What is a Private MAC Address?

Summary

Information on Private MAC address

Body

Topic

What is a Private MAC Address and how do I use it? How to identify a Private MAC address

Information

Look at the second least significant bit of the most significant byte. If the second hex digit is 2, 6, A, or E, it is a private MAC
  • x2:xx:xx:xx:xx:xx
  • x6:xx:xx:xx:xx:xx
  • xA:xx:xx:xx:xx:xx
  • xE:xx:xx:xx:xx:xx

Private MAC (Hardware randomization) setting is usually per Network that the device connects to and it allows for a little more anonymity on a network like a public one. A rotating randomized MAC can cause issues in our environment or having to reauthenticate every time the MAC Address changes (2 weeks, 6 weeks, every reboot, depends on the Operating System or manufacturer of the device). Even a fixed private MAC address can sometimes cause some issues. Please consider turning this off as a troubleshooting step so that the device is using the manufacturer issued MAC Address 

Apple MAC Randomization Information

Windows MAC Randomization Information

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Details

Details

Article ID: 13022
Created
Fri 10/25/24 9:56 AM
Modified
Mon 10/28/24 2:11 PM

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