MAC Address Randomization
By default, your device makes up a different MAC address for every Wi-Fi network it saves. This stops the device being tracked from network to network by its hardware address, and it is how Android has behaved since version 10.
It causes trouble in exactly one situation: a network that decides whether to let a device on by checking its MAC address. A randomised address is not on the list, so the device is refused, or is let on and then treated as an unknown machine.
The setting is per network, not global. Turning it off for one network leaves every other network alone.
Changing the setting
- Say "MY PROGRAMS", then "ADVANCED SETTINGS".
- Say "NETWORK AND INTERNET", then "INTERNET".
- Select the network you want to change.
- Say "PAGE DOWN" until Privacy is on screen.
- Choose the option you want.
The change applies to that network immediately. You do not need to reconnect.
The two options
| Option | When to use it |
|---|---|
| Use randomized MAC | Everything else. This is the default and the better choice for privacy, particularly on public Wi-Fi. |
| Use device MAC | A network that filters by MAC address, authenticates against it, or identifies devices by it in a fleet management system. |
Finding the real MAC address
Your network team will need the device's real address to add it to a list. Say "ABOUT DEVICE" from My Programs and read the MAC Address.
Setting it before you connect
You can also set it while joining a network rather than afterwards. On the password screen, open the advanced options and set Privacy there, then enter the password and connect. The device joins using the address you chose, which matters on a network that would refuse a randomised one outright.