Wireless client Media Access Control (MAC) address collision avoidance

An apparatus comprising:

• a wireless network interface configured to communicate with one or more wireless devices;
• a network infrastructure interface configured to communicate with a network infrastructure of a wireless network, the network infrastructure including a network controller that stores a pool of virtual Media Access Control (MAC) addresses for temporary use in the wireless network, and the network controller manages a plurality of access points operating in the wireless network;
• and
• a processor coupled to the wireless network interface and the network infrastructure interface, the processor configured to perform operations including:
• querying the network controller to determine whether a first wireless device and a second wireless device will both use a first MAC address in the wireless network;
• responsive to a determination that the first wireless device and the second wireless device will both use the first MAC address in the wireless network, obtaining from the network controller a virtual MAC address from the pool of virtual MAC addresses for the first wireless device;
• and
• translating between the first MAC address and the virtual MAC address for network traffic of the first wireless device on receiving a communication from the first wireless device using the first MAC address, wherein the processor is configured to perform the translating by causing the network infrastructure interface to send uplink data received from the first wireless device using the first MAC address to the network infrastructure using the virtual MAC address, and causing the wireless network interface to send downlink data from the network infrastructure to the first wireless device using the first MAC address.

A system comprising:

• a network controller configured to manage a wireless network, the wireless network comprising a network infrastructure and a plurality of access points, wherein the network controller stores a pool of virtual Media Access Control (MAC) addresses for temporary use in the wireless network;
• and
• a first access point among the plurality of access points, the first access point configured to perform operations including:
• querying the network controller to determine whether a first wireless device and a second wireless device will both use a first MAC address in the wireless network;
• responsive to a determination that the first wireless device and the second wireless device will both use the first MAC address in the wireless network, obtaining from the network controller a virtual MAC address from the pool of virtual MAC addresses for the first wireless device;
• and
• translating between the first MAC address and the virtual MAC address for network traffic of the first wireless device on receiving a communication from the first wireless device using the first MAC address, wherein the first access point is configured to perform the translating by sending uplink data received from the first wireless device using the first MAC address to the network infrastructure using the virtual MAC address, and sending downlink data from the network infrastructure to the first wireless device using the first MAC address.