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MAC Address

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AngryT

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May 23, 2003, 9:56:17 AM5/23/03
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Hi!

I want to change the mac address of my ethernet adapter. Is this possible?
If so, how or does anybody know a good HOW TO to do this? I use Redhat
Linux 9.0.

Thanks a lot !!

Thomas

Steve Robbins

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May 24, 2003, 10:49:15 AM5/24/03
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On Fri, 23 May 2003 13:56:17 GMT, AngryT <thomas...@web.de> wrote:
> Hi!
>
> I want to change the mac address of my ethernet adapter. Is this possible?
> If so, how or does anybody know a good HOW TO to do this? I use Redhat
> Linux 9.0.

MAC addresses are assigned as a permanent setting by the manufacturer.
I would assume that there is a way to change this as most/all things are
"hackable" but it is not an intended practice.

So the questions is why change it? MAC addresses are meant to make all
devices have a unique ID to be addressed by. Changing it gives you no
gains.

Jim Williamson

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May 24, 2003, 12:47:52 PM5/24/03
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Steve Robbins <srob...@no.spam.charter.net> wrote:

Because many cable operators grant access for a user account via a MAC
address (they log the MAC at initial connection / account setup). The
Linksys (didn't Cisco recently buy them) residential gateways offer this
feature - just type in the MAC address that your directly connected PC had
and the cable operator simply thinks your PC / single use device is
connected and allows the flow. Some cable operators (DSL too??) have a web
screen where you can change the allowed MAC address of your account - but
you need your user ID's / account #'s / passwords as well. MAC address
spoofing is often much simpler.

David Means

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May 26, 2003, 1:56:05 AM5/26/03
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On Sat, 24 May 2003 12:47:52 -0400, Jim Williamson wrote:

> Steve Robbins <srob...@no.spam.charter.net> wrote:
>
> Because many cable operators grant access for a user account via a MAC
> address (they log the MAC at initial connection / account setup). The
> Linksys (didn't Cisco recently buy them) residential gateways offer this
> feature - just type in the MAC address that your directly connected PC
> had and the cable operator simply thinks your PC / single use device is
> connected and allows the flow. Some cable operators (DSL too??) have a
> web screen where you can change the allowed MAC address of your account
> - but you need your user ID's / account #'s / passwords as well. MAC
> address spoofing is often much simpler.

Ah... good way to steal services too, eh? Not that you would do that,
of'course.

--
David Means

Never frobnicate without first grokking.

Vic

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May 30, 2003, 9:11:25 PM5/30/03
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Found this little blurb on Google Groups, but haven't verified yet.
Seems simple enough. This was the response to someone asking about RH 8, but
I imagine it would still work the same in RH 9.

######################################################
Just edit
/etc/sysconfig/network-scripts/ifcfg-eth0 (assuming it's your eth0 network
card that you want to change the MAC for), and add a line like this:

MACADDR=AA:BB:CC:DD:EE:FF

(Obviously you want to substitute the MAC address you want in place of
AA:BB:CC:DD:EE:FF ;-)

Then "/sbin/ifdown eth0", "/sbin/ifup eth0", and you should be up and
running
with the new MAC address. You can use "/sbin/ifconfig eth0" to verify that
the new MAC address is in effect -- it shows up in the 'HWaddr' entry on the
first line that ifconfig
prints.###################################################### -V


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