Identify laptops by serial number (not MAC) — MAC changes with USB-C to Ethernet dongles

[takeit]

Hello FOG community

I’m using FOG to deploy images to laptops in our environment. Each time we perform an imaging session, these laptops are connected to the network using different USB-C to Ethernet adapters. Because of this, each adapter has a unique MAC address, and FOG identifies hosts only by MAC.
This means every time a different dongle is used, FOG sees the same laptop as a new device. As a result, the host associations, names, and previous settings are lost — which makes deployment and inventory management quite complicated.

What I’d like to achieve
I would like FOG to identify or match laptops based on a stable hardware identifier, such as:
• BIOS/SMBIOS serial number
• System UUID
• Asset tag…or any other unique ID that stays consistent regardless of the Ethernet adapter.
In other words, instead of relying solely on MAC addresses, FOG could optionally use (or at least record) a persistent hardware ID for host matching.

Questions
1 Is there any existing way in FOG to configure host matching by serial number, UUID, or similar hardware info?
2 If not, would the developers consider adding such an option — for example, during host registration or inventory?
3 Could this be achieved with a plugin, hook, or custom script that runs during PXE boot or inventory capture?

Why this would help
• MAC addresses change whenever a new USB-C Ethernet adapter is connected.
• The serial number or UUID is consistent and tied to the physical laptop.
• It would make host management, naming, and image assignment far more reliable in environments that rely on removable network adapters.

Environment details
• Hardware: various laptops (USB-C only, using external Ethernet dongles)
• OS: Windows 10 / 11
• FOG version: 1.5.10 stable
• Deployment: PXE boot via USB-C Ethernet adapters

Ideas / possible approaches
• Extend the host registration process to read dmi information.
• Add a configuration option: “Primary identifier for hosts” → choose between MAC, Serial, or UUID.
• Let admins define custom host fields and select one as the matching key.
• Allow the FOG client or PXE registration script to send serial numbers to the FOG server before imaging starts.

Final thoughts
This would be especially valuable for modern laptops that no longer have onboard Ethernet and depend on dongles or docking stations. Being able to identify a machine by its hardware serial number instead of a changing MAC would make FOG deployments much more robust.
Thanks a lot for any hints, feedback, or ideas on how to achieve this — and if this isn’t currently possible, I’d be happy to test or help develop such a feature.

Regards
TakeIT