[Bug 424002] Re: strange ifup behaviour on MAC changing

[Stéphane Graber]

This has nothing to do with ifupdown as the ifconfig command isn't even
in the ifupdown package.

My guess is that you're trying to change your mac address before first
bringing your interface down.

ifconfig eth0 down
ifconfig eth0 hw addr 00:11:22:33:44:55
ifconfig eth0 up

should work just fine.

** Changed in: ifupdown (Ubuntu)
       Status: New => Invalid

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https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/424002

Title:
  strange ifup behaviour on MAC changing

Status in “ifupdown” package in Ubuntu:
  Invalid

Bug description:
  Binary package hint: ifupdown

  I am unable to change my MAC address using /etc/network/interfaces
  I get always an error:
  ...
  SIOCSIFHWADDR: Device or resource busy - you may need to down the interface
  Failed to bring up eth0.
  ...

  But I am able to change the MAC manually by ifconfig so I guess this
  is an issue of ifupdown perhaps in conjunction with network device
  driver since on all my other machines all works fine

  this non-working machine one has some old realtek card:
  00:0a.0 Ethernet controller: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTL-8139/8139C/8139C+ (rev 10)

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