[Tfug] HP/nForce MAC address set incorrectly

[Bexley Hall]

--- Rich Smit <rfs_lists at mac.com> wrote:

> However, both these machines also had non-unique MAC
> addresses. 
> 00:04:0b:80:80:80 to be precise. Google that and
> you'll get exactly one 
> hit. Guess what? It's another nForce-based machine.
> Looks like a default 
> config to me. 00:04:0b is 3Com, so I'm not sure who
> to blame: 3Com, nVidia, or HP.

There's no guarantee/requirement that the MAC be
implemented in a non-alterable medium.  E.g., NCD
stores the MAC for their devices in NVRAM.  And,
provides a built-in "monitor" to allow you to alter
the contents of that NVRAM at will.

Sun machines define (by default) the MAC of *all*
i/f's on a machine to be the same.  This "works"
as long as those interfaces are on different
network segments, etc.

I'm sure there are other common examples.

Many systems will complain (to syslog) if they
encounter a duplicate MAC as they update the
ARP cache.  This is how I discover when *I*
have manually set a MAC incorrectly on a box...
(I have my own OUI)

> So guys 'n' gals, check your nForce-based machines'
> MAC addresses, 
> especially HP, especially the a1410e.

--don

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