Detecting MAC address

I want to block by MAC address

[Moosetick]

I want to be able to work on my site and not see ads most of the time on my own PC. I don't want to accidentally click on an ad or affect my CTR by refreshing while looking at each page modification. I have a dynamic IP that changes quite often so tracking/blocking by IP won't work. I'm not sure how to determine MAC address from a browser. Is that even possible?

[OptiRex]

Use a Firefox or Opera browser and disable javascript.

[morpheus83]

It is not possible to detect MAC address by browser.

[jomaxx]

Do it on your client side. Use the hosts file or get an ad blocker you can turn on and turn off.

[Moosetick]

I take it that I can't detect computername, username, or anything else like that either via the browser?

[jetteroheller]

Read an older post from me about how to set up the notebooks for my family.

I added the birthday of each notebook user in the family to the user agent string.

My SSI looks for special user agent strings and shows Amazon instead.

[frox]

While I have been told that MAC address is thorically readable, I think it isn't. Just consider the privacy break it would pose, it would behave like a perpetuial, non-deletable cookie.

I think the easiest way is to set a VERY long lasting cookie on your PCs, and then check for that cookie to disable the ads.

Jetterohleer, the user-agent trick is neat, but where can you set that in - dare I say - IE?

[bcolflesh]

[winguides.com...]

[fredw]

One of the beauties of doing it with a cookie could be that you could set up a special, secret page that sets the cookie, then all you have to do to get friends and family blocked is point them to that page.

This sounds so cool I think I'm going to do it...

[jomaxx]

But it's about 100X as difficult as simply using the hosts file.

[guru5571]

A MAC address is not used beyond the local layer 2 switching environment. Thus the need for the network address (IP address). Traffic that is routed (layer 3), which means traffic that crosses a router is not going to be identified by a MAC address (all internet traffic). So unless you proactively go after an IP address and request a MAC address, you are not likely to get it (provided you have access to it, not to mention a tool to do it). So for all practical purposes you can forget about sceening MAC addresses for web traffic.

[blairsp]

hey, you have just answered how G probably detect fraudulent clicks haven't you? People can use proxies, different browsers etc but they can't change their mac addy can they?

At last, an answer to the perpetual question. I wonder if this thread is now going to mysteriously disappear

[ronburk]

People can use proxies, different browsers etc but they can't change their mac addy can they?

These urban myths are like vampires -- they just keep rising from the dead.

a) Google can't see your MAC address.

b) People up to no good with modest technical abilities certainly can change/fake their MAC address. That's why setting up MAC address filters on your wireless access point gives you a warm fuzzy feeling, but doesn't actually keep any but the stupidest bad guys out.

Faking network packets is not much harder than faking email headers. If you get an email from "God" telling you to jump off a cliff, are you going to do it?

[icedowl]

The MAC address, if it can be detected through a firewall, etc., would certainly work as a fingerprint. It is likely the only thing that can't be changed without getting a totally new computer. I just don't know if it is available outside of a LAN.

Edited to add:
Ron, are you sure that it can be faked? I've never heard that before.

[bcolflesh]

It's trivial on *nix, Windows users can usually point and click themselves into a new MAC with help:

[amac.paqtool.com...]

[Moosetick]

I know for a fact that they can be faked/changed. Many types of nics allow for programmable MAC addresses. Not all support this but many do. You could even change it through Windows if supported.

[guru5571]

Whether you change your MAC address or not... it will not be sent beyond the local subnet. PERIOD! MAC address info is only relevant for forwarding frames on a subnet, not packets which are ROUTED via IP address. All a MAC address is used for is mapping a physical burned-in address to a network address. A MAC address in a frame will not be forwarded or used beyond your local router. Sorry, but that's the way it is.

icedowl- the MAC address is on the network card not the computer. Pretty easy to swap that out. Too bad no one beyond the local network will never know either way.

[blairsp]

suppose they will just have to rely on their covert surveillance teams then so that they KNOW when you have clicked on your own ads :}

Only wish the SAS, Navy Seals etc had their technology, then they wouldn't kill any innocents.

Oh, sarcasm doesn't read to well written down at times!