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MAC address spoofing not working in macOS 12 Monterey

App & System Services Core OS macOS Beta

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Dynjo
Jul ’21 21 2 23k 33

sudo ifconfig en0 ether [MAC address]

Now results in

ifconfig: ioctl (SIOCAIFADDR): Can't assign requested address

Boost

yeknomhtooms Jul ’21

I have also noticed that with Big Sur.... It does not work even after disabling system protection (csruilt) I guess
apple is removing that feature from Mac OS.

ifconfig: ioctl (SIOCAIFADDR): Can't assign requested address

DiveMaster Aug ’21

Same here, I am on macOS 12 Monterey Beta 5 build 21A5304g.

yagoa Oct ’21

macOS 12 Monterey public Beta 10, still same issue ;(

Dynjo OP Oct ’21

This works in Monterey final release.

brew install macchanger

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And then (with your network disconnected):

macchanger -m xx:xx:xx:xx:xx:xx en0

Replacing the xx with your required MAC address and en0 with the appropriate network device.

4 comments 1

bliss1985 Feb ’22

It's ridiculous. I'm a network engineer and mac spoofing it's one of the basics things at my work. How am I
supposed to work now?

1 comments 0

squeeby Mar ’22

You can't change the lladdr (ether/macaddr) while the interface is associated with an SSID.

First, disassociate from any network:

sudo /System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/Apple80211.framework/Versions/Current/Resources/airport -z

Then change your lladdr:

sudo ifconfig <intf> lladdr 00:bb:cc:dd:ee:ff

Then rejoin the WLAN normally.

5 comments 6

wyretrip Apr ’22

Thanks Squeeby! It worked perfectly.

2021 MacBook Pro running Monterey 12.3.1.

1 comments 0

Mat33bdx May ’22

Hi Squeeby,

Still not working...

I first command: sudo

/System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/Apple80211.framework/Versions/Current/Resources/airport -z

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Add password, and then:

sudo ifconfig lladdr XXXXXXXX ( X = MAC address) ifconfig: ioctl (SIOCAIFADDR): Invalid argument

sudo ifconfig en0 ether XXXXXXXX ( X = MAC address) ifconfig: ioctl (SIOCAIFADDR): Invalid argument

sudo ifconfig en0 ether/macaddr XXXXXXXX ( X = MAC address) ifconfig: ether/macaddr: bad value

Can you help change MAC address on macOS Monterey?

2 comments 1

Jul 2021

Kyrobyte Jun ’22

Hi Squeeby, 5 / 22
Oct 2021
I first disconnected from the network.

Then I ran: sudo /System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/Apple80211.framework/Versions/Current/Resources/airport

-z
After this I added password and ran: sudo ifconfig en0 lladdr 00:bb:cc:dd:ee:ff
I restarted my computer and then rejoined the network.

The MAC address did not change from what it was previously.

Can you help me change my MAC address?

1 comments 0
May 23

randomguyksks Jun ’22

..

randomguyksks Jun ’22

Hi please help

after command sudo /System/Library … after click on password sudo ifconfig en0 lladdrr (MAC address) and it
shows invalid argument

Tazintosh Oct ’22

Hi folks,

I'm trying to change the MAC address of a VLAN (on en0) but cannot achieve it yet.

Like: sudo ifconfig vlan2 lladdr <new_mac-address>

Did anyone know in what order I should execute the commands?

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xueling Apr ’23

take it easy guys

1. Install brew (http:&#x2F;&#x2F;brew.sh&#x2F;)

2. brew update
3. brew install acrogenesis&#x2F;macchanger&#x2F;macchanger

Usage: macchanger [options] device

-m, --mac MAC Set the MAC address, macchanger -m XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX en0
-r, --random Set random MAC address, macchanger -r en0
-s, --show Show the MAC address, macchanger -s en0

timbck2 Jul ’23

I just found this and it worked on my 2023 MacBook Pro M2 Pro running Ventura 13.4.1:

From: Github link

Change MAC Address in macOS Monterey

I was unable to change the MAC address of the Wi-FI device on a MacBook Air (M1 2020) running macOS
Monterey due to the following error: ifconfig: ioctl (SIOCAIFADDR): Can't assign requested addres.

