MAC Adresses on phones and Windows hotspots

benmaxwell47

Commendable
May 24, 2016
1
0
1,510
So i am going to try to explain this as best as i can. So my pc is connect to the same network as my phone. I don't like networks having my MAC addresses this is an easy fix on my PC so i have no problem there. But i have an iPhone 6 and things get more complex there. As far as i know you can't Spoof your Iphone Mac Address. So i had the idea that if i connected my phone to my PC through a “hotspot” (wifi>pc wireless card>out a different wireless card>phone) That it would work then i shortly realized that i'm still connecting to the same network i'm just using my pc as an extender in a way. Long story short is there a way to make it so a wifi network doesn't recognize my iphones mac addresses in any way? Maybe using a VPN or Proxy?


I was thinking maybe if you could go WIFI>wireless card in>VPN>wireless card out>phone I dont know if that is even possible just an idea i had to use a hotspot out of my pc but have the hotspot connected to a VPN
 
Solution
The WiFi network (or other easily-available sniffer devices), if configured to do so, could still sniff out all the WiFi, Bluetooth, whatever MAC addresses in the vicinity (even not connected to them, or to anything), unless those radios are completely disabled.

Unfortunately, most modern communication standards were not built with privacy in mind.
The WiFi network (or other easily-available sniffer devices), if configured to do so, could still sniff out all the WiFi, Bluetooth, whatever MAC addresses in the vicinity (even not connected to them, or to anything), unless those radios are completely disabled.

Unfortunately, most modern communication standards were not built with privacy in mind.
 
Solution
If your route has guest ability, that prevents the guest network devices from communicating with the main network. This is done by filtering the mac addresses. Most guest networks also restrict the ability of wireless devices to see each other. So only the router would know your mac address.

Now as point out above, it is trivial to capture some wifi traffic from your phone. Even when you are away from home the phones tend to send out connect messages looking for the router. All wireless traffic even if it is encrypted will have the mac address in unencrypted form.

Pretty much if the radio is being used and someone is close enough they can get your mac...not that they can do much with it other than track you.