The MAC address is a unique identifier assigned to each device connected to a network. Although the MAC address is permanent, you may want to change it on your device in some cases. For example, you can change the MAC address of your device to hide your identity or to solve network compatibility issues. With that in mind, this guide will show you how to change the MAC address of a Linux device. So whether you are a beginner or an experienced Linux user, follow this guide to change the MAC address in a quick and easy way.
Change MAC address on Linux and Windows!
As mentioned above, the MAC address (or Media Access Control address) is a unique identifier used to recognize devices connected to a network. This address is used to identify and communicate with other devices, whether it is a computer, smartphone or printer, on a network.
The MAC address is a 48-bit hexadecimal address consisting of six sets of two numbers or characters separated by colons or hyphens. It is also called the physical address or the burned-in address. This is because the MAC address is assigned by the manufacturer and is burned into the device's hardware. So it usually can't be changed, or at least they don't change on their own like an IP address.
Every network device needs at least two addresses to be recognized by other devices and network interfaces – one is the MAC address and the other is the Internet Protocol (IP) address. While the former is used to uniquely identify devices on a network, the latter helps identify a device's connection to the network. This means that an IP address makes it easier to find your device, so the network knows where to send your data. Also, the IP address is assigned by the Internet Service Provider (ISP), and the MAC address is assigned by the manufacturer, as we mentioned above.
