any of the allowed MAC addresses are known to them, possibly with the intent of causing damage, while appearing to be one of the legitimate users of the network. MAC filtering prevents access to a network if the MAC address of the device attempting to connect does not match any addresses marked as allowed, which is used by some networks. However, computer crackers use the same technique to bypass access control methods such as MAC filtering, without revealing their identity. Hence, in order to avoid being tracked, the user might choose to spoof the device's MAC address. Even the secure IEEE 802.11i-2004 (WPA) encryption method does not prevent Wi-Fi networks from sending out MAC addresses. As an example motivation, on Wi-Fi network connections a MAC address is not encrypted. If a user chooses to spoof their MAC address in order to protect their privacy, this is called identity masking. Such cases can be considered illegitimate or illegal activity and legal action may be taken. Some softwares may also perform MAC filtering in an attempt to ensure unauthorized users cannot gain access to certain networks which would otherwise be freely accessible with the software.

#Python mac address changing library software#

Contacting the software vendor might be the safest route to take if there is a hardware problem preventing access to the software. At the same time, the user can access software for which they have not secured a license. Legal issues might arise if the software is run on multiple devices at once by using MAC spoofing. The user has to spoof the new MAC address so that it appears to be the address that was in use when the software was registered.

However, this problem can be solved using MAC spoofing.

#Python mac address changing library install#

If the user has to install different hardware due to malfunction of the original device or if there is a problem with the user's NIC card, then the software will not recognize the new hardware.

#Python mac address changing library license#

Some software can only be installed and run on systems with pre-defined MAC addresses as stated in the software end-user license agreement, and users have to comply with this requirement in order to gain access to the software. In cases where the provider allows customers to provide their own equipment (and thus avoid the monthly leasing fee on their bill), the provider sometimes requires that the customer provide the MAC address of their equipment before service is established.įulfilling software requirements If leased to the customer on a monthly basis, the equipment has a hard-coded MAC address known to the provider's distribution networks, allowing service to be established as long as the customer is not in billing arrears.

This also applies to customer-premises equipment, such as cable and DSL modems. This action is considered an illegitimate and illegal use of MAC spoofing. This allows them to gain access to unauthorized services, while being difficult to identify and track as they are using the client's identity. Computer crackers can gain unauthorized access to the ISP via the same technique. Moreover, the client is not the only person who can spoof their MAC address to gain access to the ISP. While this is generally a legitimate case, MAC spoofing of new devices can be considered illegal if the ISP's user agreement prevents the user from connecting more than one device to their service. In this case, the client spoofs their MAC address to gain Internet access from multiple devices. This can be circumvented easily by MAC spoofing, with the client only needing to spoof the new device's MAC address so it appears to be the MAC address that was registered by the ISP. Since MAC addresses are unique and hard-coded on network interface controller (NIC) cards, when the client wants to connect a new device or change an existing one, the ISP will detect different MAC addresses and might not grant Internet access to those new devices.

Many ISPs register the client's MAC address for service and billing services. New hardware for existing Internet Service Providers (ISP) MAC spoofing is done for legitimate and illicit purposes alike. However, MAC spoofing does not work when trying to bypass parental controls if automatic MAC filtering is turned on.

1.1 New hardware for existing Internet Service Providers (ISP)Ĭhanging the assigned MAC address may allow the user to bypass access control lists on servers or routers, either hiding a computer on a network or allowing it to impersonate another network device.