MAC Address Lookup

Identify network device manufacturers by their MAC address in seconds.

Enter MAC Address

Formats: XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX or XX-XX-XX-XX-XX-XX or XXXXXXXXXXXX

Try these examples:

How to Find Your MAC Address

Windows:

ipconfig /all

Look for "Physical Address" in your network adapter info

Mac/Linux:

ifconfig

Look for "HWaddr" or "ether" entries

Network Router:

Check your router's connected devices page (usually 192.168.1.1 or 192.168.0.1)

Understanding MAC Addresses

What is a MAC Address?

MAC stands for Media Access Control. It's a physical address used to identify devices on a local network. Unlike IP addresses (Layer 3), MAC addresses work at Layer 2 (Data Link Layer).

Format: 00:1A:2B:3C:4D:5E (48 bits or 6 octets)

What is OUI?

OUI (Organizationally Unique Identifier) is the first 3 octets (24 bits) of a MAC address. It identifies the manufacturer of the network interface card.

Example: In 00:1A:2B:3C:4D:5E

The OUI is assigned by IEEE, the last 3 octets are unique per manufacturer

MAC Address Structure

First Octet - Special Bits:

  • Bit 0: I/G bit (Individual/Group)
  • Bit 1: U/L bit (Universal/Local)
  • Bits 2-7: OUI identifier
00:1A:2B:3C:4D:5E
OUI | Host ID

Unicast vs Multicast

Unicast: Least significant bit of first octet is 0. Identifies a single device.

Multicast: LSB of first octet is 1. Sent to multiple devices.

Example: 01:00:5E:xx:xx:xx is used for IPv4 multicast addresses

MAC & ARP Protocol

ARP (Address Resolution Protocol) maps IP addresses to MAC addresses on local networks. Essential for local communication.

  • ARP request: "Who has IP X.X.X.X?"
  • ARP reply: "I have it, my MAC is..."
  • DHCP uses MAC for device identification

MAC & DHCP

When your device gets an IP address (DHCP), the DHCP server uses your MAC address to:

  • Identify your unique device
  • Assign appropriate IP addresses
  • Maintain device-to-IP mappings
  • Facilitate static IP assignments

Real-World Applications

Network Administration:

  • Device tracking on networks
  • MAC filtering for security
  • DHCP reservations
  • Wake-on-LAN features

Networking Certification:

  • Understanding Layer 2 protocols
  • ARP (Address Resolution Protocol)
  • Switching and VLAN concepts
  • MAC address table learning

Example MAC Addresses by Manufacturer

Cisco:

00:0C:85:xx:xx:xx

Intel:

00:3E:E1:xx:xx:xx

Apple:

00:1F:5C:xx:xx:xx

Microsoft:

00:50:F2:xx:xx:xx

Dell:

00:14:22:xx:xx:xx

QEMU (Virtual):

52:54:00:xx:xx:xx

* xx:xx:xx represents the device-specific portion (NIC identifier)