Spoofing MAC address under Windows Vista

[AndrewR]

So, I have Comcast because I don't really have a choice, and they have the connection locked to my desktop's MAC address, which I cloned on my wireless router. As it turns out, when I try to connect wirelessly with my laptop, it doesn't use the router's MAC address (aka the desktop computer's), it uses the laptop's MAC on the wireless adapter.

I tried to use a MAC spoofing program to use the same MAC as on the desktop, but when I tried to install it, I received a message that I couldn't modify the registry entry even though I was logged in as an Adminstrator. What??

Any idea what's going on here? It's a Toshiba laptop -- are they locked down in some way to prevent certain modifications? Maybe I just need to buy Vista Premium already, non Toshiba-ized.

 

[JackMDS]

The Cloned MAC is used on the WAN side of the Router projecting to the Modem.

Whatever you use at the LAN side does not affect the Router's core or cloned MAC.

In addition using the same MAC on two computers on the LAN side would end up "Confusing" your Network.

You have a problem but it is nothing to do with the MAC.

My Wireless does Not work - http://www.ezlan.net/wireless.html

 

[bsobel]

Originally posted by: AndrewR
So, I have Comcast because I don't really have a choice, and they have the connection locked to my desktop's MAC address, which I cloned on my wireless router. As it turns out, when I try to connect wirelessly with my laptop, it doesn't use the router's MAC address (aka the desktop computer's), it uses the laptop's MAC on the wireless adapter.

I tried to use a MAC spoofing program to use the same MAC as on the desktop, but when I tried to install it, I received a message that I couldn't modify the registry entry even though I was logged in as an Adminstrator. What??

Any idea what's going on here? It's a Toshiba laptop -- are they locked down in some way to prevent certain modifications? Maybe I just need to buy Vista Premium already, non Toshiba-ized.

None of this makes sense. If you've cloned your routers mac to be the same as the desktop so you can connect, your done. Your router should be allowing both the deskop and laptop to browse the net, to comcast it only sees one (the routers cloned mac) it never sees your desktop and laptops mac.

Second, you dont want to clone your desktop mac onto your desktop, you'll never be able to use them at the same time again.

Third, you probably need to 'run as admin' the program (yes, even if you are logged in as admin, this keeps spyware and other malware from just executing with your admin privledges)

Bill

 

[AndrewR]

Hmm, I guess that makes sense regarding the MAC addresses -- thought perhaps the wireless used a different pathway or something.

I get limited connectivity when I use the laptop even though it sees the network. No repair or setting changes seem to work. Maybe it's the encryption that I need to monkey around with (using WPA2).

Ok, thanks for clearing that up. Now onto figuring out the problem.

 

[Fardringle]

Verify the encryption key on the router and enter it again on the laptop. If you still can't connect to the Internet on the laptop, temporarily disable the wireless encryption on the router completely. If the laptop is able to connect and access the Internet without encryption then the wireless connection is fine and you need to reconfigure your encryption settings and make sure that you use the correct WPA2 key on the laptop.

 

[bsobel]

Originally posted by: AndrewR
Hmm, I guess that makes sense regarding the MAC addresses -- thought perhaps the wireless used a different pathway or something.

I get limited connectivity when I use the laptop even though it sees the network. No repair or setting changes seem to work. Maybe it's the encryption that I need to monkey around with (using WPA2).

Ok, thanks for clearing that up. Now onto figuring out the problem.

The symptoms definately sound like the wrong encryption settings.
Bill

 

[JackMDS]

Seeing the Network in the Wireless utility does not mean that you are connected.

As said above it can be a security problem, or something in a software Firewall that blocks valid conncetion, or a Signal that is border line low.

 

[AndrewR]

Ok, figure it out -- it's a hardware failure in the wireless adapter in the laptop. I tried connecting to some of the unsecured networks in the neighborhood (why people don't configure is beyond me) and could not connect to anything. I connected using a USB adapter I have, and it works fine.

Lovely -- now I need to contact Toshiba. Thanks for the help.

 

[Fardringle]

Before you go through the RMA process with Toshiba, completely uninstall and reinstall the wireless driver and connection software on the laptop to make sure it's not just a driver problem.

 

[AndrewR]

Originally posted by: Fardringle
Before you go through the RMA process with Toshiba, completely uninstall and reinstall the wireless driver and connection software on the laptop to make sure it's not just a driver problem.

I plan on it. What makes me fairly confident that the adapter is wonky is that it was working back in September before we moved on the very same router but with Time Warner instead of Comcast.