Can I change the WLAN MAC Address?

[pikolo]

Hello to everyone and especially to Merlin.

I just ordered an ASUS RT-AC66U router, to upgrade from a prehistoric Buffalo WHR-G125, which has DD-WRT installed in it.

So until the router arrives, I started gathering as much info as I could, in order to make the best custom firmware upgrade (if a custom firmware installation is needed at all).

As a non expert, basic DD-WRT user, my first option was the DD-WRT firmware (Kongs latest build), but I am consistently reading a lot of praise for Merlin's custom ASUS firmware.

The usage of the router will not be anything extraordinary, except one little detail: The router has to be recognized as a Nintendo Relay Station from my 3DS.

In order for this to work, the SSID and WLAN (not WAN) MAC Address should be specific.

Is this possible with Merlin's custom firmware? Is there an option to change the WLAN MAC address?

Thanks in advance.

 

[ColinTaylor]

There is no option to change the wireless MAC address.

 

[CaptainSTX]

With the version of Tomato I am running on my ASUS router I have the option to change both WLAN radios MAC address,

 

[pikolo]

There is no option to change the wireless MAC address.

That's a shame.

Well, now I have to decide if I'll install DD-WRT to have an all in one solution, or install Merlin's firmware and keep the old bufallo router just for the Nintendo 3DS Relay Station....

 

[user2k10]

This works on my RT-AC66U and RT-AC68U, it changes the LAN and the Wireless 2.4GHz MAC address.

#!/bin/sh

nvram set et0macaddr=DE:FA:CE:DE:FA:CE
nvram commit
reboot

exit 0

 

[shu]

I think that can be changed from Wireless - WDS section:

http://192.168.1.1/Advanced_WMode_Content.asp

For both, 2.4 and 5 GHz channels.

Cheers

 

[ColinTaylor]

I think that can be changed from Wireless - WDS section:

That looked promising for a moment. Unfortunately those fields are read only.

Never mind, user2k10 has the solution though.

 

[pikolo]

This works on my RT-AC66U and RT-AC68U, it changes the LAN and the Wireless 2.4GHz MAC address.

#!/bin/sh

nvram set et0macaddr=DE:FA:CE:DE:FA:CE
nvram commit
reboot

exit 0

Thank you very much!

I'll try that as soon as I receive the router.

Thank you again.

 

[Deleted member 33003]

This works on my RT-AC66U and RT-AC68U, it changes the LAN and the Wireless 2.4GHz MAC address.

#!/bin/sh

nvram set et0macaddr=DE:FA:CE:DE:FA:CE
nvram commit
reboot

exit 0

Is there anything else that needs to be considered when changing the MAC address? For example do you have to replace a letter for a letter and a number for a number? Any special sequences perhaps?

Also, the 5GHz wireless, on my router, has exactly the same MAC address as the 2.4GHz except for the last two digits i.e. 2.4GHz =90 and the 5GHz = 94. Is there any reason why one is four more than the other and not say 8 more or 3 more. I may be looking too deeply into this but am wondering what the wider implications are of changing the MAC address.

 

[ColinTaylor]

Is there anything else that needs to be considered when changing the MAC address? For example do you have to replace a letter for a letter and a number for a number? Any special sequences perhaps?

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

MAC addresses are similar to IP addresses in the sense that they are meant to uniquely identify a device on the network (usually a network interface). The address is represented by 6 hexadecimal numbers. A hexadecimal number contains the digits 0 to 9 and A to F. If you change the MAC address of an interface you MUST ensure that it is not the same as anything else on your LAN.

Also, the 5GHz wireless, on my router, has exactly the same MAC address as the 2.4GHz except for the last two digits i.e. 2.4GHz =90 and the 5GHz = 94. Is there any reason why one is four more than the other and not say 8 more or 3 more. I may be looking too deeply into this but am wondering what the wider implications are of changing the MAC address.

We can see that they are 4 apart because the first number is for the primary interface and the next 3 addresses are for the guest networks.

# nvram show | grep 'wl[01]_hwaddr' | sort
size: 48366 bytes (17170 left)
wl0_hwaddr=BC:EE:7B:C3:78:A8
wl1_hwaddr=BC:EE:7B:C3:78:AC

# nvram show | grep 'wl[01].[1-3]_hwaddr' | sort
size: 48366 bytes (17170 left)
wl0.1_hwaddr=BC:EE:7B:C3:78:A9
wl0.2_hwaddr=BC:EE:7B:C3:78:AA
wl0.3_hwaddr=BC:EE:7B:C3:78:AB
wl1.1_hwaddr=BC:EE:7B:C3:78:AD
wl1.2_hwaddr=BC:EE:7B:C3:78:AE
wl1.3_hwaddr=BC:EE:7B:C3:78:AF

Why do you need to change the MAC address? pikolo wanted to create a fake Nintendo Relay Station in which case he has to use a specific MAC address and not just one he's made up.

 

[Cake]

This works on my RT-AC66U and RT-AC68U, it changes the LAN and the Wireless 2.4GHz MAC address.

#!/bin/sh

nvram set et0macaddr=DE:FA:CE:DE:FA:CE
nvram commit
reboot

exit 0

Thanks user2k10, your command worked for me.
Anybody know a script to set up a random MAC address script at boot, similar to another recent thread about the ability to have a random password on his guest wifi, but without the need for a email?

 

[JoeBob Turnipants]

This works on my RT-AC66U and RT-AC68U, it changes the LAN and the Wireless 2.4GHz MAC address.

#!/bin/sh

nvram set et0macaddr=DE:FA:CE:DE:FA:CE
nvram commit
reboot

exit 0

Worked like a charm to change the MAC address of the LAN. What part of the code needs to change (and to what) to be able to update the Wireless 2.4 and 5 MAC addresses?

Thanks!

 

[Spc]

Worked like a charm to change the MAC address of the LAN. What part of the code needs to change (and to what) to be able to update the Wireless 2.4 and 5 MAC addresses?

Thanks!

I made a new script that works.
See here:

Change Wireless 2.4GHz & 5GHz MAC address

Also, check whether you have anything set for MAC Clone (WAN - Internet Connection) because that might be overriding the WAN changes.

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