Almost all modern devices—computers, smartphones, tablets, routers, speakers—have been “intelligent” or connected to the internet in some way. All of these devices need to communicate with each other by sending various packets. One way you may have heard is through an IP address. But there is also a more permanent device identifier - the MAC address.

The MAC (Media Access Control) address is permanently unchanged because it is assigned to your device at a lower hardware level, rather than at a higher software level like an IP address. You can think of it as a VIN (vehicle identification number), rather than a license plate for an IP address. Similarly, if you don't have a MAC address, you can't get an IP address.

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Free trial so what is the MAC address? How is it used? How do you find it? Can you be tracked through it? Can you change it? Let's explore these and other issues in this comprehensive guide to MAC Addresses.

What exactly is the MAC address?

Each device connected to the network has a unique MAC address assigned by its manufacturer. but why?

Essentially, the role of the MAC address is to manage the NIC (network interface controller) or network adapter, which you need to connect to any network, whether it is Ethernet, WiFi or Bluetooth. In order for any device to communicate, one device must send information to the MAC address of another device.

A MAC address is a string composed of six double-character combinations (numbers and letters). Are MAC addresses case sensitive? Indistinguishable. They can be uppercase or lowercase (although not mixed), separated by colons, dashed lines, or written together.

Therefore, the MAC address example may be similar to 21-22-EJ-8C-D2-99. The rules for creating MAC addresses are managed by IEEE (Institution of Electrical and Electronics Engineers). Sometimes, some companies choose to assign similar combinations of MAC strings to their devices so that they can easily find devices by MAC addresses when needed.

What are the differences between MAC addresses and IP addresses?

When you first learn MAC addresses, it may be difficult to distinguish them from IP addresses, and more people are familiar with IP addresses. So what's the difference?

MAC and IP are crucial to any network and they work well together. The MAC address runs at a low level between devices on the same network. IP addresses can be left off the same network using the router.

But you can't just rely on IP addresses. To assign an IP address first, your router will use the MAC address of your device. In other words, without MAC – there is no IP. Without an IP address, your device will simply not be able to connect to an external network.

Benefits of using MAC addresses

You may be wondering what other benefits can be made from MAC addresses besides enabling IP addresses. The answer is yes!

For example, since MAC addresses are permanently assigned to all network devices, they are also a good way to filter out unwanted devices from the network. Therefore, security teams around the world have built enterprise firewalls that allow only specific MAC addresses to enter. In this case, even if a certain IP address changes, the device can still pass.

More specifically, if the device is lost or stolen, you can identify the device by the MAC address when it reconnects to your network.

Additionally, you can use its MAC address to find the geographic location of your Mac.

All these use cases also mean that to avoid spoofing, you must never disclose your MAC address to anyone.

How to find your MAC address

Having learned so far what a MAC address is and what it is for, you might be wondering where you can actually find a MAC address on your Mac. There are several ways to do this.

The most direct way to find MAC addresses is through "System Preferences":

1. Open System Preferences ? "Network"
2. Click "Advanced..."
3. Switch to the Hardware tab
4. Record your MAC address

Another way to find a MAC address is through the "System Report":

1. Click the Apple icon in the menu bar ? "About this machine"
2. Go to "System Report..."
3. Switch to "Network" ? "Location"
4. Record your MAC address

The easiest way to determine the MAC address is through the WiFi option:

1. Click Control Center in the menu bar
2. Option Turn on WiFi
3. Your MAC address is the same as your BSSID

Also, it's easy to find a MAC address on your iPhone:

1. Go to Settings ?General
2. Click "About this machine"
3. Your iPhone's MAC address is the same as your Wi-Fi address or Bluetooth address

On most other network devices, such as routers, the MAC address is actually written at the bottom.

But what is the easier and more efficient way to find a router MAC address from anywhere?

WiFi Explorer is by far the most advanced network analysis tool. At a glance, this application provides all the information you may need, from the router's MAC address (BSSID) to the noise level, to signal strength, to channel width and more.

You can also get real-time visualization charts that allow you to identify any issues and fix them with built-in troubleshooting guides. Comprehensive networking solutions!

Or, check out NetSpot. While the app is similar to WiFi Explorer in terms of the information it provides and its troubleshooting capabilities, what sets NetSpot apart is that it performs precise WiFi signal testing in your space. Simply upload a floor plan in your home or draw a floor plan and test how the signal changes in different rooms. Once you have the exact map, you can decide to add a WiFi extender, for example, to make the internet faster anywhere.

How to change the MAC address

As mentioned above, the MAC address is like a VIN, that is, it is permanent and assigned to the device by its manufacturer. Therefore, it is actually impossible to permanently change your MAC address.

At the same time, you can fake your MAC address at the software level, making someone think that your MAC address is not its real address. This is how hackers hack into corporate networks—that is why it can be dangerous to disclose your real MAC address. This is also why you might want to change it, especially on public WiFi.

Here is how to change the MAC address on your Mac:

1. Disconnect from WiFi network, but do not turn off WiFi completely
2. Start Terminal from Application ? Utility
3. Enter sudo ifconfig en0 ether [the MAC address you want]

That's it. Your new MAC address will last until you restart your Mac, router, or WiFi. Therefore, this is a temporary solution that is easy to undo at any time. If you want to use it frequently, be sure to copy and paste it into your notes!

As you can see, MAC addresses play a vital role in your Mac's network connection. In addition, there are some ways to find your MAC address and how to find the router's MAC address using WiFi Explorer and NetSpot. Finally, you can change your MAC address using a single terminal command.

Best of all, both WiFi Explorer and NetSpot are available for free for seven days with the Setapp trial, a wide range of platform with over 200 Mac applications that can help you do almost everything from managing the menu bar (Bartender) to having an unlimited clipboard (Paste). Try each Setapp app for free today and expand your collection of personal favorites!

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