The Media Access Control (MAC) address is a physical address that can be used to identify your device in the network. The MAC address is hardcoded on the Network Interface Controller (NIC). Any device that has a connection to the Internet will have a MAC address. Let’s explore why and how you can change the MAC address in Windows 10.
Every NIC has a unique MAC address. MAC addresses are necessary to make a local Ethernet (or Wi-Fi) network function. With the help of a Network Interface Controller, a network device can attract the attention of a single directly connected device, even though the physical connection is shared. It proves to be fruitful when thousands of devices are linked within one organization.
Let there be no confusion regarding the IP address and MAC address; both of these are separate terms and are very different from each other. Before we begin discussing how to change the MAC address in Windows 10, let us understand the difference between MAC address and IP Address.
Every network adapter has a MAC address, and to change it while running the latest and most excellent operating system Windows 10 PC, here is a simple guide to show you how to do it in the best possible way.
What Is The Difference Between MAC And IP Address
The IP address is the address provided by your ISP (Internet Service Provider). The manufacturers’ Burns the MAC address on the NIC.
MAC address is the physical address of the device. On the other hand, the IP address is a logical address assigned to the device and can be subjected to change. These are some essential and straight forward differences between the two terms.
Reasons To Change MAC Address In Windows 10
There are various reasons people try to change the MAC address. MAC address is probably visible to everyone using some tools. At times, hackers can get into the device using the MAC address. So, one of the leading and most important reasons to change the MAC address in Windows 10 is privacy.
Some of the other reasons why users decide to change mac address are:
-To get access to the network that has blocked their device based on the MAC address
-To check their router for MAC address filtering
You can also change the MAC address of any device to test it.
How to change your MAC Address in Windows 10 PC?
- Click the network icon in your taskbar, then select on Network Settings.
- Click the connection you would prefer to change and then scroll down and hit ‘Manage Wi-Fi Settings.’
- Select ‘Use random hardware addresses’ to turn it on, and your system now would use a different MAC address every time you connect to a new network.
While this is the easiest way of changing your MAC Address in Windows 10, we would also point out the reasons why this might not work in your favor. If your driver does not provide support for it, or if some other network software has control over it, then the option may be deleted.
Another thing that you need to look into is the fact that that Windows 10 always uses the same MAC address when connecting to the same network, so you will need to manually change it over and over again whenever you decide to connect to a different system.
You can download Technitium MAC Address Changer from here. It runs on all versions of Windows from XP to Windows 10, which is going to make it easier to identify network connections, sets and restores MAC addresses in a click or two, is ultra configurable, and also comes with a handy network monitor thrown in.
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