By Joseph Moran | Posted September 30, 2009
What is a MAC Address? Whether you work in a wired network office or a wireless one, one thing is common for both environments: It takes both network software and hardware (cables, routers, etc.) to transfer data from your computer to another—or from a computer thousands of miles away to yours.
When you think about networking, IP addresses are probably the first things that come to mind. But there’s another type of network address called a MAC address that actually forms the foundation upon which IP address communication is built, at least where local area networks are concerned.
What Is a MAC Address?
A MAC address, sometimes referred to as a hardware address or physical address, is an ID code that’s assigned to a network adapter or any device with built-in networking capability (say, a printer). While an IP address can potentially be assigned to any device, a MAC address is “burned in” to a given device from the factory. A MAC address takes the form of six pairs of hexadecimal digits, usually separated by colons or dashes, and will look something like this—01:1F:33:69:BC:14. (Hexadecimal digits can only include the numbers 0-9 and letters A-F.)
The first three pairs of digits in the MAC address are called the OUI (Organizational Unique Identifier), which identifies the company that manufactured or sold the device. For example, a MAC address that begins with 00:1F:33 denotes a Netgear product. The last three pairs of digits are specific to the device and can be more or less considered a serial number of sorts. Together, the two parts of the MAC address form an ID that’s unique to a particular device.
To understand how MAC addresses are used, first consider that when you type www.smallbusinesscomputing.com into your Web browser, it can’t get there until a DNS (Domain Name Service) server looks up the corresponding IP address for the Web site allowing a connection to take place. While MAC addresses don’t have any real significance on the Internet, they’re used in a similar way on a local area network.
Ziphone for mac. Given that IP addresses can’t be permanently assigned to a device—after all, a particular address can belong to one computer today and another one tomorrow— MAC addresses allow communication between devices on a local network by making it possible to reliably distinguish one computer from another. Just as DNS matches a Web site name to an IP address on the Internet, a technology called ARP (Address Resolution Protocol) matches an IP address to the corresponding MAC address of a specific device to which that IP address is currently assigned.
What’s My MAC Address?
Finding the MAC address on a Windows PC is easy via the command-prompt utility called IPCONFIG. To run it in Windows Vista or Windows 7, click the Start button then type “cmd” (no quotes) into the search box and hit Enter. (In XP, click Start, then Run, then type “cmd” and hit Enter.) Then from the command prompt, type ipconfig /all and you’ll see the system’s MAC address listed next to “Physical Address.”
Finding the MAC address on a Mac (no relation) is trickier and varies slightly by operating system version. Select System Preferences from the dock, then select Network, and depending on whether you’re using a wired or wireless connection, click on either Ethernet or AirPort. Finally look for either the “Ethernet ID” or “AirPort ID” (you may need to click an Advanced button to find them).
For other network devices like external adapters and other non-PC devices, the MAC address is generally displayed on a sticker at the back or bottom of the unit. In the case of network-enabled printers with built-in control panels (as most have these days), you can find the MAC address by visiting the unit’s Network menu or printing out a configuration page (check documentation re: how to do this).
MAC Address Tips
Since MAC addresses are used behind the scenes, you generally don’t need to pay a lot of attention to them, but here are three instances when being familiar with a device’s MAC address can be worthwhile.
Identifying Unknown Devices
You may recall from earlier that the first part of a MAC address -- the OUI -- indicates a device’s manufacturer or vendor. When you encounter a MAC address but don’t know the device it belongs to (for example, routers sometimes list the IP and MAC addresses for attached devices without providing any other information about them) identifying the OUI can help you identify the device (or at least narrow it down). Two good sites to look up a MAC address OUI are here and here. Remember, you only need to enter the first six digits of the MAC address to determine the OUI.
![What Does Mac Address Stand For What Does Mac Address Stand For](/uploads/1/2/5/0/125071313/120739489.png)
DHCP Reservations
DHCP reservations are handy when you want to automatically assign a consistent IP address to a device like a printer or NAS unit without having to visit the device to configure an address manually. Whether your DHCP server resides in a router, or a Windows 200x or other type of server, you’ll need to know a device’s MAC address to create a DHCP reservation for it.
Wake on LAN
Wake-on-LAN offers a way to send a remote signal to revive a computer that’s in a power-saving mode (e.g. sleep/standby or hibernation) or even turned off. (Almost all systems built within the last several years support Wake-On-LAN, though you may need to turn the feature on in the system BIOS.) While a dormant computer can’t be contacted via IP address--technically, it doesn’t have one—you can reach it by MAC address. You can download a free Wake-on-LAN utility (for Windows) here.
