How To Change MAC Address In Windows 10

Regarding network interfaces and communication, an IP address is not the only meaningful “address” tied to your PC. The IP address – or Internet address – serves to identify the device globally, while the MAC address – or physical address – serves to identify a device to other devices on the same local network. The MAC address is associated with physical routers and network adapters, earning it the name “The hardware address of the system.” 

These addresses are unique because they can be identified in a network of numerous devices. This allows communication between two systems to be more stable and reliable. If the MAC address is so important, why would you want to consider changing it?

This article will show you how to change your MAC address and why it is essential.

What Is a MAC Address?

The Media Access Control (MAC) address is a unique, 12-character alphanumeric key used to identify individual electronic devices on a network. Using a 12-character hexadecimal key makes it virtually impossible for two devices to have the same MAC address. 

This address is a Data-link sublayer that can actively participate in a device’s network connections.

It is a unique identifier assigned to a network interface controller (NIC) for use as a network address in communications within a network segment. 

MAC addresses are formed according to the principles of two numbering spaces based on extended unique identifiers (EUIs) managed by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). 

Why Should You Change Your MAC Address?

Although the MAC address is factory-set to the physical device, changing your MAC address by “spoofing” it as another MAC address is relatively easy.

Why would you want to do this?

• Changing your MAC can help maintain your online Privacy and serve as a preventive measure against hackers. Hackers can quickly discover and exploit your MAC address whenever you are connected to a local ethernet network. Changing your MAC address and avoiding the use of public WiFi will help you avoid hackers and improve your PC Privacy.

• It can be used to test your MAC filtering settings or apply specific rules to a group of devices within a specific MAC address range.

• MAC spoofing can bypass network controls, but it’s only useful for blacklists—that is, if your device has been explicitly blocked from the network. Whitelists, however, require you to know the MAC address of the device you’re attempting to spoof.

How To Change MAC Address In Windows 10

Step 1: Press the Windows key + X on your keyboard and select Device Manager.

Step 2: Expand Network adapters, right-click your Ethernet or Wireless adapter, then select Properties.

Step 3: Select the Advanced tab. 

Within the Property box, scroll down and select Locally Administered Address. 

Select the Value box to view your adapter’s MAC address. Click in the Value box, clear the address, and then enter a new address to edit the address. 

Select OK. 

Restart your computer.

Step 4: After restarting your computer, open the command prompt and enter the command:

ipconfig /all

You will receive a reply showing that the new MAC address has been updated.

Alternatively, you can Open Start > Settings > Network & Internet, select the connection name, and then scroll down to see the new MAC address.

Conclusion

MAC addresses are used in computer networking to establish connections between multiple devices. These addresses also aid in network switching by only forwarding packets to a designated number of ports. Wireless access points also use MAC addresses to grant access to known network devices. Although MAC provides a plethora of uses and advantages, it is also important to consider changing the default address. This article explains precisely how to go about this change step-by-step.