Can't connect after changing MAC

English Network/Internet
1

This just happened. I use to be able to change my mac address and use KDE network management to connect.

However, now when I change my mac the first try the connection fails. However, it connects the second time but changes my mac to default.

This is what I am doing

ifconfig wlan1 down
ifconfig wlan1 hw ether aa:aa:aa:aa:aa:aa
or
macchanger -r wlan1 ##-- if I don’t want to think about it and just make it random --##
ifconfig wlan1 up

After this I try and connect and it fails. If I try again or just wait it connects fine but running ifconfig wlan1 shows my mac address is back to default.

I just upgraded to KDE 4.8.3 yesterday and assume this is related.

I just checked and network management is changing the mac address back to default immediately after the failed attempt.

2

I found a workaround but its kind of annoying.

If you disable wireless in network management first and then change the mac address it will allow me to connect the first time. However, if I try to connect to a different network if fails and changes my mac back to default again.

3

There is a bug report for the behaviour of the KDE network management plasmoid mentioned here:

https://bugzilla.novell.com/show_bug.cgi?id=746592

FWIW, the Gnome NM has had this feature (Cloned MAC Address) enabled and working for some time now:

Notes from SAOS: How to Change MAC Address on Linux using NetworkManager

4

Another workaround is discussed here:

http://forums.opensuse.org/english/get-technical-help-here/network-internet/474673-network-manager-doesnt-work-opensuse-12-1-wired-connection-2.html#post2458250

5

I’m not really interested in using NetworkManager to actually change my MAC. I am fine doing it with ifconfig. I just don’t want NetworkManager to change it back.

Honestly I prefer to change it manually from the terminal.

6

In Linux networking there are temporary and permanent settings for MAC spoofing.

Aside from the fact knetworkmanager’s “advanced” IP settings don’t work (bug has been submitted) AFAIK networkmanager settings are only the temporary variety, the possible workaround implemented if working probably to reset the temporary settings with every logon.

Or of course you could just create your ifconfig as a script and invoke it whenever you want.

So, my gu
ess is that if you want to set your changed MAC address truly permanently you’ll have to make the entry directly in the device’s configuration file(of course followed by an appropriate network services stop/restart.

7

The problem is that changing it permanently kind of defeats the purpose for changing it.

I need to be able to change it on the fly. By using ifconfig I can quickly change my mac and be back on line. However, with this bug in NetworkManager its not so quick now. I have to disable wireless completely then change my mac and I only have one opportunity to connect and then I have to do it all over again.

This all worked on Friday but I was having huge performance problems with KDE 4.7 on my netbook so I upgraded to KDE 4.8.3 and this all started happening. In all fairness my kernel updated at the same time as well as many dependency’s. Any one of them could be the problem. I have tried downgrading NetworkManager without success. I also tried upgrading to NetworkManager 0.9.4 (I am currently on 0.9.1) and there where some dependency problems and the kde network plasma widget would not connect to NetworkManager so I had to revert back.

8

If you’re having “performance problems” you’ll have to be more descriptive. Personally, I haven’t seen any system issues likely related to spoofing.

TS

9

I’m still having the same problem.

Its not possible to connect to a network with networkmanager if you clone your mac address.

Also it takes some times a half hour for network manager to refresh its network list. If you just disconnect from a network you have to wait or reboot the computer to get it to refresh the list.

Why can’t there be a refresh button in network manager.

10

Why can’t there be a refresh button in network manager.

Put in a request:

https://features.opensuse.org/

It would also be useful for refreshing (scanning for) wireless networks too.

11

I can verify as of today the knetworkmanager problem where cloning the MAC address didn’t work before has been fixed and should be working now.

Hopefully the OP’s problem should be fixed as well now also since his problems stemmed from having to use ifconfig to change his MAC address.

TS

12

I actualy switched to WICD becuse of this problem a while ago. If the switch wasn’t such a pain I would switch back and try it but now that I have WICD working I think I am going to stick with it. I also like the fact that both of my wifi cards don’t conect on boot anymore.

Thanks for the update though.