iPhone MAC address changing

I have parental controls set up on our modem which restrict access using the device MAC address. One of our kids was given an iPhone 6 and I am trying to add it to the control. I checked the address on the phone and then checked for this phone logging in to the modem. The MAC address does not show up but a different address does, identified as an iPhone. So I set up the control with this address. Job done, or so I thought.

Next time I check there is a different MAC address showing as an iPhone and the previous one doesn’t show. Is it possible for an iPhone to change MAC address? Googling brings up links to private MAC addresses in iOS 14. Could this be what is happening here?

Any ideas/suggestions would be welcome, as I need to get this sorted.

there is a slider on the wifi network settings to use private addresses. I think this changes the MAC address on each connection.

This is what I have been reading. It’s supposed to be a security feature to prevent the device being tracked, or something. If I disable this there isn’t anything I can do to stop the user from just switching it back on. So it would circumvent the parental controls I have set, without my consent or agreement. From my perspective this not a security feature.

This is what I have been reading. It’s supposed to be a security feature to prevent the device being tracked, or something. If I disable this there isn’t anything I can do to stop the user from just switching it back on. So it would circumvent the parental controls I have set, without my consent or agreement. From my perspective this not a security feature.

But if you up security settings/parental controls on the iphone, child will not be able to change that.

https://support.apple.com/en-gb/HT201304

Turn it off, then set your wifi to only allow connections from a white-list of MAC addresses? Pain when you get new stuff but it would work.

Or, I’m sure you can control what settings they can access using parental controls on the phone.

Works fine until they set up a VPN or something to get to the stuff you’re trying to block.

restrict access using the device MAC address

Be aware that this isn’t ‘secure’. Your Dads-laptop/Dads-phone/approved-device will be sending its MAC address over WiFi in a way that anyone* can see it. Then an unapproved-device can be set up to the use the same MAC address and bypass any restrictions.

Quick google suggests iPhone will not let you do this – so just a heads-up if you ever switch to Android.

* You didn’t state the age of your kids

Lots of airport wifi networks give you 30mins free then charge. So a colleague wrote a script to change a laptop MAC address every 30 mins to a new random address, so you can browse for free for ever….

The control is basically to determine the times for which they have WiFi access. We don’t want them being on the phone at all hours of the day. We are foster carers and the children would be regarded as potentially vulnerable, so we have to take whatever measures we can. Clearly something which can just be switched on or off by the child is not much use to us.

the ability to change that setting can be controlled but if you can’t or won’t do that,

Two WiFi networks. One for you, one for them. I think my router will run a guest network I can switch off.

switch it off when you don’t want them on it, but you know they’ll just use mobile data instead.

The guest network looks like it could be the answer, I’ll look at setting that up.

I can also limit their mobile data as they are all on family phone package. I just don’t want them spending the whole time poring over their phones. We have 3 14yr olds and it’s hard to get them doing anything with 24hr phone access.

MAC filtering is shit, it’s no security at all however you slice it. Give it up as an idea and come up with a better solution.

Do Apple devices not have any sort of inherent parental controls? What are you going to do when they simply switch off the Wi-Fi and drop back onto mobile data?

We have 3 14yr olds and it’s hard to get them doing anything with 24hr phone access.

Take it off them, then. Don’t you have any adults in the house?

Do Apple devices not have any sort of inherent parental controls?

They do. It’s pretty robust I think.

What are you going to do when they simply switch off the Wi-Fi and drop back onto mobile data?

I presume they won’t even need to switch it off. The phone will either not connect to the wifi network, or will connect but be unable to access the internet. In either case, the phone will default to 4g.

@Cougar

Take it off them, then. Don’t you have any adults in the house?

Yes, we do. And we are trying to do our best to provide a home for vulnerable and disadvantaged children. We can’t just take their phones as these have usually been given by family members, and family contact is very important.

If this is the most helpful comment you can offer…

End of topic.

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A link has already been posted. Apple’s ScreenTime is what you need.

If there are X boxes and PCs that need some ‘governance’ then check out X Box Family Settings and Microsoft Family Safety

Presumably the ownership of the kids’ phones is controversial hence not wanting to go the parental controls route?

Separate WiFi networks is probably the thing to do, but if they’ve got access to mobile data and you’re unwilling to impose phone level restrictions there’s not much point in any of this?

Yes, we do. And we are trying to do our best to provide a home for vulnerable and disadvantaged children.

I wasn’t to know that. Sorry if it was insensitive.

We can’t just take their phones as these have usually been given by family members, and family contact is very important.

They don’t need iPhones to make calls and send text messages.

Apology accepted. The question of mobile phones is very tricky and also tied up with issues of peer pressure and self-esteem, not really the place to go into this.

I think maybe the guest network idea is worth pursuing. The only way it appears I can set up time restrictions on our modem requires using MAC addresses to identify the individual phones, and if these are now changeable it is going to be unworkable. I don’t think iPhone specific solutions are practical as they have a variety of devices – Apple, Android, Windows in phones, tablets and laptops.

Thanks for all the suggestions.

Again,

MAC filtering is shit. If you really want to go down this road, get a more functional router. And in any case, what’s to stop them from bypassing your router completely and using the cellular network?

Apple and Android both have parental controls, family accounts, that sort of thing.

What are you trying to achieve, control over “screen time” or content? DNS filtering might be a better option, though is bypassable if they’re more tech-savvy than you are. Which they likely are. I can about imagine how this would’ve panned out with 14-year old me and my parents, it’d be like King Canute.

https://www.opendns.com/home-internet-security/ (and many others).