Just like your home has it's own address for mail and package delivery, devices also have their own address to correctly identify them on a computer network. This address is called the Media Access Control (MAC) address. It ensures that communication bound for your machine (or you sitting at your machine) arrives at the proper destination, just like the address to your home. Your home address also helps family, friends and services find you, just like your computers MAC address helps network services such as printing and file sharing find you.


Every network connection that your device has, be it a connection plugged into the wall or a wireless connection, will have it's own separate MAC address. This is like having a guest-house at your home that has a separate meter for electric, water and Internet connections. These connections are called Network Interface Connections (NIC). Virtual Private Network connections (VPN's) also have their own MAC addresses as they are another NIC. No two MAC addresses can ever be the same as, just like the post office, communication and package delivery wouldn't work properly.


The MAC address is a 12 digit hexadecimal number that is most often displayed with a colon or hyphen separating every two digits (an octet), making it easier to read. For example: A MAC address of 2c549188c9e3 is typically displayed as 2C:54:91:88:C9:E3 or 2c-54-91-88-c9-e3. Finding your MAC address is fairly straightforward.


On a Windows Machine:

  • Press the Windows and R keys simultaneously on your keyboard
  • Type cmd into the Run dialog box and press Enter
  • Type ipconfig /all at the command prompt and press Enter
  • A lot of information will present itself. We're looking for the label Physical Address. This is the MAC address.
  • Connections you plug into the wall will be listed as an Ethernet adapter Ethernet. Wireless connections will be listed as Wireless LAN adapter. Your WiFi connection will be listed as Wireless LAN adapter WiFi. Bluetooth, if your device is so equipped, will also have a MAC address listed.


On a Apple machine:

  • Open the Apple Menu
  • Select System Preferences
  • Choose Network and select which NIC you're interested in (WiFi, Ethernet, etc.)
  • Click the Advanced menu
  • Choose Hardware from the Advanced menu
  • The MAC address will be listed towards the top of the screen