Linux fedora MAC address question and problem

[wissam]

My ISP gives me internet using MAC address authentication, so I am trying to configure my previous MAC address in Fedora and I encountered the following problems so if anybody has a solution please state it:

I went to terminal and the following had happened:
[wissam@localhost ~]$ ifconfig eth0 down hw ether 08:00:46:16:C8:1C
bash: ifconfig: command not found
[wissam@localhost ~]$
[wissam@localhost ~]$


Then I tried another method which is by using the interface:
I went to : Applications --> system setting --> network --> inside devices box i double clicked on the first one --> hardware devices tab --> checked “Bind to MAC address 08:00:46:16:C8:1C.

But it gave me the following error:
Device eth0 has different MAC address than expected, ignoring.

And it refused to activate it; can anybody tel me why this is happening???

Note that I also logged in as root, but I still get the following error “Device eth0 has different MAC address than expected, ignoring”

[ewdi]

use /sbin/ifconfig instead of ifconfig, i think /sbin is not added to your path

[Brian1]

Why not use a dsl/cable router and have it imatate the MAC. Or have your ISP update your account to except the new MAC.

Brian1

[tashirosgt]

This thread seems like a good place to ask this: I gather the manufacturers of ethernet cards scrupulously followed a system so that no two of them have the same MAC address. But the messages in this thread suggest that it is common practice for a client machine or a router to use a "fake" MAC address.

[taylor65]

MAC addresses are unique. the first half is the OUI, which defines the company that made the card. The second half is a serialized number generated by the manufacturer. It's not commonplace to change a MAC (17 years of building networks, and I've never done it). However, the /sbin/ifconfig command should work. Personal opinion here - your ISP has problems if that's how it does authentication - try to get another ISP if possible. If not, can you call them and have the change their records to your new MAC?

[wissam]

Ya I will call them to change but the point is that I am used to format my pc too much, in windows XP I can do that with no problems, and I need my internet to work on Linux

[taylor65]

Formatting the PC does nothing to the MAC - it's burned into the prom on the ethernet card/chip, so the MAC address will be the same no matter what OS you use on the PC.

[Growler]

... your ISP has problems if that's how it does authentication - try to get another ISP if possible. If not, can you call them and have the change their records to your new MAC?It's common enough for ISPs to do this that nearly all SOHO routers offer the option to "clone" the MAC from the pc that your ISP is accepting. I'm not saying I like it, just that it's fairly common.

[taylor65]

Just curious - where is it common? PPPoE seems to be the prevalent authentication method here in the eastern US.

[harlequin]

PPPoE is a type of connection, it stands for Point-to-Point Protocol over Ethernet, it's just a way of connection two computers together.

The way that it's done here is that there is the PPPoA (Point to Point Protocol over ATM), and then a username and password are sent to the ISP, and you are authenticated like that (for xtra boradband anyway).