For example:įollow the steps below to find your device’s MAC address. Most MAC addresses consist of 12 letters or numbers across six pairs. Your router will then assign you an IP address and let you connect to the internet.įinding your MAC address manually is easy. When it detects a router, your device sends its MAC address through to form a connection. MAC addresses are also sometimes called physical, burned-in or hardware addresses.Ī MAC address is essential for successful interaction between local network devices.

The NIC manufacturer provides each card with a unique MAC address. But while IP addresses change constantly, MAC addresses are static because they are only used in the local network.Įvery connected device has a network interface card (NIC) that allows it to connect to a network. As IP addresses identify a network connection, MAC addresses identify hardware. We need these addresses to be able to connect to the internet to send or receive data. The MAC address is assigned to a network interface card that every connected device has. MAC addresses consist of 12 characters grouped into six pairs, for example 0A:1B:2C:3A:44:5C. MAC (short for “media access control”) address is a series of numbers and letters that identify a network device.

Spoof network mac address