no assignment is found for this mac

Help identifying a MAC address

My Wi-Fi app notified me last night about an unknown device that joined the network. I’ve looked up the MAC address at a couple of websites and they both said it was unknown. How do I go about figuring out what is connected?

The MAC address of a Wifi device will depend on which WiFi chipset it uses - and many devices are able to change their MAC address, so it’s not a certain guide to the identity of the device that’s connected to your network.

Do you have the IP address of the device in question? You could check your devices and see if corresponds to any of them.

The first and easiest step would be to determine the manufacturer associated with the OUI (the first 6 digits of the MAC address). Go here and type in OUI (normally in the form “XX:XX:XX”) and it will tell you the device manufacturer.

Did you mean to link a website?

Is the IP address stamped on devices?

The IP address would (typically) be assigned to the device when it first connects to your network. You can usually get it from a network settings screen on the device itself.

There should be some status screen in your WiFi router/base station that can display the mappings from MAC address to IP address. it might be something like “DHCP settings” (DHCP, Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol, is what assigns the IP ↔ MAC mapping).

Really? I thought the MAC address was permanently hard-wired into all devices.

Maybe here?

MAC Address Vendor Lookup | MAC Address Lookup (maclookup.app)

Whoops, sorry, I meant to link to the Wireshark tool here, but there are many of them that work the same way.

Most routers support MAC address filtering. Generally it works in terms of “allow only the MAC addresses in this table”, but that could take a while to set up if you have a lot of devices on the network. However, some routers also support explicit MAC address blocking, and if you can do that, it would be easy to block that particular address and see what happens – did it block a legitimate device?

Any of my equipment that has a display screen has already been identified. There’s no type of display on my WiFi router, but the MAC address on the label isn’t close to the unidentified one. I also haven’t purchased or turned on anything new that is WiFi enabled.

Interesting, this is the only website so far to return anything at all. This is what it says: " Info

No assignment is found for this MAC: 96:78:9b.

MAC Address more info

Locally administered addresses (LAA): the address is assigned to a device by a network administrator, overriding the burned-in address.

It’s also be a randomized MAC. Media Access Control (MAC) address randomization is a privacy technique whereby mobile devices rotate through random hardware addresses in order to prevent observers from singling out their traffic or physical location from other nearby devices.

Type of transmission: Unicast"

So what does that mean?

If you suspect (like I do) that it could be a tv or receiver or Roku or other ‘entertainment’ type device, turn off power to those and see if the mystery mac disappears. In other words, turn off the power switch to the entertainment cabinet(s) first.

Means what it says. Iphones, ipads, Android phones, and sometimes even PCs and Macs will generate a random MAC address for each network they join. [1] They will reuse that same MAC address when reconnecting to the same WiFi network. This is a privacy thing, because it prevents tracking across networks. [2]

If your experience is anything at all like mine, almost definitely what you have is an existing Iphone (or etc.) that has for some reason re-randomized its MAC address for your network. It is showing up as a new device on the network, but the physical thing has been there before.

So the first things you should check for are the active MAC addresses of phones and tablets. Usually the best way to find the device is to wait for your family to all be streaming their own shows, and then ban the suspicious MAC address, and see who starts screaming.

Another option is that Apple devices in particular will share WiFi passwords between devices owned by the same iCloud account. So you might see someone’s iPad that they never brought before, because their iPhone is already authorized to your network.

There is also often a setting to randomize the address every time it connects to a particular network ↩︎

Tracking within networks will still work. ↩︎

Interesting. Ignorance fought, again.

Question: would this device then also be assigned a new IP address via DHCP from the router?

It is trivially easy to spoof a MAC address. I haven’t bothered for years, but in my prime nerd period (early 20s) I spoofed everything I could spoof.

I was also that guy with four monitors running three different operating systems with a software KVM so I could use a single keyboard and mouse across them all.

I am not such a show off now, but I do still like Synergy for communication between different OSs.

I had the free version back then, but now it seems to be paid only. Still, I paid for a license, it was worth it.

Sorry, quite off topic above.

This is the best advice. Block the new MAC and see what breaks.

Yes, because all the DHPC server knows is that a new MAC address is asking for an IP address. The server can’t know [1] if it is an existing device with a new MAC address, or a completely new device. Depending on the DHCP server, at some point it will reuse the old IP address, so it is always possible that just by chance the new MAC will get the same IP the old MAC had.

outside of very tricky spy/hacker stuff of fingerprinting individual devices based on packet timing and other things. ↩︎

If a device connects to a network with a new MAC, it will get a new IP Address. The MAC is supposed to be the UNIQUE identifier of a piece of hardware on the network. So a router will know nothing else about the device, just the MAC and it will serve up a new IP address. Or I should say, the DHCP server will give it a new IP address. Most times the DHCP server is in the router, but that is not always the case. However, for the networking, the MAC address is really the unique identifier. Most routers will also identify the device by a name. And if if does not, many routers will let you tag the device with a name one you know what it is. So after shutting everything down and finding the device, try logging into the router and adding a name to it.

