I’ve been using a Tile key tag for presence detection (arrive/leave home) and it’s worked perfectly for nearly 2 years.
Setup is 4 ESP32 boards detecting it → OpenMQTT → Node-RED → Matter → SmartThings + Apple Home.
I had read that some iBeacons randomize their MAC, but mine never did—until about 10 days ago. Now I’m seeing the MAC change roughly every 20 minutes, which breaks everything.
Nothing has changed on my side (OpenMQTT untouched for 6 months), so I’m wondering:
Did Tile push a firmware update enabling MAC randomization?
Has anyone else seen this recently?
Also, does anyone know of a keychain-style iBeacon that keeps a static MAC address?
I think that might have been the case, as there was a lot of vocal publicity about Tile at the end of last year
etc,
While Theengs Gateway does allow for random MAC address resolving, you would need the IRK (Identity Resolving Key) for your Tiles to do that. I’d contact Tile to ask about this, as you bought them when they had a static MAC address, and the new random MAC address does not allow you to use them as intended. You’ll see what they say
I personally also only use devices with random MAC addresses for privacy and security reasons, but ones which allow for me to access my own IRK, to allow for the MAC address resolving - an Apple Watch in. my case.
There are lots of very cheap alternatives of Bluetooth beacons with static MAC addresses in Chinese online stores for example, just be aware that most shops will also track you whenever you basset them and for how long, but they do not have the additional security issue of the Life360 network.