Joe Moran spent six years as an editor and analyst with Ziff-Davis Publishing and several more as a freelance product reviewer. He's also worked in technology public relations and as a corporate IT manager, and he's currently principal of Neighborhood Techs, a technology service firm in Naples, Fla. He holds several industry certifications, including Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer (MCSE) and Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA).
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SMAC Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
- Can SMAC work on my cable modem?
What does SMAC stand for?(Back to Top)
Spoof MAC Address (SpoofMAC)
What systems do SMAC support? (Back to Top)
SMAC supports Windows 2000, XP, 2003, VISTA, 2008.
What MAC Address should I spoof?
Set the MAC Address to an address with the 2nd digit as '2', which makes the first 2 digits as 02, 12, 22, 32, 42, etc. For example, here are a couple of valid MAC addresses: 1) 02-93-84-91-29-01; 2) 32-71-93-EC-51-AF.
You may use Random for most of the wired network adapters. However if you encounter problems, use a MAC Address with '2' as the 2nd digit.
Why can't I get SMAC to work?(Back to Top)
For Windows 2000, XP, 2003:
In order to use SMAC, you MUST login with an administrator level user account. You MUST have READ and WRITE access to the registry of your Windows 2000, XP, 2003, VISTA, 2008, and Windows 7 system.
- Be sure that you are using a valid Singlecast (Unicast) MAC Address. The second hex digit of the first octet (reading left to right) should be even (zero is considered even). You can get more information on MAC Address from this link: IANA Number Assignments database.
- Be sure that you are logged-on with an administrative user account.
- Be sure that you are using a Network Adapter that is certified by Microsoft for use with you version of Windows. You can check Microsoft's Hardware Compatibility List (HCL) or Tested Products List.
For Windows 7, VISTA, 2008:
When you start SMAC program, you must start it as the administrator. You could do this by right click on the SMAC program icon and click on 'Run as Administrator'.
Arranging NotesStickies can get buried under all the windows you have open, so you can set them to always show on top by turning on “Float on Top” from the Window menu.You’ll have to do this for each note, so using Option+Command+F may save you some clicking around.If you don’t want the notes clogging up your screen, you can make them translucent from the same menu or with Option+Command+T. You can even sort them automatically and have them arranged in a list in the top left corner, using the “Arrange By” menu in the Window settings.Though there’s no option to change where it arranges them, as the top left placement blocks the title bar of many apps, it’s still a pretty useful feature for keeping things organized.You can also change the color from the “Color” menu, or with Command+1 through Command+6:You’re limited to the classic Post-It colors, but there’s enough for some basic categorization. Sticky notes for macbook. You can also collapse them from the Window menu, or with Command+M, or by double-clicking the title bar of the note:This is useful and will make your notes much smaller, letting you keep more of them on your desktop without impacting your use of the rest of the system.
- Be sure that you are using a valid Singlecast (Unicast) MAC Address. The second hex digit of the first octet (reading left to right) should be even (zero is considered even). You can get more information on MAC Address from this link: IANA Number Assignments database.
- Be sure that you are logged-on with an administrative user account and, for Windows Vista, both the installation and SMAC program should also be Run As Administrator. This can be set through the shortcut properties menu or by right-clicking on the executable or shortcut.
- Be sure that you are using a Network Adapter that is certified by Microsoft for use with you version of Windows. You can check Microsoft's Hardware Compatibility List (HCL) or Tested Products List. You will likely need to update the driver to a VISTA compatible driver if you have upgraded your operating from Windows XP to VISTA. Otherwise, you may need to install a new Network Adapter that is Certified for Windows VISTA. Please confirm the Windows VISTA Compatibility Certification with the network adapter manufacturer if necessary.
I just updated the new MAC Address but my network adapter doesn't show the new MAC address?(Back to Top)
- If you have problem changing the MAC Address, follow this direction: Some Wireless NIC only accepts MAC Address with the 2nd digit that sets as '2', which makes the first digit as 02, 12, 22, 32, 42, etc. For example, here are a couple of valid MAC addresses: 1) 02-93-84-91-29-01; 2) 32-71-93-EC-51-AF.
- What Operating Systems are you running? SMAC supports Windows 2000, XP, 2003, and VISTA systems.
- Are you logged in as the administrator of your computer? You must log in with administrator level account in order to get SMAC to work.
- Did you try to reboot after update the MAC Address with a system administrator account? Usually you don't need to reboot, but in some cases, rebooting the system will resolve this problem.