I had no idea that was even possible! I am wondering if that is what is happening - is there any way to find out?

I can definitively say it isn’t my phone, TV, laptop, Ring alarm, or car (and I live alone). No Alexa, etc. in the house. The only thing I can possibly think of is the washer or dryer. I think they are WiFi capable but I don’t recall ever setting it up.

Edit - I am wrong about the washer or dryer, apparently I did set one of them up but it has identified itself.

And stupid question - if I shut the router off, how am I supposed to log into it/see what’s currently on the WiFi?

Probably not, because it really could be anything within wifi range.

Go into the wifi settings for your phone, and double check what MAC address it is using. Same for your laptop. Merely turning them off might not clear the mystery MAC address from the router. It might require waiting for the DHCP lease to expire, or even longer if it just likes to show everything that connected in the past 72 hours or something.

I think the idea is shut off all devices you know are using wifi, and see what happens. I’d do it a bit different, but possibly more annoying. Go into the “about” or whatever page on every device and check their MAC address.

I totally understand your issue. I have all the devices on my network labeled in the router, so I know if anything new shows up. Last mystery device was my wife’s phone that had re-randomized it’s MAC address for some reason.

In my system I can do a “block” for any device, so if I have something really suspicious I can kick it, and see what happens. Trouble is, if it’s something like your dryer that all of the sudden decided to get back on the network, you might not notice any change in behavior if you block it.

I think what was suggested (and what might work) would be to shut off all your internet-connected devices, then turn the router back on. Leave it for a a few minutes, and then log in (ETA: preferrably via a hard-wired connection) and see if any device has established a DHCP lease, meaning it has connected to your WiFi. ETA: You should see one DHCP lease, corresponding to the computer you’re using to access your router. If you see more than one lease, and you see that MAC address that you saw before, you’ll have your perpetrator (and probably will need to change your WiFi password).

If not, then turn your internet devices on, one at a time, and keep an eye on your router’s DHCP status to see them connect to your router, one by one. At some point, you should see that MAC address again. Try your mobile devices (phone/tablet/laptop) first, as they are more likely to use MAC randomization.

My IP knowledge may be a little dated but: When a device first fires up and connects, it asks for an IP address. (Broadcast, since it does not have one - then is offered one, accepts it and begins using it.)

An IP comes with a lease time - it reserves that IP for the length of the lease. It is tied to the MAC address. (That way, if device is momentarily turned off, or the wifi reboots, everyone still has the same address)

Every time the device reboots, reconnects, etc. it renews its lease. Leases may vary from very short - 1 hour, or a few minutes - to a year. When the lease expires, it goes back into the pool.

Is the device still active? Can you ping it? Or was it momentarily connected and now gone? (Visitor? Guy next door?)

Everything has wifi today - my Blu-Ray player, Audio Amp, multiple TV’s, my Nest thermostat, Peloton bike, even my Tesla; some digital cameras do. (Basically, I have too much junk.)

Microsoft oriinally would configure Windows Server DHCP server with 1-week leases. I have seen them set to 1 hour or less for ublic wifi where nobody really needs to keep the same IP, to 1 year for static home networks. If your printer is turned off for a year, then you probably need to set it back up again anyway. You also want a long lease if there might be a problem with enough leases. That way, someone doesn’t lose their PC lease over the long weekend, and their computer won’t connect because too many people have come to work with an iPhone and iPad before they did.

I saw one installation with default 1-week DHCP and the public wifi would assign a lease even if the device did not login, just from proximity. Everyone walking through the building, their cellphone got a lease. They ran out of leases in short order. (Typically public Wifi will not give a longer-term lease to devices unless they connect - password or whatever)

Digital Equipment (VAX) DecNet would change the MAC address back in the days before TCP/IP as a means of identifying workstations.

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Cannot identify or block unknown MAC addresses (Part 2)

Previously , I mentioned 5 unknown MAC addresses often connecting to my router, and noticeably causes my internet to be slow.

Router: Tenda D303, Location: India, Connection: BSNL Unlimited 1Mbps broadband.

User drjimbob helped to eliminate other possible causes for slow internet, and here’s my research:

• “Possibly weak passphrase for Wi-Fi, hence neighbours using it.”

I’ve been using WPA2-PSK authentication, with AES encryption. Tried several complex passphrases for a month now. There are no neighbours other than some close family members, and I have discussed with them this issue.

