Possible to change Ethernet ID???

Jump to First Reply
Posted:
in Current Mac Hardware edited January 2014
Is it possible to change the Ethernet ID of a computer / Mac , if so, How ?

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 11
    bogiebogie Posts: 407member
    IP address yes, hardware address [also known as MAC] no, it is hard coded, buy a PCI ethernet card or an AirPort card.
     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 2 of 11
    eugeneeugene Posts: 8,254member
    You have to recompile the kernel to allow MAC spoofing. It's doable...
     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 3 of 11
    macmattmacmatt Posts: 91member
    I'm hoping to change the ethernet hardware address...



    If you say you can change it, how? and can it be done in OS 9 and OS X ??? ..



    Thanks.



    [ 06-08-2002: Message edited by: MacMatt ]</p>
     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 4 of 11
    macmattmacmatt Posts: 91member
    I'm hoping to change the ethernet hardware address...



    If you say you can change it, how? and can it be done in OS 9 and OS X ??? ..



    Thanks.
     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 5 of 11
    eupfhoriaeupfhoria Posts: 257member
    [quote]Originally posted by MacMatt:

    <strong>I'm hoping to change the ethernet hardware address...



    If you say you can change it, how? and can it be done in OS 9 and OS X ??? ..



    Thanks.</strong><hr></blockquote>



    there is no "ethernet hardware address"

    there is an ethernet address

    and a hardware address

    no ethernet hardware address.

    you can change the ethernet address (in TCP/IP) you cannot change a hardware address without buying a new ethernet card.
     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 6 of 11
    eugeneeugene Posts: 8,254member
    You can mask or spoof a MAC address. Lots of people do it. The only problem with OS X is that the kernel source in the public CVS tree isn't up to date so we can't compile the exact same kernel that 10.1.5 has and add the MAC spoofing ability.



    Kernel compiling is also very hard under OS X because of odd circular dependencies...you need "A" to compile "B" to compiled "C"...but you need "C" to compile "A" and so forth.



    Look up "OS X" or "XNU" with "MAC spoofing" in google or something.
     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 7 of 11
    airslufairsluf Posts: 1,861member
     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 8 of 11
    tokentoken Posts: 142member
    It is easily possible in MacOS 9/8. Use the utility called relocated, downloadable from <a href="http://web.ukonline.co.uk/relocated."; target="_blank">http://web.ukonline.co.uk/relocated.</a>;



    Token
     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 9 of 11
    macmattmacmatt Posts: 91member
    Thanks Token, If anyone has a solution for OS X, That would be a great help.



     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 10 of 11
    tokentoken Posts: 142member
    I will add to that wish.



    I hope to leave 9 for X in the near future, but my Cable provider 'locks' the Internet connection to a specific MAC hardware address, making it impossible to use to different computers on the same connection.



    This is very annoying as me and my wife both connect using our own computers, but at different times. Without MAC spoofing (using Relocated in MacOS 9) we have to go through tedious procedures of resetting the cable modem, and the 'locking' script at the cable roviders' server. I guess we are also to poor at the moment to spend money on buying the hardware router that would solve the problem - also with the knowledge that this really is a software problem.



    That leaves us to use MacOS 9, which is sort of a stupid situation, especially since our Internet providers support people has told us they won't change general procedures, but don't mind us using the little trick Relocated does.



    I understand the difficulties in recompiling the kernel, as Eugene has pointed out, but if anyone has any knowledge of Apple scripts or anything that'll do the trick in MacOS X for a non-technical user, please post here.



    Token.
     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 11 of 11
    splinemodelsplinemodel Posts: 7,311member
    Here are some solutions:



    I played around with a Linksys Etherfast Cable/DSL router about a year ago, and one of the cool features it has is a variable MAC for the WAN-side part of the router. It works pretty well and now it's US$70.



    The other option, perhaps, is to make a hardware hack. I'm not sure how the Ethernet card stores the MAC, but if it's on an isolated piece of ROM (or just wiring), it can easily be changed. The inventive type could even rig it to a cluster of hex-dials for manual adjustment, if my prior assumption is true.
     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
Sign In or Register to comment.