diff --git a/esphome/components/ethernet/ethernet_component.h b/esphome/components/ethernet/ethernet_component.h
index 4f30959e40..31f9fa360a 100644
--- a/esphome/components/ethernet/ethernet_component.h
+++ b/esphome/components/ethernet/ethernet_component.h
@@ -114,12 +114,6 @@ class EthernetComponent : public Component {
   /// @brief Set arbitratry PHY registers from config.
   void write_phy_register_(esp_eth_mac_t *mac, PHYRegister register_data);
 
- private:
-  // Stores a pointer to a string literal (static storage duration).
-  // ONLY set from Python-generated code with string literals - never dynamic strings.
-  const char *use_address_{""};
-
- protected:
 #ifdef USE_ETHERNET_SPI
   uint8_t clk_pin_;
   uint8_t miso_pin_;
@@ -163,6 +157,11 @@ class EthernetComponent : public Component {
   esp_eth_handle_t eth_handle_;
   esp_eth_phy_t *phy_{nullptr};
   optional<std::array<uint8_t, 6>> fixed_mac_;
+
+ private:
+  // Stores a pointer to a string literal (static storage duration).
+  // ONLY set from Python-generated code with string literals - never dynamic strings.
+  const char *use_address_{""};
 };
 
 // NOLINTNEXTLINE(cppcoreguidelines-avoid-non-const-global-variables)
diff --git a/esphome/components/wifi/wifi_component.h b/esphome/components/wifi/wifi_component.h
index 4aa2ad15d4..89b7b1fa41 100644
--- a/esphome/components/wifi/wifi_component.h
+++ b/esphome/components/wifi/wifi_component.h
@@ -393,12 +393,6 @@ class WiFiComponent : public Component {
   void wifi_scan_done_callback_();
 #endif
 
- private:
-  // Stores a pointer to a string literal (static storage duration).
-  // ONLY set from Python-generated code with string literals - never dynamic strings.
-  const char *use_address_{""};
-
- protected:
   FixedVector<WiFiAP> sta_;
   std::vector<WiFiSTAPriority> sta_priorities_;
   wifi_scan_vector_t<WiFiScanResult> scan_result_;
@@ -450,6 +444,11 @@ class WiFiComponent : public Component {
   // Pointers at the end (naturally aligned)
   Trigger<> *connect_trigger_{new Trigger<>()};
   Trigger<> *disconnect_trigger_{new Trigger<>()};
+
+ private:
+  // Stores a pointer to a string literal (static storage duration).
+  // ONLY set from Python-generated code with string literals - never dynamic strings.
+  const char *use_address_{""};
 };
 
 extern WiFiComponent *global_wifi_component;  // NOLINT(cppcoreguidelines-avoid-non-const-global-variables)