By running these commands in following sequence I was able to change it successfully:

Turn WiFi device off: Click the Wifi icon in the menu bar and toggle the switch.
Turn the WiFi device on again:networksetup -setairportpower en0 on
Change the MAC: ifconfig en0 ether <new mac-address-here>
Run: networksetup -detectnewhardware

The changed MAC address is not reflected anywhere in the GUI, but if you do an ifconfig en0 from Terminal it
shows there. And of course it will reset back to the hardware MAC address when rebooted.

D3p0 Jul ’23

I came across this tonight. This is how you spoof your mac address

1. First, get home brew

https://brew.sh
Open up terminal

Paste this

/bin/bash -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Homebrew/install/HEAD/install.sh)"

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1. Next,

Paste in

brew install spoof-mac

https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/spoof-mac#default

Once installed, this is the output while installing - Good Luck!

~ % brew install spoof-mac

==> Downloading https://formulae.brew.sh/api/formula.jws.json
==> Downloading https://formulae.brew.sh/api/cask.jws.json
==> Fetching dependencies for spoof-mac: openssl@3 and python@3.11
==> Fetching openssl@3
==> Downloading https://ghcr.io/v2/homebrew/core/openssl/3/manifests/3.1.1_1
######################################################################### 100.0%
==> Downloading https://ghcr.io/v2/homebrew/core/openssl/3/blobs/sha256:c4366444
######################################################################### 100.0%
==> Fetching python@3.11
==> Downloading https://ghcr.io/v2/homebrew/core/python/3.11/manifests/3.11.4_1
######################################################################### 100.0%
==> Downloading https://ghcr.io/v2/homebrew/core/python/3.11/blobs/sha256:014abd
######################################################################### 100.0%
==> Fetching spoof-mac
==> Downloading https://ghcr.io/v2/homebrew/core/spoof-mac/manifests/2.1.1_4-1
######################################################################### 100.0%
==> Downloading https://ghcr.io/v2/homebrew/core/spoof-mac/blobs/sha256:35b87b12
######################################################################### 100.0%
==> Installing dependencies for spoof-mac: openssl@3 and python@3.11
==> Installing spoof-mac dependency: openssl@3
==> Pouring openssl@3--3.1.1_1.arm64_ventura.bottle.tar.gz
🍺 /opt/homebrew/Cellar/openssl@3/3.1.1_1: 6,495 files, 28.4MB
==> Installing spoof-mac dependency: python@3.11
==> Pouring python@3.11--3.11.4_1.arm64_ventura.bottle.tar.gz
==> /opt/homebrew/Cellar/python@3.11/3.11.4_1/bin/python3.11 -m ensurepip
==> /opt/homebrew/Cellar/python@3.11/3.11.4_1/bin/python3.11 -m pip install -v -
🍺 /opt/homebrew/Cellar/python@3.11/3.11.4_1: 3,288 files, 62.0MB
==> Installing spoof-mac
==> Pouring spoof-mac--2.1.1_4.arm64_ventura.bottle.1.tar.gz
==> Caveats
Although spoof-mac can run without root, you must be root to change the MAC.
The launchdaemon is set to randomize en0.
You can find the interfaces available by running:
"spoof-mac list"
If you wish to change interface randomized at startup change the plist line:
<string>en0</string>
to e.g.:
<string>en1</string>
To start spoof-mac now and restart at startup:
sudo brew services start spoof-mac
Or, if you don't want/need a background service you can just run:
/opt/homebrew/opt/spoof-mac/bin/spoof-mac randomize en0
==> Summary
🍺 /opt/homebrew/Cellar/spoof-mac/2.1.1_4: 781 files, 10.4MB
==> Running `brew cleanup spoof-mac`...
Disable this behaviour by setting HOMEBREW_NO_INSTALL_CLEANUP.
Hide these hints with HOMEBREW_NO_ENV_HINTS (see `man brew`).
==> Caveats
==> spoof-mac

Date July 20 2023

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newts Jul ’23

WiFi.. or an ethernet adapter?

