MAC Address change in Linux Server and Reasons behind it

A MAC Address (Media Access Control Address) is very important in the field of computer networking. A MAC address is a unique twelve-hex-digit (48 bits) fingerprint/identifier for network interface cards (NICs). Basically never try to change MAC address of your server. MAC address is a UNIQ bit of code which is assigned to your NIC card, First 24bit of code is vendor bits and remaining 24bits are Serial, In this article we are going to see How MAC address Change in Linux Server and Reasons behind changing MAC Address.

MAC addresses are used by most IEEE-802-compliant networks as an address for each NIC. As now i heard that we can change only IP (Internet Protocol) of the server but now we are going to see MAC Address Change in Linux Server. Wow..!!

MAC address may also be called a Hardware Address, Physical Address or Ethernet hardware address (EHA).

Reasons behind changing MAC address of Linux system

  1. Privacy matters:  for instance when you are connecting to WI-fi hotspot
  2. To ensure interoperability : internet service providers bind their service to a specific MAC address. If user then changes N/W card to install a router, the service won’t work, when you changing the MAC address of the new interface will solve the problem.
  3. Application license validation based on MAC Address – some of the application licenses works when MAC address matches.
  4. Ethical Hacking practices for identification change
  5. Network Testing

MAC address Change

Login with root user in Linux server

First have to find the physical MAC address of Linux system by using with below command

[root@ArkIt ~]# ifconfig eth0 |grep eth0
eth0      Link encap:Ethernet  HWaddr 00:0C:29:B3:54:EC
[root@ArkIT ~]# ifconfig eth0 down
[root@Arkit ~]# ifconfig eth0 hw ether 00:0C:29:b3:54:EB
[root@Arkit ~]# ifconfig etho up

View MAC Address of your Linux Server

[root@ArkIt ~]# ifconfig eth0 |grep HWaddr
eth0      Link encap:Ethernet  HWaddr 00:0C:29:B3:54:EB

That’s it.

Conclusion

You can change your own Linux Server MAC address within a Minute of time without reboot. MAC change can be done only from direct console not from remote sessions.

Please Comment your feedback.

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Thanks for your wonderful Support and Encouragement

Ravi Kumar Ankam

My Name is ARK. Expert in grasping any new technology, Interested in Sharing the knowledge. Learn more & Earn More

7 Responses

  1. imtiyazuddin mohammed says:

    How about changing from 70-persistent-net.rules?

  2. blank Nitesh Bhat says:

    But the steps are still not relieved?

  3. blank Khan says:

    Nice concept, But why we need to change MAC Address what is the reason? Please let me know

  4. blank vasanth says:

    short and cache …awesome ravi…

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