- When changing MAC address, you MUST assign MAC addresses according to IANA Number Assignments database. For example, '00-00-00-00-00-00' is not a valid MAC address, therefore, even though you can update this address, it may be rejected by the NIC device driver because it is not valid, and TRUE MAC address will be used instead. Otherwise, '00-00-00-00-00-00' may be accepted by the NIC device driver, however, the device will not function. You can find the information at http://www.iana.org/assignments/ethernet-numbers. The latest MAC address Organization Unique Identifier (OUI) listing is available at http://standards.ieee.org/regauth/oui/oui.txt.
- Is your network adapter certified for the version of Windows operating system you are using? You can check with your network manufacturer, or check out the Microsoft hardware compatibility list (HCL) URL: http://www.microsoft.com/hcl.
Great question. It is all about the credibility, maturity, and innovations of SMAC. SMAC has been created since 2002. We are the leader in this area because we provide features that are accustomed to networking and security professionals. We are not just the SMAC creator, but we (at KLC Consulting) are also the networking and information security professionals that use SMAC too!
SMAC offers the users to not only change the MAC Addresses, but also to:
- view active and non-active network adapter information
- automatically restart the network adapter after MAC Address change
- generate random MAC Addresses
- validate MAC Address input
- show IPConfig info to verify the network adapter information known to Windows
- keep the MAC Address Change Log
- track Most Recently changed MAC Addresses
- produce network adapter information report (Professional Edition)
- pre-load MAC Address List (Professional Edition)
SMAC was the first MAC Address Spoofer for Windows, and it has been developed and enhanced since 2002. There has been estimated more than 1,500,000+ downloads worldwide, and it has been used by many fortune 1000 companies such as Intel, HP, CISCO, Siemens, ABB, as well as many US and other government agencies.
KLC Consulting, Inc. is a Registered Corporation in the United States. SMAC is developed by the KLC Research and Development team which consists of internationally recognized certified professionals including Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP), Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA), and Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer (MCSE). These certifications speak the integrity and skills of the KLC development team, and most importantly, the integrity of SMAC software.
Are there any legitimate use of SMAC? (Back to Top)
Absolutely.
In fact, IT Security and networking professionals have been looking for a product like SMAC for years, and SMAC has helped people in many industries do network security testing (wireless security, penetration testing, Intrusion Detection testing), network troubleshooting, high-availability solutions (firewall, stand-by systems), software license recovery solutions (recover license based on MAC Addresses because manufacturer of the license went out of business), and various security solutions.
In fact, IT Security and networking professionals have been looking for a product like SMAC for years, and SMAC has helped people in many industries do network security testing (wireless security, penetration testing, Intrusion Detection testing), network troubleshooting, high-availability solutions (firewall, stand-by systems), software license recovery solutions (recover license based on MAC Addresses because manufacturer of the license went out of business), and various security solutions.
SMAC customers include major organizations such as Intel, HP, Boeing, Cisco, Siemens, CSC, Berkeley Lab, Sandia National Lab, Boingo Wireless, SPI Dynamics, ABB, etc. Just to name a few..
Click here to read more about the features and benefits of SMAC.
Does SMAC change thehardware MAC addresses?(Back to Top)
No. SMAC changes software based MAC address that is interpreted by the network adapter device driver, which eventually pass to Windows operating system.
How do I use SMAC Evaluation Edition? (Back to Top)
SMAC Evaluation:
1. Install SMAC Evaluation Edition.
2. Select the network adapter you want to change the MAC address.
3. Type in the new MAC address you want to change to in the 'New MAC Address' area.
![Ip address Ip address](/uploads/1/2/5/0/125071313/762039146.jpg)
4. Click on 'Update MAC'
5. Reboot your system, and your new MAC address will take effect after reboot.
6. Verify if new MAC address take effect in your system, type 'ipconfig /all' to verify. You should see new MAC address as '0C-0C-0C-0C-0C-0C.'
Please note that SMAC evaluation can only allow you to change MAC address to '0C-0C-0C-0C-0C-0C.' SMAC Full version allows you to change to any MAC addresses you wish.
What Does Mac Stand For In Computers
How do I remove the spoofed MAC Address?(Back to Top)
On the SMAC screen, click on 'Remove MAC' to remove the spoofed MAC address for the selected network adapter. You still require to disable then re-enable the affected network adapter, or simply reboot.
