====== Problems with MAC randomization ======

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{{fa>language}} <wrap hi>[[public:femnet:howto:mac-randomization|German version]]</wrap>

===== What is the problem? =====

MAC randomization is a new technology used in many mobile devices to prevent you from being tracked by your MAC address when searching for Wi-Fi networks.
Hence, the feature contributes to privacy and protection against tracing.
A MAC address is randomly determined and used when searching for and connecting to networks.

However, in FeM-Net, devices are identified by their MAC address.
So, if MAC randomization is activated, the device tries to connect via a MAC address that does not match the one in our database, which is why the connection fails.

You can recognize MAC randomization when you see a different MAC address on our [[https://myinfo.fem.tu-ilmenau.de|MyInfo page]] in the FeM_Welcome Wi-Fi than the one in the settings of the affected device, for example.

===== How do I disable that? =====

This varies for each operating system, but there is usually the option of deactivating the feature only for individual Wi-Fi networks, which ensures privacy.

==== Android ====

Android supports MAC randomization from Android 10.
This feature is therefore not available on older systems.

For deactivation:
  * Open settings > Network & Internet > Wi-Fi
  * For our Wi-Fi networks (e.g. „FeM.PSK“ and „FeM.1X“) open the settings by pressing and holding down the respective Wi-Fi network > Modify network
  * In the advanced options, there should now be a corresponding privacy setting that allows to switch off MAC randomization.

==== iOS ====

Apple Support offers a guide for iOS 14: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT211227

==== Windows ====

In the Wi-Fi settings there is a section called "Random hardware addresses".
The switch "Use random hardware addresses" must be deactivated.
This should deactivate MAC randomization for Wi-Fi.