Allocation of local MAC addresses to client devices

An apparatus comprising:

• a network interface unit configured to communicate with a client device and a network;
• and
• a processor coupled to the network interface unit, and configured to:
• receive from the client device an authentication request including identity credentials and a temporary media access control (MAC) address of the client device;
• and
• in response to successfully authenticating the client device based on the identity credentials:
• select a new MAC address of the client device from among a plurality of available MAC addresses stored in a MAC address server in the network;
• send the new MAC address to the client device in an address allocation frame;
• receive a data frame;
• determine whether the client device is using the new MAC address based on the received data frame;
• and
• if it is determined that the client device is using the new MAC address:
• grant the client device access to the network;
• and
• generate a record including the new MAC address, a time at which the new MAC address was selected, the identity credentials, and a time at which the client device was successfully authenticated based on the identity credentials.

A tangible processor readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:

• receive from a client device an authentication request including identity credentials and a temporary media access control (MAC) address of the client device;
• and
• in response to successfully authenticating the client device based on the identity credentials:
• select a new MAC address of the client device from among a plurality of available MAC addresses stored in a MAC address server in a network;
• send the new MAC address to the client device in an address allocation frame;
• receive a data frame;
• determine whether the client device is using the new MAC address based on the received data frame;
• and
• if it is determined that the client device is using the new MAC address:
• grant the client device access to the network;
• and
• generate a record including the new MAC address, a time at which the new MAC address was selected, the identity credentials, and a time at which the client device was successfully authenticated based on the identity credentials.