MAC Address Randomization on Arc 3 — How to Enable or Disable
MAC address randomization is a privacy feature that allows your Arc 3 device to use a randomized MAC address when connecting to a Wi-Fi network, instead of its hardware (device) MAC address. This helps prevent device tracking across networks.
By default, Arc 3 uses a randomized MAC address for each saved Wi-Fi network. In some enterprise environments — for example, networks that filter or authenticate devices by MAC address — you may need to switch to the device MAC address instead.
Steps to Enable or Disable MAC Randomization
From the Arc 3 home screen, navigate through the following menus:
- My Programs
- Advanced Settings
- Network & Internet
- Internet
- Select the network the device is currently connected to
- Page Down to scroll
- Under Privacy, choose one of the following:
- Use randomized MAC (default) — recommended for most users; provides better privacy.
- Use device MAC — select this if your network requires the device's hardware MAC address (e.g., for MAC-based authentication or filtering).
The change is applied immediately to the selected network.
When to Use Each Option
| Option | When to use |
|---|---|
| Use randomized MAC (default) | General use, public Wi-Fi, or any environment where privacy is preferred. |
| Use device MAC | Enterprise networks with MAC filtering, RADIUS authentication tied to MAC, or fleet management systems that identify devices by hardware MAC. |