: Click OK . Disable and then re-enable your Wi-Fi or restart your computer to force the driver to use the new address. Alternative: Use Third-Party Tools
If you have tried changing your MAC address and it failed, the culprit is often invalid formatting of the new address, specifically in the .
Uninstall the current driver in Device Manager, check "Delete the driver software for this device," and install the generic version. Summary Checklist for Success : Click OK
Sometimes the GUI fails to write the change to the Windows Registry. You can manually check this path: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Class\4d36e972-e325-11ce-bfc1-08002be10318 Inside, you will find numbered folders (0001, 0002). Look for the one containing your adapter's name and ensure the "NetworkAddress" string matches your desired input. Verifying the Change
If the correct octet still doesn't work, your specific driver or hardware may have further hard-coded restrictions against MAC rotation. AI responses may include mistakes. Learn more Uninstall the current driver in Device Manager, check
Expand and right-click your wireless card (e.g., Intel Wi-Fi 6), then select Properties .
, signaling to the driver that this is a intentional, locally assigned address. Information Security Stack Exchange Technical Barriers to Changing MAC Addresses Look for the one containing your adapter's name
This error occurs because modern wireless drivers implement restrictions that prevent you from assigning a random MAC address unless it is specifically flagged as "locally administered". Why the First Octet Matters