A Media Access Control address (MAC address) is a 12-character unique identifier assigned to a specific piece of hardware such as the network adapter of your WiFi device. In simple words, a MAC address can be used to uniquely identify your Android phone on the Internet or the local network.
Spoofing MAC Address on Android Devices
Even though MAC address is embedded on the hardware device during manufacture, it can still be spoofed to input a new one of your choice. Here is a detailed instruction on how to spoof MAC address on your Android phone.
Before you spoof the MAC address, you need to record the original/current MAC address of your device which can be done according to the instruction below:
- On the Home Screen of your phone, tap Menu button and go to Settings.
- Tap About Device and go to Status
- Now scroll down to record the 12-digit code shown under Wi-Fi Mac address. An address would read something like:
-
Example MAC address: E5:12:D8:E5:69:97
Requirements for Spoofing the MAC Address
- Rooted Android Phone
- BusyBox app installed on your phone
- Once BusyBox is installed, you need to install Terminal app
Once the above requirements are satisfied, follow the instructions below to spoof your MAC address:
- Open the Terminal app and type the commands as listed below:
$ su [HIT ENTER]$ busybox iplink show eth0 [HIT ENTER]
(This will show your current MAC address, just for your confirmation)
- Now, type the following command:
$ busybox ifconfig eth0 hw ether XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX [HIT ENTER]
(In the above command, replace XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX with your new MAC address)
- You have now spoofed your MAC address successfully. To check for the change enter the following command again:
$ busybox iplink show eth0 [HIT ENTER]
(Now you should see your new MAC address)