MAC address randomization is the increasing trend of device operating systems using a random, anonymous device identifier instead of the real address when connecting to wireless networks. What is MAC address randomization and why is it used?
The notion of a dynamic MAC address changing through time by virtue of a device’s operating system will significantly alter the connectivity experience, unless they adopt solutions that plan for and address this, such as ElevenOS. In the hospitality and multifamily markets, the use of a static MAC address is far reaching in current network architectures. There are well-known hospitality brands that have implemented automatic authentication programs for loyalty customers based on storing and recognizing a device’s static MAC address.
The assumption and practice of having a static MAC address resulted in many networks leveraging it for a variety of purposes. How are MAC addresses used for Wi-Fi networks today? In other words, MAC addresses have historically been static and unique to each device. MAC addresses are usually assigned when the device is manufactured and, unlike IP addresses, they generally do not change when moving from one network to another.
A media access control (MAC) address is a unique string of letters and numbers that is used to identify a device on a network and allow it to communicate with other devices. The way the industry has been trending, this really isn’t that surprising. Also, Apple has gone a step further with iOS 14 and added automatic randomization of the MAC address every 24 hours, whereas on Android, it stays consistent for each network after joining. While other operating systems, including Android 10, already had this feature, it has much broader implications for Apple devices because the adoption rate of new iOS versions is so much higher than on Android. Apple’s newest beta version of iOS 14 has a setting that will change the way people connect and stay connected to Wi-Fi networks.
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