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MAC/Physical Address Help

A note about MAC addresses - they are 12 digit hexadecimal numbers that are made up only of the numbers "0" through "9" and the letters "A" through "F". A sample of a valid MAC might be "00:1A:B2:3C:D4:5E".

Using your own router to connect to an ethernet jack in your apartment?

Click Here to be taken to a page for additional help.

Using a USB adapter to connect?

Usually the label on that adapter contains the MAC address.

For all others (including laptops with built-in adapters).

Windows 7, Vista, XP and 2000

Use either 1 or 2 to find your MAC address.

  1. Make sure your adapter is installed and activated. If you connect wirelessly, connect to the strongest “RNet” signal. If you connect via a cable, make sure the cable is connected to your computer and the wall jack. Go to Start then Run. (for Vista, the run command is under Programs and Accessories.) Type in cmd, then hit OK. A DOS prompt will appear on your desktop. At the DOS prompt, type in ipconfig /all (please note the space between ipconfig and /), hit the Enter button. A list of information regarding your network interfaces will appear. Find your adapter's physical address, it should look similar to this. If you connect wirelessly, make sure you locate the physical address of your wireless adapter. If you connect via a cable, make sure you locate the physical address of your ethernet adapter.
  2. Make sure the adapter is installed and activated. If you connect wirelessly, connect to the strongest “RNet” signal. If you connect via a cable, make sure the cable is connected to your computer and the wall jack. Then, click on Start, go to Control Panel, go to Network Connections and double-click on your wireless or Ethernet connection, (Ethernet is often called Local Area Connection). A window will pop up with the status of the adapter. Click the tab marked Support and click on Details. Your MAC address is the Physical Address.

Windows 98 and Millennium

To find your MAC address of your Ethernet or wireless adapter, first make sure the adapter is installed and/or activated. If you connect wirelessly, connect to the strongest “RNet” signal. If you connect via a cable, make sure the cable is connected to your computer and the wall jack. Click on Start, click on Run, type in: command and hit OK. A DOS window will appear. In the DOS window at the prompt, type in: ipconfig /all and hit enter. (Note there is a space between ipconfig and /all) Find the proper adapter and your MAC address is the physical address. Type exit to close the DOS window.

MAC OS X

To find your MAC address of your Ethernet or wireless adapter, first make sure the adapter is installed and/or activated. If you connect wirelessly, connect to the strongest “RNet” signal. If you connect via a cable, make sure the cable is connected to your computer and the wall jack. Use the System Profiler. This is located in the Utilities folder in Applications. Once System Profiler is open highlight Network on the left hand side of the window. This will bring up all your network connections. Click on Airport and your MAC address appears in the lower window.