diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/8390/etherh.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/8390/etherh.c
index 8322c54..6414e84 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/8390/etherh.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/8390/etherh.c
@@ -463,12 +463,6 @@
 {
 	struct ei_device *ei_local = netdev_priv(dev);
 
-	if (!is_valid_ether_addr(dev->dev_addr)) {
-		printk(KERN_WARNING "%s: invalid ethernet MAC address\n",
-			dev->name);
-		return -EINVAL;
-	}
-
 	if (request_irq(dev->irq, __ei_interrupt, 0, dev->name, dev))
 		return -EAGAIN;
 
diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/cadence/at91_ether.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/cadence/at91_ether.c
index e7a476c..716cc01 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/cadence/at91_ether.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/cadence/at91_ether.c
@@ -97,9 +97,6 @@
 	u32 ctl;
 	int ret;
 
-	if (!is_valid_ether_addr(dev->dev_addr))
-		return -EADDRNOTAVAIL;
-
 	/* Clear internal statistics */
 	ctl = macb_readl(lp, NCR);
 	macb_writel(lp, NCR, ctl | MACB_BIT(CLRSTAT));
diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/cadence/macb.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/cadence/macb.c
index 27991dd..cc6e593 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/cadence/macb.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/cadence/macb.c
@@ -1215,9 +1215,6 @@
 	if (!bp->phy_dev)
 		return -EAGAIN;
 
-	if (!is_valid_ether_addr(dev->dev_addr))
-		return -EADDRNOTAVAIL;
-
 	err = macb_alloc_consistent(bp);
 	if (err) {
 		netdev_err(dev, "Unable to allocate DMA memory (error %d)\n",
diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/dnet.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/dnet.c
index 290b26f..feb5095 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/dnet.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/dnet.c
@@ -664,9 +664,6 @@
 	if (!bp->phy_dev)
 		return -EAGAIN;
 
-	if (!is_valid_ether_addr(dev->dev_addr))
-		return -EADDRNOTAVAIL;
-
 	napi_enable(&bp->napi);
 	dnet_init_hw(bp);
 
diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/i825xx/ether1.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/i825xx/ether1.c
index 067db3f..7b9609d 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/i825xx/ether1.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/i825xx/ether1.c
@@ -638,12 +638,6 @@
 static int
 ether1_open (struct net_device *dev)
 {
-	if (!is_valid_ether_addr(dev->dev_addr)) {
-		printk(KERN_WARNING "%s: invalid ethernet MAC address\n",
-			dev->name);
-		return -EINVAL;
-	}
-
 	if (request_irq(dev->irq, ether1_interrupt, 0, "ether1", dev))
 		return -EAGAIN;
 
diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/micrel/ks8695net.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/micrel/ks8695net.c
index dccae1d..e62c312 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/micrel/ks8695net.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/micrel/ks8695net.c
@@ -1249,9 +1249,6 @@
 	struct ks8695_priv *ksp = netdev_priv(ndev);
 	int ret;
 
-	if (!is_valid_ether_addr(ndev->dev_addr))
-		return -EADDRNOTAVAIL;
-
 	ks8695_reset(ksp);
 
 	ks8695_update_mac(ksp);
diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/nxp/lpc_eth.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/nxp/lpc_eth.c
index af8b414..db6e101 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/nxp/lpc_eth.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/nxp/lpc_eth.c
@@ -1219,9 +1219,6 @@
 	if (netif_msg_ifup(pldat))
 		dev_dbg(&pldat->pdev->dev, "enabling %s\n", ndev->name);
 
-	if (!is_valid_ether_addr(ndev->dev_addr))
-		return -EADDRNOTAVAIL;
-
 	__lpc_eth_clock_enable(pldat, true);
 
