# Software settable wifi MAC addresses?

## Moriah

In the news today at:

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2010/04/22/google_streetview_logs_wlans/

It states: *Quote:*   

> 
> 
> Google Street View logs WiFi networks, Mac addresses
> 
> Alert   Print  Post comment Why are you doing this?, ask Germans
> ...

 

So I am wondering, what wifi devices -- especially for notebooks (since they travel) -- have the ability to let software define the MAC address that they use?  This is basicly a privacy issue.    :Sad: 

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## NathanZachary

You shouldn't have a problem changing your wlan0 (or other interface) MAC address by using net-analyzer/macchanger.

```

macchanger -m xx:xx:xx:xx:xx:xx ADAPTER

```

So, you would simply fill in the x's with the desired MAC, and replace ADAPTER with your adapter interface (like wlan0).

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## Moriah

So is that to say that *ALL* wifi devices have soft MAC addresses?   :Shocked: 

I should think that collisions would abound!    :Sad: 

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## NathanZachary

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MAC_address

Third "paragraph" (truthfully more of a "blurb" than a paragraph) should give you some more information about MAC addresses, their intended purposes, and their shortcomings.   :Wink: 

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## cach0rr0

in fairness, the German media and government has a bit of a "tinfoil hat" view of Google. Anyone with `iwlist scan` could accomplish the same without issue. All the better, airodump-ng shows you not only client macs, but which essid's they probe for. 

If google were breaking encryption I'd be worried - but they aren't. German suits don't trust google, so they immediately assume "documenting wifi hot spots" == "insidious plan by Google to dominate the world"

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## Moriah

Well, you've got to remember that they themselves once had a plan to dominate the world...    :Evil or Very Mad: 

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## Rexilion

I think that it's just all paranoid. For example, if you want to hide your MAC for privacy, then hide your real IP as well. They are just numbers, you cannot connect them to people without the information of which MAC (or IP) belongs to which person/house.

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## Moriah

Except with a laptop or other portable device, it can turn your machine into a tracking device to show where you are or where you have been.  I just don't like the possibilities that opens up.  "Led me zee yur babaerz!"

We don't need no stinkin' papers!    :Twisted Evil: 

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