Search a cell phone, laptop, or wireless router online using 2 MAC addresses and find its location on Google Maps. Please note, you need two MAC addresses in the same area to make this WiFi tracker work, otherwise it might not return any location.
MAC Address can be located on networking card box or through the operating system after it installs in computer. You can view your networking card MAC Address by typing ipconfig /all in command prompt in any windows version, and the field 'Physical Address' actually indicates your networking card MAC Address. Type that address here to look it up. These official apps will be available for users to download via their respective app stores. Second, in the coming months, Apple and Google will work to enable a broader Bluetooth-based contact tracing platform by building this functionality into the underlying platforms.
Try other MAC related tools here, find the vendor (manufacturer), and generate a MAC.
Please note, all feilds are required.
What is a MAC address?
MAC address stands for media access control address, it's a unique identifier assigned to network interfaces for communications at the data link layer of a network segment.
How to find my MAC address?
There are many apps out there that can help you get MAC addresses around you. For instance inSSIDer for Windows 7 / 10, WiFi analyzer for Android, network analyzer for iOS.In Windows, you can use the command 'netsh wlan show networks mode=bssid' too see WiFi routers around you.
How to use it![]()
Find two MAC addresses and enter them in the above form, you will be able to see the location if they are included in the database.
This WiFi tracker uses 2 wireless router MAC addresses (neither computer nor cell phone) to determine the location of cell phones, hotspots and laptops. Each WiFi hotspot covers a certain area, the more Access points in your area, the more accurate result it will return. So the density of wireless access points will determine the accuracy.
I am not responsible for any tracking errors. You can get in touch with me via the about page, feedback is appreciated.
Your smartphone, your laptop, your computer, your tablet, even your smart watch all carry a unique identity, and we are not just talking about their looks. Every device has a string of characters unique to them that helps identify them, used to identify them in a network environment. While this is awesome to know for knowing what devices are on your network or are malfunctioning, it also could be used more nefariously. Welcome back to #TechTuesday, where we are going to explain MAC Addresses, and how they are used for tracking.
Can You See Me Now?
Every physical networked device, whether wired or wireless, is given to the consumer with a unique MAC address. Designed to be unique to that device, this identity allows networks to identify the device when it connects. This identity is actually very useful in home networking, allowing you to easily assign a static IP address based on the MAC of the device you would like to receive that identity. The network will be able to decide if you have connected previously, and recall settings specific to that device. Of course, you can change the MAC of a device in the software of it, but seldom is this technique used.
This seems like no major issue, right? Identifying yourself on a network is a courtesy, plus it only does so on networks you're connected to. Well, not quite. The concern arises with the mobile devices we use, such as our smartphones, tablets, and laptops because of how Wi-Fi works.
Scanning For SignalsMac Address Tracker App
When you leave your home, do you turn off your Wi-Fi chip on your smartphone? Do you entirely turn off your laptop or tablet to save battery? If not, chances are these devices are automatically scanning for available Wi-Fi networks as you move around. These devices, while enabled, use a passive discovery system that listens for Wi-Fi access points nearby that are broadcasting connections, and an active discovery that will broadcast requests for an access point. While doing this, because of how this system is designed, your device will broadcast its MAC address as a part of the discovery request. So as you're wandering around with that Wi-Fi chip enabled on your smartphone, it is broadcasting your presence to any network that will listen.
So you might wonder how this is used to track you? Well, I will take London for an example. Recently, they have Wi-Fi enabled garbage cans all across the city, set up by advertisers, that offer free connections. These cans have Wi-Fi monitoring hardware in them, and are all networked together for consistency. If you happen to pass one of these cans with your Wi-Fi enabled, your phone will ping the can with its MAC address, and the can would make note of the address and the location. As you move through the city, this process would repeat, giving a general idea of where you have been moving. This same thing can be done in stores, giving an idea where in a store you might have wandered based on the sniffers logging your mac address and current relative location. This information could be used to track you down based on a wide area, or sold to advertisers to advertise directly based on your habits and frequent visits of a location.
Mac Address Location Tracker
So how do you get around this all, though? Well, there's not a solid solution right now just yet. At least, not on all devices. Apple did fix this with their newest iOS 8, which will randomize your device's MAC address each time it scans for nearby networks, making the address worthless for tracking. While this is a solid step in the right direction, we have yet to see other developers pick this habit up just yet, but only because it was not much of a known issue until it became so. Of course, if someone really wanted to track you, there are a variety of ways such as cell signal and GPS location. But every step we can take to protect ourselves and our privacy is a step in the right direction.
Comments are closed.
|
Details
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |