RE: dhcp / mac address

["Hagen, Eric" <ehagen () DenverNewspaperAgency com>]

MAC address restrictions may seem like a nice solution, but the
administrative headache is way beyond reason for a larger network.  In my
experience it's fairly impractical to impliment on larger networks and on
very small networks (a single small office, for example), physical security
is often sufficient.   

In addition, we frequently have sales reps or visiting contractors who need
access to our network with their laptops, either for work or for
presentations.  Although our "public" network jacks are few and far between,
it would quickly become a nearly full time job just to be adding and
removing MAC addresses from the filter.

On the wireless side, it's more relevant, but.....  it's fairly simple to
spoof MAC addresses and to sniff them out of the air in a wireless
environment, so even there, it's not a huge deterrent except to
unsophisticated "bandwidth thieves".

Eric

-----Original Message-----
From: Johnny Tam [mailto:mypunsotang () yahoo com]
Sent: Friday, October 10, 2003 9:23 AM
To: security-basics () securityfocus com
Subject: dhcp / mac address


Do most of you restrict your DHCP server to only MAC
addresses that are on your LAN PCs, or is it any one
who connects to your network?

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