iOS 18 and macOS Sequoia Add 'Rotate Wi-Fi Address' Option to Cut Down on Tracking
iOS 18 and macOS Sequoia Add 'Rotate Wi-Fi Address' Option to Cut Down on Tracking
With iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS Sequoia, Apple has replaced the Private Wi-Fi Address option for Wi-Fi networks with a new Rotate Wi-Fi Address...
I really hate these random MAC addresses as a parent with teens. It's almost impossible to filter internet content. I had to give them their own SSID so I could block shit. Also I don't do allow lists because I have too many smart devices I add and remove and it's a pain to always remember to allow a new device.
Why do you feel the need to filter the Internet of teenagers? In a few years they'll be driving if they're not already and a few years after that voting.
Can't you set their phones to not change MAC address on the home wifi? I know it's a setting on Android (I have it turned off at home for myself)
Yep - same here. I use MAC auth on all of my SSIDs, as well as PEAP auth for the "user" SSID. The kids' phones get dropped into a dedicated VLAN, so knowing their MAC addresses is key to that.
Yes, every time they change phones, they have to ask me to add it to the wireless for them, but I have my RADIUS database in Postgres - I can easily use Adminer to add/change/delete the relevant table entry with the correct MAC address.
They mean the iPhone's MAC address, right?
For Android it's the default from V10 (if I'm not mistaken)!
It is, it works in two ways depending on the network type and Android version.
By default it creates a random MAC for each network that doesn’t change until a factory reset, even if you forget and connect again. This is on all devices.
Android 12 and up will change the MAC every so often on open networks without a captive portal, or if the network or an app specifies to do so. It it does this in between connections so won’t interrupt what you’re currently doing.
iOS functions like the first one currently, except I think deleting and adding will create a new one. It sounds like they are moving towards the second, but maybe with less logic?
If the default now is not private, and the rotating is opt in, isn’t it worse out of the box?
I liked that the default of private could still work with captive portals.
Wifi Address...
AAAAAAAAAHHHHH
How would one do that on Linux?
Little bit old: https://fedoramagazine.org/randomize-mac-address-nm/ https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/MAC_address_spoofing
On grapheneos that's default for a long time.