Out of curiosity...why would you like to have it changed?
(Sounds to me like driving a Fiat calling it a Ferrari...)

@ pjbtpl
Since nothing I have uses 5Ghz I have disabled that radio and am just using 2.4 Ghz. When I use the MAC clone it shows the MAC as changing but when I go to the status window it is still the factory default WAN MAC. inSSIDer also shows the factory default WAN MAC when I check with it. At this point I do not want to install dd-wrt so it seems I am left with disabling the broadcast of the SSID or living with the broadcast also showing vendor information since MAC filtering is a problem when people visit with their toys. I will think about what to do next. Thanks for your input, very much appreciated.

@erlinden
Nothing to do with Fiats or Ferraris or any similar analogy. Very simply, vulnerabilities exist that vary by router and manufacturer. Those vulnerabilities can obviously be exploited to hack into a router. Not broadcasting the vendor name makes that more difficult. That is the long and the short of why I want to disable vendor broadcasting.

One final thing that you do is limit access to the router's admin page so that only your computer(s) can access it:
1. Remote Router Management is disabled by default so no need to do anything there.
2. Local LAN Router management is enabled for ALL devices on your LAN so you can just limit it to the MAC address of your computer(s). Go to Security... Local Management tab.

Also, if you have attached any storage on the USB ports, enable it so a user ID and password needs to be entered. Also be careful of what you share with media DLNA sharing as I think any DLNA client on your network can view the media files in the directory you designate to share via DLNA.

Thanks again for your very worthwhile suggestions pjbtpl.

I contacted PP-Link customer service and their very quick and knowledgeable responses astounded me. None of the usual 'is the unit plugged in' type of nonsense. KUDOS TO TP-LINK CUSTOMER SERVICE!!!!!!

Unfortunately they told me that it was not possible to do what I wanted; see the excerpt below from the last email I received from them for the reason.


"I have consulted the problem with our technicians again .
Actually, we can find out the vendor with the help of MAC address (BSSID) which cannot be hiden . Since we cannot hide MAC address, we cannot hide vendor .
And generally, we can see vendor on the software, if you the vendor of some wireless network is blank on the software you used, maybe the software is not very up-to-date ."

I have just bought a TL-WDR4300 and by scanning from my computer with Vistumbler, the router manufacturer is not shown (it is listed as "Unknown"). At the same time, around me there is someone with a "TP-LINK TECHNOLOGIES CO., LTD." manufacturer listed in Vistumbler (among others).

My firmware is "3.14.1 Build 140916 Rel.67118n", flashed right after purchase.

I don't mind the hidden manufacturer ID, but just curious, where can this be enabled/disabled ?

Did you read canuck's “long story”? The manufacturer name can be detected or not, which depends on the software itself or the version.