You cannot change your MAC address, literally it's like your network adapter's finger print. Only way to change it would to be to get a new wireless adapter.
Now, if you have a windows laptop, then here is a simple way to troubleshoot what it may be.
Check to see if your Network Adapter is functional
Now what may happen, is a glitch in your network card, outdated drivers (or incorrect drivers), or an unseated Network Adapter (Most network adapters in laptops are not built into the motherboard, which means they can become unseated, however they are usually screwed into place, so this is unlikely), lastly the network adapter may just be bad.
- Press the windows key & X at the same time
- Select Command Prompt
- Type in "Ping 127.0.0.1" and press enter.
- This will ping your own network card, and will verify functionality. If you do not receive any packets, then you should check your drivers first.
- IF you do not have an error, and still cannot connect to the internet, then you may have an APIPA or connection issue.
Check for an APIPA
An APIPA is an IP address that is given to your computer when your computer cannot connect to the DHCP (DHCP is what assigns IP addresses automatically in a router or access point). You cannot connect to the internet with an APIPA address.
How to see if you have an APIPA
- Press the Windows key & X on your keyboard simultaneously
- Select Command Prompt
- Type in "IPConfig" without quotations and press enter
- To the right of IPv4, you will see a sequence of 4 numbers, this is what's known as an IP address (It looks like 192.168.1.1)
- If your IP adress reads anything from 169.254.0.0 to 169.254.255.255, then you have an APIPA.
How to fix an APIPA
- Press the windows key & X again
- Go to Network Connections
- Right Click on your internet Adapter
- Click "Properties"
- Scroll down until you see "Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4)
- Click on it to highlight it blue
- Below it, you'll see three options, "Install... - Uninstall - Properties"
- Click on Properties
- In this window, make sure "Obtain an IP address automatically" is selected.
- Click "Ok"
- Click "Close"
Release & Renew
After you tell your computer to obtain an IP address automatically, you'll need to release your IP address and renew it, this will tell your computer to forgot your current IP address, and gain a new one.
- Press the windows key & X again
- Click on command prompt
- Type "IPConfig /release", again, without quotations and hit enter
- Wait until your can input another command
- Type "IPConfig /renew" and hit enter
- Finally, type "IPConfig" once more, you should no longer have an APIPA. (If by chance you still do, you may need to update your network adapter drivers or, by chance, your network card may have become unseated or loose within the desktop or laptop)
Test internet Connection
If you are positive that your router and modem is properly setup and connected to the internet, then continue on to our last test. This test will tell your computer to send 4 small packets of data to several devices. We will first test connection to your router, then we will try Google.
- Go to command prompt
- Type "IPConfig" without quotations and hit enter.
- Make note of the Default Gateway address
- Type "Ping" then hit space, and enter your Default Gateway (This will test your connection to your router)
- If you don't receive any pings in return, try checking your settings. Also, try checking to see if your connected to your router or that your router is on.
- If you receive all of your pings back, then continue to the next step.
- Type in "Ping www.Google.com" without quotes and hit enter.
- If you receive all packets, your connected to the internet!
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