A MAC address lookup is a process of lookup the MAC address of a device by entering the MAC address. MAC addresses are hardware addresses that uniquely identify devices on a network. Every device that connects to a network has a MAC address, and a MAC address lookup is a way to look up the MAC address of a device.
MAC address lookup is a helpful tool for network administrators, as it can help them troubleshoot network problems and track down devices on the network. Security researchers can also use it to investigate devices on a network. MAC address lookup is a relatively simple process, and many tools can help you in MAC address lookup.
What is a MAC Address?
A MAC address is a unique identifier for a network interface on a networked device. MAC addresses are often used in Layer 2 of the OSI model, which is responsible for data link protocols like Ethernet. It is used in many network technologies, including Ethernet, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth. MAC addresses are also used in some security protocols to authenticate devices.
MAC Address consists of six pairs of hexadecimal digits, separated by colons (:). The first three pairs are assigned by the manufacturer and are usually printed on the device’s label. The user’s last three pairs are assigned when setting up their access point or wireless router. It is a 48-bit address that is used to identify a device on an IEEE 802 network. The MAC address is usually represented as twelve hexadecimal digits, separated into six pairs, in the following order: 00-00-20-12-34-56
What is an OUI?
An OUI is a three-byte identifier assigned to a manufacturer by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). The OUI uniquely identifies the manufacturer of a network device, such as a NIC or Wi-Fi card. The OUI is used to generate the MAC Address for the device.
You can use the OUI to identify the manufacturer of a network device when troubleshooting network problems or setting up network equipment. You can use the IEEE’s online OUI database if you need to look up the OUI for a particular manufacturer.
Can you identify a device by its MAC address?
The MAC address is a unique identifier assigned to every network device. It is used to identify devices on a network and can be used for a variety of purposes.
One common use for MAC addresses is to identify devices for security purposes. MAC addresses can be used to restrict access to a network or to allow only certain devices to connect. They can also be used to track down the origin of malicious traffic.
How to find the MAC Address of Your device
The following steps you have to follow to find your MAC address concerning your Operating system :
How to find MAC Addresses in Windows?
- Press Window + R
- Type “cmd” and enter
- In Command Prompt, type ipconfig all and press Enter
- And locate the “Physical Address” or “HWaddr” field. The Physical Address should be in format M:M: M:S:S: S. For example, 00-13-04-27-32.
How to find MAC Addresses in MacOs?
- Go to the Apple menu and click system preferences
- Click the menu and open Networks
- It will pop up in a window; click the Wi-Fi, Ethernet, or Airport icon on the left.
- It will show you the MAC Address in the format M:M:M:S:S:S
How to find MAC Addresses in Linux or Unix?
Follow the following steps to check the MAC Address :
- Type “ifconfig-a”
- Look for “eth0”, It will show your ethernet adapter
- Now locate this field “HWaddr.” The value will be your MAC Address.
- Your MAC Address will be in the format of 00-13-04-27-32
How to Find a MAC Address in iOS?
- First, open the settings.
- Click on the General section in the settings
- Open the About option
- Locate the Wi-Fi Address
- It will show you the MAC Address
How to Find a MAC Address in Android?
- Open the settings
- Click the wireless & Networking
- Select the Wi-Fi option
- Click the “Advanced” option, And it will show you the MAC address of your device.
Conclusion
A Media Access Control address (MAC address) is a unique identifier assigned to a network interface controller (NIC) for use as a network address in communications within a network segment. MAC addresses are used in the media access control protocol sublayer of the data link layer of communication protocols.
A MAC address consists of six pairs of hexadecimal digits, for a total of 12 digits. The most significant byte (MSB) of the MAC address is the last byte of the manufacturer’s identification number (OUI, 3 bytes), and the least significant byte (LSB) is the serial number assigned by the manufacturer to the specific NIC. MAC address lookup is a fundamental process in Ethernet networking. It allows devices to communicate with each other on a network, regardless of their IP address.