 	/* Reset and initialize */
@@ -1301,6 +1298,7 @@
 	.ndo_set_rx_mode	= lpc_eth_set_multicast_list,
 	.ndo_do_ioctl		= lpc_eth_ioctl,
 	.ndo_set_mac_address	= lpc_set_mac_address,
+	.ndo_validate_addr	= eth_validate_addr,
 	.ndo_change_mtu		= eth_change_mtu,
 };
 
diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/seeq/ether3.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/seeq/ether3.c
index 6a40dd0..72a0174 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/seeq/ether3.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/seeq/ether3.c
@@ -399,12 +399,6 @@
 static int
 ether3_open(struct net_device *dev)
 {
-	if (!is_valid_ether_addr(dev->dev_addr)) {
-		printk(KERN_WARNING "%s: invalid ethernet MAC address\n",
-			dev->name);
-		return -EINVAL;
-	}
-
 	if (request_irq(dev->irq, ether3_interrupt, 0, "ether3", dev))
 		return -EAGAIN;
 
diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/smsc/smc911x.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/smsc/smc911x.c
index 8d15f7a..990f574 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/smsc/smc911x.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/smsc/smc911x.c
@@ -1400,16 +1400,6 @@
 
 	DBG(SMC_DEBUG_FUNC, "%s: --> %s\n", dev->name, __func__);
 
-	/*
-	 * Check that the address is valid.  If its not, refuse
-	 * to bring the device up.	 The user must specify an
-	 * address using ifconfig eth0 hw ether xx:xx:xx:xx:xx:xx
-	 */
-	if (!is_valid_ether_addr(dev->dev_addr)) {
-		PRINTK("%s: no valid ethernet hw addr\n", __func__);
-		return -EINVAL;
-	}
-
 	/* reset the hardware */
 	smc911x_reset(dev);
 
diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/smsc/smc91x.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/smsc/smc91x.c
index 318adc9..f516e5a 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/smsc/smc91x.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/smsc/smc91x.c
@@ -1474,16 +1474,6 @@
 
 	DBG(2, "%s: %s\n", dev->name, __func__);
 
-	/*
-	 * Check that the address is valid.  If its not, refuse
-	 * to bring the device up.  The user must specify an
-	 * address using ifconfig eth0 hw ether xx:xx:xx:xx:xx:xx
-	 */
-	if (!is_valid_ether_addr(dev->dev_addr)) {
-		PRINTK("%s: no valid ethernet hw addr\n", __func__);
-		return -EINVAL;
-	}
-
 	/* Setup the default Register Modes */
 	lp->tcr_cur_mode = TCR_DEFAULT;
 	lp->rcr_cur_mode = RCR_DEFAULT;
diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/smsc/smsc911x.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/smsc/smsc911x.c
index c53c0f4..cc02562 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/smsc/smsc911x.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/smsc/smsc911x.c
@@ -1463,11 +1463,6 @@
 		return -EAGAIN;
 	}
 
-	if (!is_valid_ether_addr(dev->dev_addr)) {
-		SMSC_WARN(pdata, hw, "dev_addr is not a valid MAC address");
-		return -EADDRNOTAVAIL;
-	}
-
 	/* Reset the LAN911x */
 	if (smsc911x_soft_reset(pdata)) {
 		SMSC_WARN(pdata, hw, "soft reset failed");
diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/wiznet/w5100.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/wiznet/w5100.c
index 2c08bf6..7daf92e 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/wiznet/w5100.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/wiznet/w5100.c
@@ -580,8 +580,6 @@
 	struct w5100_priv *priv = netdev_priv(ndev);
 
 	netif_info(priv, ifup, ndev, "enabling\n");
-	if (!is_valid_ether_addr(ndev->dev_addr))
-		return -EINVAL;
 	w5100_hw_start(priv);
 	napi_enable(&priv->napi);
 	netif_start_queue(ndev);
diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/wiznet/w5300.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/wiznet/w5300.c
index 88943d9..bd9eec6 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/wiznet/w5300.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/wiznet/w5300.c
@@ -500,8 +500,6 @@
 	struct w5300_priv *priv = netdev_priv(ndev);
 
 	netif_info(priv, ifup, ndev, "enabling\n");
-	if (!is_valid_ether_addr(ndev->dev_addr))
-		return -EINVAL;
 	w5300_hw_start(priv);
 	napi_enable(&priv->napi);
 	netif_start_queue(ndev);