MAC Randomized feature of IOS and Android 10 activated as Default

JKnott

Set the connections to use the hardware MAC for your SSID. You can do that with Android, but I haven't tried with iPhone. Also, with Android, even when a random MAC is used, it retains the random number for future connections to that SSID.

MikeV7896

iOS 14 works the same way... the random MAC is saved and reused per-SSID. It does not change every time a device re-connects to the network. Of course, if the network is forgotten and re-added, the random MAC might change when re-added. It can be disabled on a per-SSID basis in the settings for that network on the device. So if you have multiple SSIDs, it would need to be disabled for each of them.

If each of your access points has a different SSID, you could end up with one device that has reserved multiple IP addresses on your network. If all have the same name, that shouldn't happen. I don't think mesh vs non-mesh would matter here... it's the network name that matters.

For example, I have an iPhone and Apple Watch. I go in and out of my home with my phone and watch multiple times a day, yet both only have one (new) IPv4 address each since iOS 14/WatchOS 7 were released. They don't change every time I disconnect/reconnect. If I were to forget and re-add my home WiFi, then it would likely change and I'd get a different address.

JKnott

@virgiliomi

Or just turn off Private Address for that SSID.

MikeV7896

@JKnott said in MAC Randomized feature of IOS and Android 10 activated as Default:

@virgiliomi

Or just turn off Private Address for that SSID.

Right, which is something every user would need to do on their own device (for each SSID, if there are multiple). And they'd need to remember to do it again if they were to forget and re-add the network.

I would think from a network management perspective, having each AP with the same SSID and key would be a lot easier, both on the user side and on the admin side.

tejas

@JKnott said in MAC Randomized feature of IOS and Android 10 activated as Default:

@tejas

Set the connections to use the hardware MAC for your SSID. You can do that with Android, but I haven't tried with iPhone. Also, with Android, even when a random MAC is used, it retains the random number for future connections to that SSID.

Didn't knew, that the Android retains the same random MAC for SSID.

JKnott

@virgiliomi said in MAC Randomized feature of IOS and Android 10 activated as Default:

I would think from a network management perspective, having each AP with the same SSID and key would be a lot easier, both on the user side and on the admin side.

Are they not the same? If not, that's nuts. I don't recall if the OP mentioned.

JKnott

@tejas

Yep, just Google on android random mac for info.

MikeV7896

@JKnott said in MAC Randomized feature of IOS and Android 10 activated as Default:

Are they not the same? If not, that's nuts. I don't recall if the OP mentioned.

They didn't mention... just said there were 5 routers used in access point mode. But the only way I could see running out of DHCP addresses is if they're each a different name, giving each device up to 5 IP addresses on the network, one for each SSID.

JKnott

@virgiliomi

Actually, if he has 5, perhaps he should be using proper access points. Some of those are intended for such use and make for a much smoother transition between APs.

bingo600

Or just turn off Private Address for that SSID.

Just upgraded to 14.2 , and had to disable private address om my iPhone/iPad
Nice feature , that you can do it per SSID

/Bingo