Does a proxy or VPN change my MAC address?

No, and it doesn't need to. Proxies and VPNs change your public IP. Your MAC address stays on your local network either way.

How do I find my MAC address?

On Windows run ipconfig /all and read Physical Address; on macOS or Linux run ifconfig or ip link. Phones show it under Wi-Fi details, often as a private address per network.

What is MAC address randomisation?

A privacy feature where the device uses a different, random MAC for each Wi-Fi network, so networks cannot track it across places by its hardware address.

Can two devices have the same MAC address?

Manufacturers aim for unique addresses, but duplicates exist and randomised addresses can collide. It only causes problems if both are on the same local network.

Is a MAC address the same as an IP address?

No. The MAC identifies a network interface on the local network; the IP identifies a device or network across the internet and is what websites see.

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What Is a MAC Address?

A MAC address (Media Access Control address) is the hardware identifier of a network interface, such as a Wi-Fi card or Ethernet port, written as six pairs of hex digits like 3C:22:FB:9A:41:07. It is used to deliver data on the local network only and is not sent across the internet.

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how it works

How MAC addresses work

A MAC address is 48 bits long. The first half is usually an OUI (Organizationally Unique Identifier) registered to the manufacturer with the IEEE, and the second half is assigned by that manufacturer, so a lookup can often tell you who made a device.

MAC addresses work at layer 2, inside one network segment. Your laptop uses the router's MAC to send it a frame; the router strips that frame off and forwards the packet onward by IP address. At every hop the layer-2 addresses are replaced, so your MAC never reaches a website.

MAC address
This term
Identifies
A network interface
Example
3C:22:FB:9A:41:07
Scope
The local network only
Set by
The manufacturer (or randomised by the OS)
Seen by websites
No
IP address
Identifies
A device or network on the internet
Example
203.0.113.45
Scope
End to end across the internet
Set by
Your router, ISP or network admin
Seen by websites
Yes, your public IP

why it matters

Why MAC addresses matter for proxy users

Mostly they don't, and it helps to know why. A website cannot read your MAC address: it is not in the packets that reach the site, and browsers expose no API for it. What sites do see is your public IP and your browser fingerprint.

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MAC address: what it means for you

Changing or randomising your MAC does not change your public IP, location or fingerprint as seen by a website.
iOS, Android and Windows can use a private, randomised MAC per Wi-Fi network, which stops hotspots tracking a device across locations.
Your MAC matters on networks you join: public Wi-Fi, office networks and DHCP reservations can identify or allow devices by it.
To change what websites see, change the IP with a proxy and keep the browser fingerprint consistent.

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