Can I remove the spoofed MAC Address using the SMAC Evaluation Edition?(Back to Top)
Yes, absolutely! On the SMAC Evaluation Edition, click on 'Remove MAC' to remove the spoofed MAC address for the selected network adapter. You still require to disable then re-enable the affected network adapter, or simply reboot.
I can only see 'MAC Bridge Miniport' listed as my adapter when running SMAC on Windows XP, Why?(Back to Top)
In Windows XP ( and ONLY XP,) Microsoft have decided that it would be easier to have a single MAC address for all devices in your computer if you choose to do that, but this causes problems. This shows itself when you do your 'ipconfig /all' command and the description line for the adapter is 'MAC Bridge Miniport.' To fix this you need
to unbridge your ethernet adapter (don't worry if that
sounds very technical, the simple instructions are below so just
follow them).
---------------------
MAC Bridge Miniport problem for users of Windows XP only:
Remove your Network Card from the MAC Bridge Miniport by doing this:
1. Click on Start.Control Panel and then on Network Connections
2. Right-click on your Local Area Connection and choose Remove from
Bridge
3. Right-click Network Bridge and choose the Disable option
4. Click on as many OK boxes to get you back to the normal screen
(you may or may not need to reboot)
5. Now type 'ipconfig /all' again in a command window and you should
see your Network Card and its proper MAC address. That is the MAC
address for your Network Adapter.
-------------------
This should resolve the problems of changing MAC Address in XP.
to unbridge your ethernet adapter (don't worry if that
sounds very technical, the simple instructions are below so just
follow them).
---------------------
MAC Bridge Miniport problem for users of Windows XP only:
Remove your Network Card from the MAC Bridge Miniport by doing this:
1. Click on Start.Control Panel and then on Network Connections
2. Right-click on your Local Area Connection and choose Remove from
Bridge
3. Right-click Network Bridge and choose the Disable option
4. Click on as many OK boxes to get you back to the normal screen
(you may or may not need to reboot)
5. Now type 'ipconfig /all' again in a command window and you should
see your Network Card and its proper MAC address. That is the MAC
address for your Network Adapter.
-------------------
This should resolve the problems of changing MAC Address in XP.
Does SMAC work with VMWare virtual network adapters?(Back to Top)
In the newer version of VMWare, SMAC users reported that it worked, however, there is no gaurantee. The older version of VMWare does not read MAC address information from the registry. According to the information on the VMWare website, it reads the MAC address information from the configuration file (.VMX). Please refer to the VMWare website for more details.
Can I change MAC addresses on 'inactive' network adapters?(Back to Top)
Yes. However, the newly spoofed MAC address will not take effect until the network adapter is activated. For MAC address activation process, please read the readme file.
Can SMAC work on my cable modem? (Back to Top)
SMAC supports Windows 2000, XP, 2003, and VISTA .
Can I have 1 MAC Address assigned to morethan 1 Network Adapter? (Back to Top)
Base on the way TCP/IP protocal, there should be 1 MAC address assign to 1 network adapter, and 1 MAC address for each IP address. If you have 1 MAC address assigned to more than 1 network adapter, you might experience network problems.
When starting SMAC, why am I prompted to load aMicrosoft Office CD? (Back to Top)
SMAC does not actually use Microsoft Office. However, SMAC does use the Microsoft Common Control component (Mscomctl.ocx) for certain dialog features. This is a standard Microsoft file that is frequently upgraded by applications including Microsoft Office. This is a known Office 2000 issue that has several causes. One cause is that Office was installed on Windows 2000 under a non-administrative context. The fact is that when Office installed the Mscomctl.ocx file, it did not properly register the file with Windows. Therefore, when launching any third party applications that reference the control, Windows will either prompt for the Office CD to complete the installation or generate an error.
The solution is to load the Office CD when prompted and allow Office to complete the installation. If you receive a 1706 error instead of the CD prompt, you must login with an administrator account, start the affected application and load the Office CD when prompted.
The solution is to load the Office CD when prompted and allow Office to complete the installation. If you receive a 1706 error instead of the CD prompt, you must login with an administrator account, start the affected application and load the Office CD when prompted.
Why do I get the message 'SMAC has determined that you have insufficient registry access..'? (Back to Top)
For Windows 2000, XP, 2003:
In order to use SMAC, you MUST login with an administrator level user account. You MUST have READ and WRITE access to the registry of your Windows 2000, XP, 2003, and VISTA system.
For Windows VISTA:
When you start SMAC program, you must start it as the administrator. You could do this by right click on the SMAC program icon and click on 'Run as Administrator'.