SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR OBTAINING PERMANENT MAC ADDRESSES

1 . A network server comprising at least one processor in communication with at least one memory device, the network server being programmed to:

receive an access request originating from a user device;

establish a ciphered tunnel between the network server and the user device;

transmit, to the user device, a request message for a media access control (MAC) address of the user device;

receive, from the user device, a response message including the MAC address of the user device; and

determine whether to continue an authentication process based on the MAC address of the user device.

2 . The network server of claim 1 , wherein the network server is further programmed to begin the authentication process prior to establishing the ciphered tunnel, and wherein the access request includes a randomized MAC address from the user device.

3 . The network server of claim 1 , wherein the network server is further programmed to:

perform at least one of an integrity check or a confidentiality check of the MAC address; and

determine whether to grant the access request based on results of at least one of the integrity check and the confidentiality check.

4 . The network server of claim 3 , wherein the network server is further programmed to:

receive an encrypted MAC address of the user device in the response message; and

determine whether to grant the access request based on decryption of the encrypted MAC address of the user device.

5 . The network server of claim 4 , wherein the network server is further programmed to transmit a cryptographic key in the request message for the MAC address of the user device.

6 . The network server of claim 4 , wherein the network server is further programmed to decrypt the encrypted MAC address of the user device using a cryptographic key used to cipher an 802.11 layer.

7 . The network server of claim 1 , wherein the network server is further programmed to:

continue the authentication process if the determination is to grant the access request; and

transmit, to the user device, an access request success message at the end of the authentication process, and

wherein the network server is in communication with at least one of a proxy server and an access point and wherein the proxy server or access point is programmed to retrieve the MAC address of the user device from the access request success message.

8 . The network server of claim 1 , wherein the network server is further programmed to transmit an access request failure message if the determination is to deny the access request, and wherein the network server is further programmed to terminate service for the user device if the determination is to deny the access request.

9 . The network server of claim 1 , wherein the access request is received from one of an access point in communication with the user device and a proxy server.

10 . The network server of claim 1 , wherein:

the authentication process is an Extensible Authentication Protocol (EAP) authentication process,

the request message for the MAC address of the user device includes an EAP type to specifically request the MAC address of the user device,

the EAP type expands a listing of EAP types, and

the EAP type may be used in conjunction with EAP-TTLS, EAP-TLS, EAP-GTP, and EAP-RP.

11 . The network server of claim 1 , wherein the user device is one of a mobile device, a smart phone, a laptop, and a tablet, and wherein the access request is one of a request for access to a Wi-Fi network, a request for Internet access, and a request for cellular access, and wherein the MAC address of the user device is one of a hardware address, a manufacturer provided address, universally administered address, and a locally administered address.

12 . A network device comprising at least one processor in communication with at least one memory device, the network device being programmed to:

receive an access request originating from a user device;

transmit, to the user device, a request message for a media access control (MAC) address of the user device;

receive, from the user device, a response message including the MAC address of the user device; and

determine whether to continue an authentication process based on the MAC address of the user device.

13 . The network device of claim 12 , wherein the network device is an access point and is in direct communication with the user device, and wherein the network device performs an 802.11 association process with the user device prior to transmitting the request message for a media access control (MAC) address of the user device.

14 . The network device of claim 12 , wherein the network device is a network server and is in communication with an access point, and wherein the network device is further programmed to establish a ciphered tunnel between the network server and the user device.

15 . The network device of claim 12 , wherein the request message is an Extensible Authentication Protocol (EAP) request message, wherein the EAP request message is an EAP identity request message.

16 . The network device of claim 15 , wherein a type field is set to identity and a typedata field is set to Type-Length-Value (TLV).

17 . The network device of claim 15 , wherein the response message is an EAP identity response message, and wherein the EAP identity response message includes the MAC address and user identity information.

18 . The network device of claim 12 , wherein the authentication process is an Extensible Authentication Protocol (EAP) authentication process.

19 . The network device of claim 12 , wherein the user device is one of a mobile device, a smart phone, a laptop, and a tablet, wherein the access request is one of a request for access to a Wi-Fi network, a request for Internet access, and a request for cellular access, and wherein the MAC address of the user device is one of a hardware address, a manufacturer provided address, universally administered address, and a locally administered address.

20 . A network server comprising at least one processor in communication with at least one memory device, the network server being programmed to:

receive an access request originating from a user device, including authentication information, wherein the authentication information includes a randomized MAC address for the user device;

compare the authentication information to a database of registered devices to determine if the authentication information is in the database;

determine an account based on the comparison; and

associate the randomized MAC address with the account.