identical Physical Address for both desktop PC and wireless laptop PC

Hi,

I ran a search for 'identical MAC', ('identical') + 'Physical Address', in a
variety of combinations, and decided to start a fresh thread.

The short version of my question is: what tools are useful for finding flaws in
a wlan?

The long version is this:

(Thanks in advance for your tips).

Best regards,

Stefaan Meeuws (via Outlook Express)
<(E-Mail Removed)>









>>> long version of question: <<<

@ home I have this situation: 1 desktop PC - hard-wired to a WLAN router, and 1
laptop PC (pcmcia-card soft-wired wireless).

My issue is: both computers appear to have the same MAC address. How can this
happen?

/** To get the MAC address of the desktop PC, I __unplug__ the network
cable that runs from the desktop PC to the wlan router.
* Then I query 'ipconfig /all' and get this:
*/

Windows IP Configuration
Host Name : PROTAQ-SRMM
Primary Dns Suffix : (blank)
Node Type : Unknown
IP Routing Enabled : No
WINS Proxy Enabled : Yes

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:
Media Stat: Media disconnected
Description: Realtek RTL8139 Family PCI Fast Ethernet NIC
Physical Address: 00-C0-DF-0E-53-2A

/** When I plug the cable back in, this is the 'ipconfig /all' output:
*/

Windows IP Configuration
Host Name : PROTAQ-SRMM
Primary Dns Suffix : (blank)
Node Type : Unknown
IP Routing Enabled : No
WINS Proxy Enabled : Yes
DNS Suffix Search List: telenet.be

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:
Connection-specific DNS Suffix: telenet.be
Description: Realtek RTL8139 Family PCI Fast Ethernet NIC
Physical Address: 00-C0-DF-0E-53-2A
Dhcp Enabled: Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled: Yes
IP Address: 192.168.123.117
Subnet Mask: 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway: 192.168.123.254
DHCP Server: 192.168.123.254
DNS Servers: 195.130.131.5
192.168.123.254
Lease Obtained: Saturday, May 10, 2006 02:16:26
Lease Expires: Friday, June 30, 2006 18:16:26

/** It __should__ be possible to access the http user interface of the
wlan router ..
* .. by firing up this url: http://192.168.123.254
* .. but the browser's connection times out ..
*/


/** on the laptop pc, there __is__ a working i'net connection,
* and I __can__ manage the wlan router using the
http://192.168.123.254 URL.
* Oddly enough, 'ipconfig /all' shows that the 'Ralink RT2500 Wireless
LAN Card' has the same Physical Address as the desktop PC,
* that being: "00-C0-DF-0E-53-2A"
*/

Windows IP Configuration

Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : ACER-SRMM
Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Unknown
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : Yes
DNS Suffix Search List. . . . . . : telenet.be

Ethernet adapter WLAN Connection:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . : telenet.be
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Ralink RT2500 Wireless LAN Card
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-C0-DF-0E-53-2A
Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.123.117
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.123.254
DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.123.254
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 195.130.131.5
192.168.123.254
Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : Saturday, May 20, 2006 00:31:42
Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : Friday, June 30, 2006 16:31:42

--

There are third party tools which can change a MAC address. However, often
you can do this through the adapter's Advanced properties in Device Manager
or by editing the registry:

http://www.nthelp.com/NT6/change_mac_w2k.htm

Doug Sherman
MCSE, MCSA, MCP+I, MVP

"Stefaan Meeuws" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> Hi,
>
> I ran a search for 'identical MAC', ('identical') + 'Physical Address', in
a
> variety of combinations, and decided to start a fresh thread.
>
> The short version of my question is: what tools are useful for finding
flaws in
> a wlan?
>
> The long version is this:
>
> (Thanks in advance for your tips).
>
> Best regards,
>
> Stefaan Meeuws (via Outlook Express)
> <(E-Mail Removed)>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> >>> long version of question: <<<
>
> @ home I have this situation: 1 desktop PC - hard-wired to a WLAN router,
and 1
> laptop PC (pcmcia-card soft-wired wireless).
>
> My issue is: both computers appear to have the same MAC address. How can
this
> happen?
>
> /** To get the MAC address of the desktop PC, I __unplug__ the
network
> cable that runs from the desktop PC to the wlan router.
> * Then I query 'ipconfig /all' and get this:
> */
>
> Windows IP Configuration
> Host Name : PROTAQ-SRMM
> Primary Dns Suffix : (blank)
> Node Type : Unknown
> IP Routing Enabled : No
> WINS Proxy Enabled : Yes
>
> Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:
> Media Stat: Media disconnected
> Description: Realtek RTL8139 Family PCI Fast Ethernet NIC
> Physical Address: 00-C0-DF-0E-53-2A
>
> /** When I plug the cable back in, this is the 'ipconfig /all'
output:
> */
>
> Windows IP Configuration
> Host Name : PROTAQ-SRMM
> Primary Dns Suffix : (blank)
> Node Type : Unknown
> IP Routing Enabled : No
> WINS Proxy Enabled : Yes
> DNS Suffix Search List: telenet.be
>
> Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:
> Connection-specific DNS Suffix: telenet.be
> Description: Realtek RTL8139 Family PCI Fast Ethernet NIC
> Physical Address: 00-C0-DF-0E-53-2A
> Dhcp Enabled: Yes
> Autoconfiguration Enabled: Yes
> IP Address: 192.168.123.117
> Subnet Mask: 255.255.255.0
> Default Gateway: 192.168.123.254
> DHCP Server: 192.168.123.254
> DNS Servers: 195.130.131.5
> 192.168.123.254
> Lease Obtained: Saturday, May 10, 2006 02:16:26
> Lease Expires: Friday, June 30, 2006 18:16:26
>
> /** It __should__ be possible to access the http user interface of
the
> wlan router ..
> * .. by firing up this url: http://192.168.123.254
> * .. but the browser's connection times out ..
> */
>
>
> /** on the laptop pc, there __is__ a working i'net connection,
> * and I __can__ manage the wlan router using the
> http://192.168.123.254 URL.
> * Oddly enough, 'ipconfig /all' shows that the 'Ralink RT2500
Wireless
> LAN Card' has the same Physical Address as the desktop PC,
> * that being: "00-C0-DF-0E-53-2A"
> */
>
> Windows IP Configuration
>
> Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : ACER-SRMM
> Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :
> Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Unknown
> IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
> WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : Yes
> DNS Suffix Search List. . . . . . : telenet.be
>
> Ethernet adapter WLAN Connection:
>
> Connection-specific DNS Suffix . : telenet.be
> Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Ralink RT2500 Wireless LAN
Card
> Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-C0-DF-0E-53-2A
> Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
> Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
> IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.123.117
> Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
> Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.123.254
> DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.123.254
> DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 195.130.131.5
> 192.168.123.254
> Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : Saturday, May 20, 2006
00:31:42
> Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : Friday, June 30, 2006 16:31:42
>
> --
>
>
>
>

