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MAC randomization & Device blocking

Given that Android and iOS are moving towards or have put into place MAC randomization -- what good is the Eero feature that blocks devices based on MAC?

6 replies

    • cMoo92
    • 4 yrs ago
    • Reported - view

    I don’t know if/how Android does it, but the way it’s implemented in iOS is that your device won’t randomize the MAC address when it’s connected to a known network (one you’ve told it to join), so thus, eero’s features work fine.

    iOS only randomizes the MAC address when it’s communicating with an unknown wireless network. For example, stores and public places can track your visits based on your device’s MAC address, but as long as you don’t actually connect to their WiFi, an iOS device will respond with a random address every time.

      • clayj
      • 3 yrs ago
      • Reported - view

       cMoo92 "iOS only randomizes the MAC address when it’s communicating with an unknown wireless network"

      Sadly, not true. For a while now I have been experiencing random WiFi disconnects of my iOS devices with eero. In many instances, when this happens, the Private Address option -- which I always keep turned OFF -- has been turned on. I can't prove it, but I think there is an issue between eero and iOS/iPadOS when the Private Address option has been turned off.

    • Will
    • 4 yrs ago
    • Reported - view

    That is good to know.  Wonder what Android does. 

    • BlainC
    • 4 yrs ago
    • Reported - view

    Windows based phones actually do it on known or unknown networks.... I know this because I bought my son a cheap phone and it keeps getting back on the network with new MAC addresses... :)

    • Will
    • 4 yrs ago
    • Reported - view

    So looking around I found this regarding Android: 

    "Starting in Android 8.0, Android devices use randomized MAC addresses when probing for new networks while not currently associated with a network. In Android 9, you can enable a developer option (it's disabled by default) to cause the device to use a randomized MAC address when connecting to a Wi-Fi network."

    So, basically Android and Windows based devices break Eero device blocking while it appears iOS doesn't. 

    • ajsingh.1
    • 3 yrs ago
    • Reported - view

    My son is on iphone iOS 14. He is able to "unblock" himself, whenever i block him. He does not have the eero app. I suspect he is using the the new iOS 14 Mac randomization feature to rejoin the network. Can that be happening? Irrespective, how do I control it (i.e., keep him blocked and not allow him to join back till I unblock him. Else eero is pretty useless for me). 

Content aside

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