Routers & MAC Addresses

[Patrick Whittle]

I have three computers (four actually; I will explain) accessing a router
for Internet access. I found out where to go, in order to modify the MAC
address for the forth computer. This computer (host actually, rather than
physical computer) boots from my second choice on the OS boot menu; it
doesn't have a NIC installed. I decided to use a Linksys wireless USB
adapter to connect to the router. Connectivity worked just fine in the
beginning, but a couple months later, it failed.

Then I found a way to edit a key in the registry so that MAC addresses
(created through cloning) can be used by any NIC you want. I edited the key
below :

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Class\{4D36E972-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318]

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE
\SYSTEM
\CurrentControlSet
\Control
\Class
\{4D36E972-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}

That worked fine in the begging, but what the router's DHCP ended up
recording was very asymmetric. It recorded the MAC address of the fourth
computer as being:

524153200080C6FE884D000000000000

When the MAC address is really: 52-41-53-20-00-80

You can see that the MAC address was actually recorded, but with out
delimiting (-) characters. The actual key structure though, is standard &
documented. It is the place where all NIC producers store their MACs. Why
isn't my router recording my wireless MAC address properly?

 

[Jack \(MVP-Networking\).]

Hi
I do not know what the Host issue is? You did not explained what actually
you have, and there is many ways to use multiple OS'.
It seems that you are involved in action that are Not needed and would end
up "Trashing" your Windows Registry.
If the MAC filter is On in the Router it has to be switches off when ever
you install a new card and it would adjust automatically to the Network.
At this point you are better off resetting the Router, undo the Registry
changes on the computers and start from scratch.
Jack (MS, MVP-Networking).

 

[Patrick Whittle]

I want both hosts to have different MAC addresses, and the same name. When
booting into the Windows Server 2003 host (boot.ini #2) my router does not
record properly. I want to get there through USB wireless, because it has
no NIC card. The Windows XP host and its MAC (boot.ini #1) registered
properly on the router, and it is getting there through wired ethernet.



i. Cloning was used on the router to generate a unique MAC address for
Windows Server.
ii. Windows Server is using a wireless USB adapter and I want it to use the
generated MAC address

iii. Both Windows XP and Windows Server 2003 have the same name.

\\HOME-COMPUTER



This caused me to add the registry key, found at:



http://www.windowsreference.com/networking/how-to-change-mac-address-in-windows-registry/

Do you now know my host issue?

Hi
I do not know what the Host issue is? You did not explained what actually
you have, and there is many ways to use multiple OS'.
It seems that you are involved in action that are Not needed and would end
up "Trashing" your Windows Registry.
If the MAC filter is On in the Router it has to be switches off when ever
you install a new card and it would adjust automatically to the Network.
At this point you are better off resetting the Router, undo the Registry
changes on the computers and start from scratch.
Jack (MS, MVP-Networking).

I have three computers (four actually; I will explain) accessing a router
for Internet access. I found out where to go, in order to modify the MAC
address for the forth computer. This computer (host actually, rather
than
physical computer) boots from my second choice on the OS boot menu; it
doesn't have a NIC installed. I decided to use a Linksys wireless USB
adapter to connect to the router. Connectivity worked just fine in the
beginning, but a couple months later, it failed.

Then I found a way to edit a key in the registry so that MAC addresses
(created through cloning) can be used by any NIC you want. I edited the
key below :

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Class\{4D36E972-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318]

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE
\SYSTEM
\CurrentControlSet
\Control
\Class
\{4D36E972-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}

That worked fine in the begging, but what the router's DHCP ended up
recording was very asymmetric. It recorded the MAC address of the fourth
computer as being:

524153200080C6FE884D000000000000

When the MAC address is really: 52-41-53-20-00-80

You can see that the MAC address was actually recorded, but with out
delimiting (-) characters. The actual key structure though, is standard
&
documented. It is the place where all NIC producers store their MACs. Why
isn't my router recording my wireless MAC address properly?