A MAC address, short for Media Access Control address, is a unique identifier assigned to each network adapter or Network Interface Card (NIC) of a computer or device. Often referred to as a hardware address or physical address, it serves as a digital fingerprint, enabling your computer, smartphone, or router to be recognized on a local network.

 

MAC address Structure Explained

 

It is made up of six pairs of hexadecimal digits, and the separators can be colons, hyphens, or sometimes omitted. (e.g., A1:B4:C5:C1:67:AB).

 

 

These are divided into two main parts:

 

1. Organizationally Unique Identifier (OUI)

 

• This is the first three pairs of the address. In the example above, the range is A1:B4:C5.
• This portion identifies the manufacturer of the network device (like Intel®, Cisco®, or Apple®).
• This is assigned by the IEEE to ensure global uniqueness.

 

2. Network Interface Controller Specific

 

• These are the last three pairs of the address. In the example above, the range is C1:67:AB.
• This part is unique to the device itself, assigned by the manufacturer.
• It ensures that even if two devices are made by the same company, their MAC addresses will still be different.

 

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Key uses of the MAC address

 

• It is used to identify your device because the MAC address is unique, like an ID. This allows network systems to recognize and differentiate between devices.
• It operates on the Data Link Layer of the Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) model, allowing local network communication to ensure that data packets are delivered to the correct device within a local area network (LAN).
• It can be used for Access Control and Filtering to allow or block specific devices from accessing a network, to enhance security by whitelisting trusted MAC addresses. You can do this using your Linksys Dual-Band WiFi Router or Linksys Smart WiFi Router.
• It helps diagnose connectivity issues by pinpointing which device is causing the problem.
• It can be used to assign static IP addresses to devices via DHCP reservations.

 

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Locating Your MAC address

 

Windows 11®

 

1. Open the Start Menu and click Settings.

 

2. Go to Network & internet.

 

3. Select Wi-Fi or Ethernet, depending on your connection.

 

4. Click on your connected network and then scroll down to Properties.

 

5. Look for the Physical address (MAC), that’s your MAC address.

 

macOS®

 

1. Click the Apple menu and choose System Settings.

 

2. Go to Network.

 

3. Select your active connection (Wi-Fi or Ethernet).

 

4. Click Details and then scroll down to find Wi-Fi Address (that’s your MAC address).

 

iOS

 

1. Open the Settings app.

 

2. Tap Wi‑Fi.

 

3. Find your connected network and then tap the ⓘ (info) icon next to it.

 

4. Scroll down to see the Wi‑Fi Address, which is your MAC address.

Android™

 

1. Open the Settings app and tap About phone.

 

2. Look for the Status or Hardware information.

 

3. Scroll down to find Wi‑Fi MAC address.

 

NOTE: Newer versions of iOS and Android use a Random MAC address, which automatically changes the device’s MAC address to enhance privacy. If you prefer to use a fixed MAC address, you can disable this feature. However, keep in mind that this setting must be configured for each SSID individually; it is not a global setting.

 

Router

 

Most routers have a sticker or product label on the back or at the bottom of the device. Look for MAC address, Wi-Fi MAC, or Ethernet MAC. If you have a Linksys router, read this.

 

Find out more:

 

Changing the Privacy or Random MAC address on an Android device
Changing the Private Wi-Fi Address feature on iOS mobile devices