MAC address experiment

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timestyles

424 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 1

#24482 25-Jul-2008 13:45

Is there someone who can please perform this experiment, or if you are knowledgeable, tell me the results - I've used VirtualBox and VMWare server, neither worked properly, as I wasn't able to go online in the virtual machine for unknown reasons.

In a virtual machine - running say Ubuntu or XP, it doesn't really matter. The VM will have a MAC address - probably a random number (if you are using VirtualBox).

Using a wireless router, have a look at the routers webpage (from a browser in the host) and see what mac address it is saying that it is connecting to.

Is it a) the Mac address of the virtual machine b) the Mac address of the host or c) both.

Thanks! I have a feeling that it is a certain answer, but I'd like to know what it is in reality.

Simonm

181 posts

Master Geek

#151675 26-Jul-2008 22:15

So you have the pc with vmware server on it connected to the wireless AP?
If you look at the wireless mac list you will only see the servers mac not any of the virtual machines

timestyles

424 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 1

#151690 26-Jul-2008 23:23

Thanks for that - I actually expected that the answer would be c) both but I think it probably should be b), since data flows from the virtual machine to the host, then to the wireless hardware.

Regs

4066 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 206

Trusted

Snowflake

#151693 26-Jul-2008 23:32

it would probably depend on what sort of networking you are running for the VM and the host. if your VM is using a NAT'd connection then you'd see the mac address of the host. if the VM is 'sharing' or 'virtualizing' the hosts adaptor you will probably see the VM's 'fake' MAC address

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Simonm

181 posts

Master Geek

#151774 27-Jul-2008 12:25

Regs:
it would probably depend on what sort of networking you are running for the VM and the host. if your VM is using a NAT'd connection then you'd see the mac address of the host. if the VM is 'sharing' or 'virtualizing' the hosts adaptor you will probably see the VM's 'fake' MAC address

I dont see how the AP could pick up two MACs for one wireless connection. Sure they would both appear on a DHCP list, but not on the wireless list. Would lead to an awfully confused modem Id say!