Property Management: Getting MAC Address From Various Sources


The Media Access Control (MAC) address can be used to identify computers on the network.  MAC address composes of twelve(12) alpha-numeric digits ranging from 0 to 9 and A to F.  It is usually written in six groups of two digits separated by hyphens( - ), colons( : ), or spaces.  The following are examples of MAC addresses:

001E35F5589B

00-20-E0-89-4F-DC

00:d0:59:a3:29:c5

00 11 b5 47 07 6f


While most desktop computers have only one MAC address for the wired network card, most laptops should have two MAC addresses--one for the wireless network card and one for the wired network card.  It is important that both wired and wireless MAC addresses be recorded.

The purpose of this article is to show the user how to recognize and obtain MAC addresses from product packaging.  If the MAC address cannot be obtained from the packaging, it is necessary to power on the computer and obtain the MAC address there.  Please follow the GROK article below to obtain the MAC address from within the Operating System:

http://networking.grok.lsu.edu/Categories.aspx?parentCategoryID=2153
 

On some IBM or Lenovo ThinkPad laptops, the wireless and wired MAC addresses can be found on a label on the underside of the laptop:

label on the bottom of computer with Wireless MAC and Wired MAC Address
 

Here is another example.  Note that the wireless MAC addresses are usually labeled as 802.11b/g/n MAC Addr, and the wired MAC addresses are labeled as Lan MAC Address or 802.3 MAC Addr.

 another example of a laptop with the Wireless MAC Address and Wired MAC Address pointed out.
 

On Apple MacBook laptops, the wired and wireless MAC addresses are on a label on the outside of the product packaging.  Note here that the wired MAC address is called Ethernet ID and the wireless MAC address is called Airport Extreme ID.

a third example of a laptop with Wireless MAC Address and Wired MAC Address pointed out.
 

On some Apple MacBooks, the wired MAC address can also be found by removing the battery:

Wireless MAC Address and Wired MAC Address on bottom of laptop

16817
9/22/2023 9:16:25 AM