GRAPHENE PIXEL to WIFI ROUTER

TROUBLE CONNECTING ?

If you are having connection issues on your home or office wifi router with your new DeGoogled Pixel, your router may have restrictions on the number of devices that can connect to it, for it’s own security. Graphene OS has an advanced privacy spoofing feature that sounds rather high tech called "Randomized MAC Address Per Network Connection" but like almost everything with Graphene OS, it’s about increasing your security and privacy, but provides an easy way to adjust it, should we need to.

What is a MAC Address?

A MAC address [short for Media Access Control address] is a unique identifier like a serial number, assigned to a network communications interface on computer equipment, such as a PC, router or mobile phone. A unique MAC address would be assigned by device manufacturers, for communications segments such as Ethernet, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth ports.

Random MAC Address

As part of the privacy design within your Graphene OS Pixel phone, your actual MAC address is hidden when you connect to a WiFi Router, and is replaced with a random MAC address. In fact Graphene OS generates a new random MAC address every time you connect to a wifi router. This is a great privacy feature, as the wifi router considers you a new user each time you connect. So even if you visit your favorite cafe each day and use their free wifi [obviously with your VPN also turned on] their router thinks you are a new visitor, so does not get to build a profile on you and your activities over many weeks or months of use.

MAC Address Options per Router

Graphene OS provides 3 options for us to choose from, for our MAC Address connections.

Per Connection MAC
Per Network MAC
Device [actual] MAC

Graphene OS, by default, uses the first option Per Connection - Ramdomized MAC which simply means, every time your phone connects, it will generate a new [random] MAC address so you remain very anonymous. While this is the most private option, it can cause a connection issue on some routers. Some routers are configured to limit the number of devices that can connect to them. So if you connect to the same router often [think home or office router] it may run out of available connections and therefor block your phone and others from connecting.

The Solution

Thankfully there is a simple solution, we adjust the connection for that one router to option two and use Per Network - Ramdomized MAC. This means we generate a new ramdomized MAC address the first time we connect, then use that same MAC Address each time we connect in the future to this router. We still have a random generated MAC Address so anonymous, but we do build a connection profile time-stamp of every connection date and time. This obviously would be ok for our home router, but not as good an option for a public router such as the cafe or public library router.

How To Adjust Our MAC Address per Router

On your DeGoogled Graphene Pixel:

Turn your Wifi Off
Open the Settings App
Tap on Network & Internet
Tap on Internet
Tap on Saved Networks
Tap on "Your Network Name"
Tap on Privacy
Tap on Use Per Network Randomized MAC
And close the Settings App

You have now set this router connection to repeatedly use the same random MAC Address, rather than generating a new one each connection, and your connection issue based on limited available device connections should be resolved — David