Random number generator only generating one random

Question

I have the following function:

//Function to get random number
public static int RandomNumber(int min, int max)
{
    Random random = new Random();
    return random.Next(min, max);
}

How I call it:

byte[] mac = new byte[6];
for (int x = 0; x < 6; ++x)
    mac[x] = (byte)(Misc.RandomNumber((int)0xFFFF, (int)0xFFFFFF) % 256);

If I step that loop with the debugger during runtime I get different values (which is what I want). However, if I put a breakpoint two lines below that code, all members of the "mac" array have equal value.

Why does that happen?

Answer 1

Every time you execute

Random random = new Random (15);

It does not matter if you execute it millions of times, you will always use the same seed.

If you use

Random random = new Random ();

You get different random number sequence, if a hacker guesses the seed and your algorithm is related to the security of your system - your algorithm is broken. I you execute mult. In this constructor the seed is specified by the system clock and if several instances are created in a very short period of time (milliseconds) it is possible that they may have the same seed.

If you need safe random numbers you must use the class

System.Security.Cryptography.RNGCryptoServiceProvider

public static int Next(int min, int max)
{
    if(min >= max)
    {
        throw new ArgumentException("Min value is greater or equals than Max value.");
    }
    byte[] intBytes = new byte[4];
    using(RNGCryptoServiceProvider rng = new RNGCryptoServiceProvider())
    {
        rng.GetNonZeroBytes(intBytes);
    }
    return  min +  Math.Abs(BitConverter.ToInt32(intBytes, 0)) % (max - min + 1);
}

Usage:

int randomNumber = Next(1,100);

Answer 2

just declare the Random class variable like this:

    Random r = new Random();
    // ... Get three random numbers.
    //     Here you'll get numbers from 5 to 9
    Console.WriteLine(r.Next(5, 10));

if you want to get different random number each time from your list then use

r.Next(StartPoint,EndPoint) //Here end point will not be included

Each time by declaring Random r = new Random() once.

Answer 3

There are a lot of solutions, here one: if you want only number erase the letters and the method receives a random and the result length.

public String GenerateRandom(Random oRandom, int iLongitudPin)
{
    String sCharacters = "123456789ABCDEFGHIJKLMNPQRSTUVWXYZ123456789";
    int iLength = sCharacters.Length;
    char cCharacter;
    int iLongitudNuevaCadena = iLongitudPin; 
    String sRandomResult = "";
    for (int i = 0; i < iLongitudNuevaCadena; i++)
    {
        cCharacter = sCharacters[oRandom.Next(iLength)];
        sRandomResult += cCharacter.ToString();
    }
    return (sRandomResult);
}