A lot depends on what flaws you're looking for. There are a lot of tools
available for penetration testing that will show how an unsecured wireless
network can be.

http://www.wi-foo.com/index-3.html

Good Luck.

"Stefaan Meeuws" wrote:

> Hi,
>
> I ran a search for 'identical MAC', ('identical') + 'Physical Address', in a
> variety of combinations, and decided to start a fresh thread.
>
> The short version of my question is: what tools are useful for finding flaws in
> a wlan?
>
> The long version is this:
>
> (Thanks in advance for your tips).
>
> Best regards,
>
> Stefaan Meeuws (via Outlook Express)
> <(E-Mail Removed)>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> >>> long version of question: <<<
>
> @ home I have this situation: 1 desktop PC - hard-wired to a WLAN router, and 1
> laptop PC (pcmcia-card soft-wired wireless).
>
> My issue is: both computers appear to have the same MAC address. How can this
> happen?
>
> /** To get the MAC address of the desktop PC, I __unplug__ the network
> cable that runs from the desktop PC to the wlan router.
> * Then I query 'ipconfig /all' and get this:
> */
>
> Windows IP Configuration
> Host Name : PROTAQ-SRMM
> Primary Dns Suffix : (blank)
> Node Type : Unknown
> IP Routing Enabled : No
> WINS Proxy Enabled : Yes
>
> Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:
> Media Stat: Media disconnected
> Description: Realtek RTL8139 Family PCI Fast Ethernet NIC
> Physical Address: 00-C0-DF-0E-53-2A
>
> /** When I plug the cable back in, this is the 'ipconfig /all' output:
> */
>
> Windows IP Configuration
> Host Name : PROTAQ-SRMM
> Primary Dns Suffix : (blank)
> Node Type : Unknown
> IP Routing Enabled : No
> WINS Proxy Enabled : Yes
> DNS Suffix Search List: telenet.be
>
> Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:
> Connection-specific DNS Suffix: telenet.be
> Description: Realtek RTL8139 Family PCI Fast Ethernet NIC
> Physical Address: 00-C0-DF-0E-53-2A
> Dhcp Enabled: Yes
> Autoconfiguration Enabled: Yes
> IP Address: 192.168.123.117
> Subnet Mask: 255.255.255.0
> Default Gateway: 192.168.123.254
> DHCP Server: 192.168.123.254
> DNS Servers: 195.130.131.5
> 192.168.123.254
> Lease Obtained: Saturday, May 10, 2006 02:16:26
> Lease Expires: Friday, June 30, 2006 18:16:26
>
> /** It __should__ be possible to access the http user interface of the
> wlan router ..
> * .. by firing up this url: http://192.168.123.254
> * .. but the browser's connection times out ..
> */
>
>
> /** on the laptop pc, there __is__ a working i'net connection,
> * and I __can__ manage the wlan router using the
> http://192.168.123.254 URL.
> * Oddly enough, 'ipconfig /all' shows that the 'Ralink RT2500 Wireless
> LAN Card' has the same Physical Address as the desktop PC,
> * that being: "00-C0-DF-0E-53-2A"
> */
>
> Windows IP Configuration
>
> Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : ACER-SRMM
> Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :
> Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Unknown
> IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
> WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : Yes
> DNS Suffix Search List. . . . . . : telenet.be
>
> Ethernet adapter WLAN Connection:
>
> Connection-specific DNS Suffix . : telenet.be
> Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Ralink RT2500 Wireless LAN Card
> Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-C0-DF-0E-53-2A
> Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
> Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
> IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.123.117
> Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
> Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.123.254
> DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.123.254
> DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 195.130.131.5
> 192.168.123.254
> Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : Saturday, May 20, 2006 00:31:42
> Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : Friday, June 30, 2006 16:31:42
>
> --
>
>
>
>
>