# Does Changing Your MAC Address Change Your IP Address?



## Fluoresce (Aug 15, 2009)

I'm thinking about changing my IP address. I heard that you can change your IP address if you change your MAC address, and that you can change your MAC address using various software.

Firstly, is it even safe to change your MAC address?

My PC connects to the Web via a router. When I check my IP address on one of the many Web sites that provide such a service, it shows my router's IP address, which is static. When I disconnect the router, connect to the Web without it, and check my IP address again, it shows my PC's IP address, which is dynamic.

If I were to change my MAC address, will it change my PC's IP address or my router's IP address?


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## scottsee (Feb 28, 2007)

Your external IP will remain the same..


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## Fluoresce (Aug 15, 2009)

scottsee said:


> Your external IP will remain the same..


Please clarify.


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## johnwill (Sep 26, 2002)

Why do you want to change your IP address?


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## Fluoresce (Aug 15, 2009)

Is it safe to change my router's MAC address? Might I lose my connection?


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## ACoolDude (Apr 26, 2010)

Depends if you are changing the inside MAC address or the outside MAC address.
MAC addressing is Layer 2 in the OSI model. In this case your provider can use a MAC address to push a IP address to you (Layer 3) as the providers DHCP servers works with known MAC addresses. So be carefull when changing MAC address on your outside interface because if your provider uses your specific MAC address to give you an IP address and you change it you do not get your IP address. With my cableprovider I just need to have a modem reset when I change MAC address.
If you wish to have a new IP address just ask your provider, or if you do not use fixed IP addresses leave your modem offline for a few days and wait until the TTL (time to live) of the DHCP IP is expired.

On the inside I see no use of changing your MAC address.


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## ACoolDude (Apr 26, 2010)

johnwill said:


> Why do you want to change your IP address?


The only non-legal use I can think of when changing your WAN MAC address is MAN-IN-THE-MIDDLE...


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## johnwill (Sep 26, 2002)

Actually, most people want to change their IP address because they've been banned from a site. We don't assist with bypassing site restrictions. 99.9% of the time, the site has a good reason for banning them.


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