How to change, if possible, router's ip address

[cramba]

Hello to all!  I'm not too knowledgable about computer networking and how the internet works in general, but I think through my research into this question, I understand the basic concepts and terminology well enough to pose my question accurately and intelligibly, and to follow and understand any responses--hopefully stated as simply as possible.

So, I'd like to change the ip address broadcast from my wireless router (WAN public ip address, I believe) when accessing the internet through it on my laptop and/or phone.  The router is an ASUS RT-AC1200.  My ip was banned from one of those "beer money" sites (for reasons I was never given) by their third party advertisers, but on the site itself, they suggested I could try changing my ip address.  So what started out as a cursory search into how to change an ip--over something really not that crucial to me--has almost become an obsession (and an interesting and challenging subject for me to study and understand) for me to accomplish it.  I've tried many of the simpler procedures suggested (e.g. power cycling, trying to get the ip adress refreshed from my ISP by disconnecting the cable modem overnight, et al), and I don't want to start monkeying around with running commands and configuring system and networking settings on my computer since I really don't understand what I'd be doing or how to fix it when I inevitably mess up my whole computer and/or internet connectivity!  Plus, as I understand it, that would not solve the problem; it's the router's ip address, not the laptop's (when connected directly to the modem), or the phone's (when using my mobile data) that is blocked and needs to be changed, if possible.  So the question is, is it possible, and if so, how do I do it?  Bottom Line:  I feel like I've learned (online videos, articles, forum posts, etc.) that changing the MAC address of the router, either manually or by cloning the laptop's MAC in my router's web-based interface, then resetting everything on the network tell my ISP/modem that it's a different device and give my WAN a new public ip address. I believe that I know exactly where to find the WAN settings and how to change the router's MAC address, but before I take the leap, I want to understand this as thoroughly as I can.  That's where you fine folks come in!  In case it makes a difference, I do not know if I have a static or dynamic ip address from ISP, and in my WAN/Internet Settings/Basic Config, my WAN connection Type options are: Automatic, Static, PPPoE, PPTP, L2TP.  It's now set to Automatic; I assume that would not change--just a new MAC address under the tab, Special Requirement from ISP.  

So, here goes . . .

1) Will manually changing the router's MAC (by typing a new one in the available blank field or using the MAC Clone feature cause my ISP/modem to recognize it as a different/new device and therefore assign it a different/new WAN public ip address?  In a live chat session with an ASUS rep, he told me it would not, but I've seen elsewhere that it would--that's part of what brought me here.  If the answer is yes it will, or it might, what are the dangers (e.g. my ISP will not recognize or "accept" the new MAC and not assign a new ip address at all, or anything else such a step might do to endanger my ability to connect to the internet at all)?

2)  If changing the MAC address will get me a new WAN ip address, is the LAN MAC address found under my System Status in my router's interface the MAC address that my modem is recognizing and assigning an ip adress to?  Is that the MAC address I need to be looking at changing if this is going to work?  (By the way, my router has a 2.4 GHz and a 5 GHz band; the LAN MAC address and the Wireless 2.4GHz MAC address are identical, with the Wireless 5GHz MAC address matching the other two with only a different last number)

 3) If that is the MAC address that we're talking about changing, can/should I simply, randomly change one or two--or all--of the letters and numbers that make up my router's MAC address, essentially creating a phantom one?  So, if the router's LAN MAC address is (I've changed some of the numbers and letters, obviously, but kept the format) 2A:4D:54:5C:AD:D3, could I just make that last 3 a 2, etc., and/or change the first A after the 2 to a B?  Is there a way I could create an invalid MAC that will not accomplish what I'm trying to do and may result in permanently or seriously messing up my router and its ability to connect me to the internet?

 I could also use MAC Clone, which, as I understand it, clones my laptop's (the device I'd use to do all this in the ASUS interface) MAC to the router, thus making the ISP/modem think it's connecting to the laptop and assigning the ip address designated for the laptop to the router and the WAN.  Indeed, when connected directly to the modem, the laptop does have a different ip address than when on the wifi network.  

4)  If either of these methods will or should work, is one preferable to the other?  More or less prone to problems, pitfalls?  I thought I read somewhere that if I clone my laptop's MAC address on my router, I will no longer be able to get on the internet on my laptop when it's connected directly into the modem since I'll have 2 devices with the same MAC, but nowhere else that I learned about using the Clone procedure was I warned of that possibility.

5)  Is there anything I've described that is inaccurate or incomplete?  Is there anything else about this procedure I haven't mentioned or asked about that I should, or other steps I need to take?  Do I need to reset/power cycle any or all devices?  In any particular order?

This post seems very long to me; I'm exhausted writing and editing it!  So I'm especially grateful to those who have read through the whole thing and for any advice/suggestions/answers anyone may have for me.

Thank you!

[cramba · Accepted solution]

Wow, duh, I never realized I was posting to a forum site for users of a specific brand! Obviously! Netgear, of course, I just found it through a search for forums on computer networking and never put it all together. Anyway, I really do appreciate you answering my questions. Thank you.

[TheEther]

First off, why are you posting in a Netgear forum if you have an Asus?  Anyway, your questions are generic, so I will answer them.

1. It might, leaning towards likely given that your laptop gets a different IP address when directly connected to the modem.  It ultimately depends on how your ISP operates.  The worst case is that you don't get an IP address.  If this happens, revert your change and things should recover.  BTW, you may have to reboot your modem each time you change the MAC address.
   
   
2. No and no.  The MAC address you would change is the router's WAN interface MAC address.
   
   
3. You try changing the last digit or two of the router's WAN interface MAC address or you can clone your laptop's MAC address.
   
   
4. Shouldn't really be any difference.
   
   
5. Power cycle your modem as I mentioned in 1.

[cramba · Accepted solution]

Wow, duh, I never realized I was posting to a forum site for users of a specific brand! Obviously! Netgear, of course, I just found it through a search for forums on computer networking and never put it all together. Anyway, I really do appreciate you answering my questions. Thank you.

[michaelkenward]

Basic question, why do you want to do all this?

[cramba]

I think I addressed why I want to "do all this" (changing an ip address seems like a pretty common and straightforward proposition) pretty thoroughly in my post, so you can reread it if that is your only interest in my request for help.  Anyway, as posted, someone did respond and address my questions/concerns and it worked just as simply and problem-free as I thought/hoped it would.