Problem changing MAC address?

my network administrator allows only a specific MAC address
to access the network but im unable to change mac address of my Ralink RT256121 Wireless card, using windows vista ultimate with latest driver for the wireless adapter.
i have tried to change it from registry as well as from other tools and also checked in the advanced properties but there is no option for localy administered address or Network Address.
tell me some options like any universal driver that allows it, any virtual driver, bridging to my ethenet adapter which is allowing to change the mac address. I know its the driver's fault as i have successfully changed the mac address in xp with the same card but i dont want to switch to xp.My wlan driver release date is 05/11/2007. it is the latest one. plz help me

You can't actually change the MAC address as it's burned directly into the card. The best you're going to be able to do is spoof it and make it appear to be different.

But I'm wondering if this is simply for your PC or is it for all PCs? If it's all PCs then I can't for the life of me figure out why he's set it up this way. It just doesn't make sense.

The MAC address number is hard coded into your NIC device. It can not be changed ever. Whatever you did in XP, you didn't change the MAC address.

Talk to your network administrator, if they want you to have access, they will set you up.

and yet another reason to upgrade to vista

Here are 2 programs - do not know if there is a vista upgrade

http://www.sharewareconnection.com/title...

Here are manual regedit instructions but they say a software utlity is easier. Fellow includes a link to a beggarware program

http://devices.natetrue.com/macshift/

http://www.tech-faq.com/change-mac-addre...

are these people who answer questions with wrong or misleading information misinformed ? or do they just not know how to do research on the internet or are they just plain lazy ????

If there are not vista versions of the programs email the author.
One other way would be to an additional network card - usb , pcmcia , pci ? If you add a pcmcia wireless network card it will no way be as good as a built in laptop adapter with the antenna in the lid

Yeah, what Gimli Bill said.

MAC addresses, as the question asker states, can be locally administered in Windows and other devices. Cisco routers and switches all have locally administered MAC addresses.

Since MAC addresses are only LOCALLY significant on a network, there is no reason a user shouldn't be able to change one.

However, I do not have a good answer for the question.. =)

You can't change your MAC address because it is burned into your card. The best you're going to be able to do is make it appear to be different