iOS/iPadOS 14 : How to Use Private Wi-Fi Mac Address

Topic

New Reply

In this tutorial we will show you how you can use iOS 14’s new Private Wi-Fi Mac Address feature in order to make it harder for websites to track your online activity.

Those who have been using iPhone and iPad must know that the iOS 14 and iPadOS 14 have a new feature for hiding your Apple device’s Wi-Fi address. ..any device that connects to the internet contains media access control or MAC address. Apple has made some changes in iOS 14 and now it is easy to use a private Wi-Fi MAC address on the iPhone or iPad.

The benefit? It makes it harder to track your device and activity when you use wireless networks.

2 users thanked author for this post.

jkwatson, Nathan Parker

Reply | Quote

Replies

This can be enabled/disabled per Wi-Fi Network.

Note if you’re connecting to a work business network, you should leave it disabled since it can cause issues with business network management apps (Cisco pointed it out). I have it disabled on my home network (since I use all Cisco business equipment). I would definitely enable it on Public Wi-Fi.

Nathan Parker

1 user thanked author for this post.

jkwatson

Reply | Quote

Hi, and thanks for this.

Here in the UK, I’m seeing the large providers for Public Wifi places like coffee houses and restaurants such as O2 and BT are “blocking” this, and instead telling you how to disable it on their landing pages, and not permitting connection with it set “on”.

What’s the risk out of curiosity? Why do you think they are blocking access in this manner?

Thanks

Regards

1 user thanked author for this post.

Nathan Parker

Reply | Quote

Providers who include public Wi-Fi access in their plan probably only want MAC addresses of their subscribers accessing the networks so they can prevent non-subscribers from access to it.

This can be enabled/disabled on a per-network basis (it needs to be disabled for enterprise networks such as work Cisco networks).

With it enabled, advertising trackers can track you more easily, so it is a nice privacy feature. There are certain times when it needs to be disabled (accessing enterprise and paid Wi-Fi networks).

Nathan Parker

1 user thanked author for this post.

jkwatson

Reply | Quote

Nathan Parker wrote:

With it enabled, advertising trackers can track you more easily

Not quite.
The MAC address never leaves your local network, unless it’s embedded in the transmission by an app – which may be possible, but is effectively malicious activity.

If, as expected, the MAC address is recorded by the local wifi system, then it is possible for someone with access to that local wifi system to see when you have visited. There is almost no chance that 3rd party websites will be able to access that information.

cheers, Paul

2 users thanked author for this post.

jkwatson, Nathan Parker

Reply | Quote