@Don Cady: The source of the problem is the Linux kernel driver for the specific WiFi adapter or perhaps the firmware of the WiFi adapter.
In most of the drivers, they have implemented the facility to change (by software) the MAC address. There are even tools to change the MAC address, like "macchanger". Or, you can even use "ifconfig wlan0 hw ether 00:11:22:33:44:55". Or, you can change it with NetworkManager, a facility available for many years already. A WiFi card can support many other interesting features, including "AP Mode" (make your Ubuntu act like an Access Point), and "Monitor" mode (using those Aircrack tools). However, it takes effort to reverse- engineer AP Mode or Monitor mode, so many adapters do not support these features. It is much more common in USB adapters not to have full support for these features, and in some cases it is a deficiency in the firmware (firmware files: /lib/firmware/, and nothing can be done about it). It is not clear how widespread is the problem. If you are reporting, please include which kernel driver is used for the WiFi and also what firmware is loaded. @wolfy1339: I think the MS Surface Pro has an (internal) USB WiFi card and uses the kernel driver "mwifiex_usb". Have a look in "lsmod". -- You received this bug notification because you are a member of Desktop Packages, which is subscribed to network-manager in Ubuntu. https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/1681513 Title: Ubuntu 17.04: New privacy feature in NetworkManager stops some WiFi adapters from working (mac address randomization) Status in network-manager package in Ubuntu: Confirmed Bug description: According to https://blogs.gnome.org/thaller/2016/08/26/mac-address-spoofing-in-networkmanager-1-4-0/ there is a new privacy feature in the new version of NetworkManager. This privacy feature can cause some USB WiFi adapters to stop working while they used to work with older versions of NetworkManager (Ubuntu 16.10 or older). The purpose of this privacy feature is to get your computer to report a new random MAC address whenever you connect to a WiFi network. This privacy feature is especially useful when you connect to public WiFi networks, so that the operators cannot identify you when you connect multiple times. The downside of this privacy feature is that some USB WiFi adapters misbehave when NetworkManager tries to change their MAC address repeatedly. The result is that those USB WiFi adapters cannot connect anymore to the WiFi network. Original report follows: My Panda USB wi-fi adapter works just fine on 16.10, but when I try to connect to my wi-fi router in 17.04, GNOME network manager reports "Connection failed." I did some tinkering, and noticed that my MAC address for my wifi adapter, according to GNOME, is DIFFERENT every time I make it forget my wifi settings and try to reconnect. Weird, right? Any leads on a possible fix or work-around? I'm running the latest beta of Ubuntu GNOME 17.04, kernel 4.10.0-19-generic, GNOME 3.24.0. https://blogs.gnome.org/thaller/2016/08/26/mac-address-spoofing-in- networkmanager-1-4-0/ To manage notifications about this bug go to: https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/network-manager/+bug/1681513/+subscriptions -- Mailing list: https://launchpad.net/~desktop-packages Post to : desktop-packages@lists.launchpad.net Unsubscribe : https://launchpad.net/~desktop-packages More help : https://help.launchpad.net/ListHelp
