Block device that keeps changing mac address

[Razzi29]

Hoping someone can assist me with my peculiar issue here. On my Google wifi I setup a family schedule where I added a device I wanted to restrict access to certain hours. Initially everything worked then after a few weeks I noticed the device was listed more than once so I added it to the group as time went on I noticed another same device joined; then I started paying attention to the mac address and noticed it kept on changing. So looks like my teenager figured out some software on the pc to keep changing the mac to get around my restrictions. How can I block, what other options othen than changing password which is NOT an option.

[olavrb · Accepted solution]

Both the Family Wi-Fi/parental control and the pausing functionality has been broken by design ever since MAC randomization became a thing years ago. More on MAC randomization from:

• Apple: [1] https://support.apple.com/en-us/guide/security/secb9cb3140c/web, [2] https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT211227
• Google / Android: https://source.android.com/docs/core/connect/wifi-mac-randomization-behavior
• Microsoft Windows: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/ac58de34-35fc-31ff-c650-823fc48eb1bc

You could look into controlling access on a different level, for instance the device itself. With products like:

• Apple -> Family Sharing -> Screen time: https://www.apple.com/family-sharing
• Google Family Link: https://families.google/familylink
• Microsoft Family Safety: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/family-safety

Else, get something other than Nest Wifi.