WiFi: according to the replies it seems possible if you follow some steps, have not tried it yet

Ethernet adapters:

On my MBP 14" 2023 I can ONLY get the Apple TB Ethernet adapter working with the ifconfig ether command.

Every single other ethernet adapter does not allow me to change the MAC address, but they behave differently
- falling into four categories:

1. Network adapters connected over PCI / Thunderbolt containing the same chipset as the Apple TB
adapter (such as the Thunderbolt display)
2. Network adapters connected over PCI / Thunderbolt AND using a chipset Apple uses too (in the 10GbE
Mac Mini for example)
3. Network adapters connected over USB with driver support
4. Network adapters connected over USB using a generic driver provided by macOS

Category 4 results in the error message, and so does 3 (sometimes). Category 2 however does accept the
command without an error message, but does not actually do anything. According to another user this is even
the case for the Aquantia 10GbE chipset in the Mac Mini 2023!

Only category 1, so the Broadcom chipset used by the old TB adapter seems to actually do the right thing.

My guess... Apple has decided to not update their current drivers. Maybe it isn't intentional.. but if it is, I really
do not appreciate them not acknowledging it.

debounce Aug ’23

Just wanted to add to this chaos. I can also confirm mac address changing of ethernet adapters does not work
on OSX Ventura as newts pointed out. I even ordered the Apple Thunderbolt 3 USB-C to Ethernet adapter
thinking it would work but it does not. The newer M1 Macbooks do not have the older thunderbolt ports. Does
anybody have a list of USB-C to Ethernet adapters that is known to work like newts mentioned?

1 comments 0

gugugaga Aug ’23

Hi guys,

after trying to solve this on Ventura 13.4.1. I came to conclusion that macOS won't accept any mac address -
you need to be careful to generate a mac address with apple vendor prefix. You can use this tool to generate a
new mac address https://dnschecker.org/mac-address-generator.php and for apple mac address prefixes you
can use this link http://www.coffer.com/mac_find/?string=apple to find them out or just google for them.

You would first need to run this to disassociate from all networks

sudo /System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/Apple80211.framework/Versions/Current/Resources/airport -z

and then run the following command

sudo ifconfig en0 ether XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX (generated mac from dnschecker tool)

I hope this helps! I can finally use my hotel's wifi again! Yaay!

Cheers

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1 comments 1

mklingel Jan ’24

Why do you need to change the MAC address? If it's to test routes, below probably won't work.

On the other hand, there are situations where it does work, as I verified on Sonoma.

Change the MAC address in a virtual machine. It might get you what you need.

Finesse May ’24

A solution for macOS 14.5:

1. Get your interface name by ⌥-clicking the Wi-Fi icon and checking "Interface Name". Normally it's en0 .
2. Disconnect from the Wi-Fi hotspot. Turning Wi-Fi off is not a solution; instead open the Wi-Fi menu and
click the blue network to make it grey.
3. Run sudo ifconfig en0 ether 12:34:56:78:9a:bc in Terminal ( en0 is the interface name from p1; use any
MAC you want).
4. Connect back to the Wi-Fi hotspot.

The new MAC won't show anywhere in the UI nor in the networksetup -listallhardwareports output, but the
router will see the new address. The address will reset when the device restarts.

xhruso00 May ’24

My problem was daemon running in background Little Snitch . Kill it/disable it + turn off wifi

u/Mareks-MacBook-Pro-M1 LaunchDaemons % ls -al /Library/LaunchDaemons total 16 drwxr-xr-x 5 root

wheel 160 May 14 13:49 . drwxr-xr-x 71 root wheel 2272 May 15 14:50 .. -rw-r--r-- 1 root wheel 621 Apr
20 2023 at.obdev.littlesnitch.daemon.plist lrwxr-xr-x 1 root wheel 103 Dec 17 2022 com.oracle.java.Helper-
Tool.plist -> /Library/Internet Plug-Ins/JavaAppletPlugin.plugin/Contents/Resources/com.oracle.java.Helper-
Tool.plist -rw-r--r-- 1 root wheel 572 Jul 6 2022 com.xk72.charles.ProxyHelper.plist

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