xfinity how to change router mac address

#Xfinity how to change router mac address for free#

#Xfinity how to change router mac address for free#

And now the hacker has something they can use for free internet service (or masking illegal activity spoofing as some other innocent Xfinity subscriber instead). The valid users that end up repeating the Xfinity wifi login process will then have, unbeknownst to them, secretly added new MAC addresses to their list of allowed devices (under their Xfinity account/s). In that case, just have the malicious access point do some MAC address translation instead. The idea is just to steal MAC addresses, not login credentials, since apparently the right MAC address is all that's needed for xfinitywifi internet service anyway.Įdit #2: Xfinity might automatically de-register MAC addresses when it notices the same one being used from two different networks.

And anyone using that device will never have to go through a login screen for xfinitywifi ever again! (unless that subscriber manually goes and removes that device via, a page most Xfinity users likely know nothing about!) Questionĭoes Xfinity recognize 'allowed xfinitywifi devices' solely via their MAC addresses? If so, then what prevents someone from creating a malicious access point broadcasting SSID xfinitywifi, but secretly pointing to the legitimate xfinitywifi SSID, from sniffing (while sending over the unmodified) subscribers' MAC addresses? (i.e., to obtain mac address(es) for free internet service or for masking illegal internet activity)Įdit #1: One might say, 'what about the volume of non-subscribers connecting their devices just hoping to get free wifi?' Well, you can probably find out which MAC addresses are registered or not by monitoring which traffic goes to the users' intended destinations, and which MAC addresses just end up sent over back to the Xfinity website (presumably for login purposes). All of this happens seamlessly and invisibly to the user. If all is good, Xfinity will simply store the MAC address of that device, and associate it with that subscriber's account. Only Xfinity subscribers are allowed to use a hotspot, and if an unrecognized device connects to xfinitywifi, the user of that device will be redirected to an Xfinity Wifi login page, where they enter their Xfinity account credentials. Xfinitywifi hotspots are all open/unsecured, and, to use such a hotspot, an Xfinity subscriber simply connects to the xfinitywifi SSID. A MAC address consists of six groups of numbers or letters arranged as such, D4-FB-6A-7C-31-B4 (just an example.) Once the MAC address has been changed, it will remain as your router’s primary MAC address until you revert the router back to its default factory settings.Comcast/Xfinity operates various wireless hotspots across the US, accessed via the SSID xfinitywifi through the many wireless access points shown on It should be clearly marked.Ĭhange the MAC address to anything that suits your fancy, so long as it follows the proper format. Navigate to the wide-area network (WAN) settings page or a similar settings page (each router may be different.) Once there, look for an option to change the MAC address. If you are lost, check the instructions that accompanied your router. Check your devices to make sure you can get online.Īccess the router’s admin panel via a web interface (browser address bar) or by opening up dedicated firmware software. Make sure your Internet is connected properly, ensuring that the Ethernet cable is going from the modem to the router and that there is an available wireless connection for connected devices. Luckily, this is not an overly difficult task and certainly not as frustrating as, say, learning how to disable IPV6 on a router.

When you revert your router to its default settings, the MAC address will also reset to the original setting.