Windows 10: How do I block random hardware addresses option in Win 11

HiI have a requirement to block the ability to change the random hardware addresses at the end user level. Since i use MAC addressed based firewall rules, ability to have random hardware addresses will prevent the control i expect from the firewall. The user is defined as a standard user but I noticed that the standard user can easily enable/disable random hardware addresses via the Settings. Is there a possibility of blocking this capability at local policies or via a regedit change? If yes, how do i achieve it. The user is on Windows 11 Home Edition.

:)

 

What is "Random Hardware Address" ?

What is "Random Hardware Address" ?

I want to know the detail information of "Random Hardware Address" function of Wi-Fi.

Please the documents/url about it.

Regards,

Yoshihiro Kawabata

 

[BUG] "Random hardware addresses" disable for known network does not work!

Hi,



Thank you for writing to Microsoft Community Forums.

1. Is your device connected to domain network?
   
2. May I know what you exactly mean by "the "Random hardware address" is used even for known "whitelisted" networks"?
   

There's two controls for using random hardware addresses—one is for all Wi-Fi networks and the other is for the specific Wi-Fi network you choose. When you turn it on for all networks, random hardware addresses are used while your
PC scans for networks and connects to any network. When it's turned on for a specific network you choose, random hardware addresses are used the next time you connect to that network.



Refer the article ‘How and why to use random hardware
addresses’ for more information.



We await for your response.





Muralidhar

Microsoft Community Moderator

 

Random Hardware (Mac) Address - Windows 10

Exactly what I suspected!

next question is...does it mean I can't change/spoof my mac address even by using third party softwareor registry editing?

and

is there a list of wifi adapters that support the "random hardware address" feature?