Strange - MAC address changed after update to /e/OS 3.3 on FP6

[mhejpetr]

Hi all,

seems very strange - the MAC address of the WiFi network adapter was changed after update to /e/OS 3.3 (official version from 10.12.2025) on my Fairphone 6.
The - old MAC address (the manufacturer prefix) was: F0:12:04:C - registered to Fairphone B.V.
The new one is: 7a:ba:39:6 - unregistered (!!!).

Very strange. Anyone has some explanation?
Yes. It may be random address (probably new possibility in version mentioned), but this option is disabled in the ‘developers settings’… :-/

[mhejpetr]

Problem solved.
It seems it is a new /e/OS 3.3 feature:
Network and Internet → connection preferences → Privacy → Use device MAC address.

But I do not understand, why ‘random MAC address‘ was the default. Very annoying in case you have WiFi AP or DHCP server with MAC restrictions…