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Usually connect to Walmart's WiFi but they changed their policy I guess, won't be doing that now...(lemmy.ml)

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trippingonthewire@lemmy.ml
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Dark Arc@social.packetloss.gg
29 points
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Pretty much all modern phones randomize the MAC address everytime they connect to a network unless the user explicitly says not to do that.

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𝒍𝒆𝒎𝒂𝒏𝒏@lemmy.one
6 points
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randomize the MAC address everytime they connect to a network

+1, had issues using Android devices for presence detection because of this very useful privacy feature. Even on your home network, the MAC address and device hostname get randomized, unless disabled in the settings

Edit: typo

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geekworking@lemmy.world
4 points

When there’s a Captive Portal like the screenshot, many devices use a random but persistent mac for that network avoid reauthorization after any network drop. This will make your access to the specific network trackable.

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Boring@lemmy.ml
2 points

But can’t you go manually forget the network in your device network options to circumvent this?

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wreckedcarzz@lemmy.world
2 points

chuckles in GrapheneOS

(per-connection random MAC, for all networks, by default)

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Molecular0079@lemmy.world
3 points

This is actually just part of stock Android. My Pixel 5 has MAC randomization on by default for new Wi-Fi networks.

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Dark Arc@social.packetloss.gg
1 point

I’d assume after a certain amount of time or after moving far enough away from the network it “forgets” the last randomized MAC address?

It doesn’t really make sense to store these things long term.

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