• “Interference from neighbours’ routers.”

It’s more like a countryside, more greenery, and less routers in here. I couldn’t find any visible Wi-Fi access points or a router other than mine in my home and vicinity. Also, not many wireless equipment here that could cause interference.

• “Malware or user-installed software like bittorrent using up bandwidth.”

Couldn’t find any malware on any of my devices, nor any heavy downloading.

• “ISP’s problem.”

Highly unlikely because when I disable Wi-Fi and use internet via Ethernet from the same router, all works fine, on all PCs.

Now let's set aside the slow internet issue. These 5 MAC addresses, all starting with 00:ff, and titled “DELL” in the DHCP table is what troubles me.

• My research shows a clear correlation between slow internet and presence of these 5.
• I “banned” these 5 under router’s MAC filter, yet they pass through.
• These 5 are not my devices. My 2 DELL laptops appear separately with their own MAC addresses starting with 9c:2a and 64:5a respectively. I even checked all my other devices’ MAC addresses.
• What are these 5 MAC addresses?
• How do I get rid of them?

The MAC addresses are:

• mac-address

• 1 It would help if you posted the full MACs. Forget the Dell part for a second. If you google the phrase "MAC address 00:ff" you will see a few reasons for what they might be including monitors, bridged devices, etc. They might be your own machines. –  schroeder ♦ Commented Oct 17, 2016 at 9:43
• 3 Install and run wireshark, capture the packet and post/google those packet info. Otherwise it will be wild goose chasing. –  mootmoot Commented Oct 17, 2016 at 12:18
• @schroeder Updated question with MAC addresses. I have no wireless monitor, fridge, TV or any such thing. All I have connected to this network are some laptops and phones. –  NVZ Commented Oct 17, 2016 at 16:38
• 1 If you read the links on a search, they might be your own computers. Packet captures are the only way to track down who they are. –  schroeder ♦ Commented Oct 17, 2016 at 16:43
• @schroeder I have been reading some stuff on Google. I'm not very familiar with these jargon, and I'm doing my best. –  NVZ Commented Oct 17, 2016 at 16:44

5 Answers 5

Those 5 MAC addresses all are in the 00:FF domain, which are traditionally used for bridged/routed adapters. They aren't assigned to any individual vendor by the IEEE. In this case, you have two possibilities:

1) A malicious actor somehow spoofing MAC addresses on your internal network, or

(much more likely)

2) A computer on your network has some type of virtual (VPN, Virtual Machine, Docker Container, Internet Connection Sharing, etc) adapter(s) which are registering with your router as they show up in the subnet's ARP table. Perhaps traffic generated by those sessions is causing the internet to be slow, as 1MBps can easily be clogged up by streaming or downloading etc.

It's likely the reason that banning them on your router's DHCP table doesn't seem to work is that they don't need DHCP to function -- they're using the host computer's IP address. They're also having traffic routed through that main computer's interface, thus using the main computer's MAC address.

In the end, as others have suggested the only way to conclusively determine what the issue is would be to run a packet capture/trace to see what traffic that MAC address is generating, which might require changing the router with one that supports such inspection.

Reference: Lookup MAC by Vendor - https://regauth.standards.ieee.org/standards-ra-web/pub/view.html#registries

• Thank you. I will look into packet capturing method. I'm not familiar with such tricks, but I'll learn quickly. –  NVZ Commented Oct 17, 2016 at 17:08
• I would add for 2) point: Do you use VMWare, Xen, VirtualBox, Qemu or any virtual machine software ? If so, probably VMs virtual MAC. –  binarym Commented Oct 20, 2016 at 18:16
• 1 @binarym I did mention VMs, but the OP did state in response to a comment that he is not running virtual machines. –  Herringbone Cat Commented Oct 20, 2016 at 18:59
• This helped me. I have been away from home, hence the delay to test this and reply. The 5 "DELL"s apparently do not appear when one of my DELL laptops is turned off. I will need to format that laptop, because I am not sure why it adds these extra MACs. Will report back with further findings, if any. –  NVZ Commented Oct 23, 2016 at 14:09

While it wouldn't be fair to rule out a malicious presence, there's a very strong chance that one of your Dell's is registering a virtual connection with the router- thereby creating these DHCP table entries.

Aside from downloading a packet sniffer like Wireshark & digging into the traffic going through your router in an attempt to verify the legitimacy of those entries... I would suggest taking a closer look at each computer's network properties to verify there are no additional adapters other than a wired/wireless connection.

In an attempt to figure out whether or not a singular computer is causing the problem~ try disconnecting one computer from the router, resetting it, & using the other computer to verify the ghost MACs appear again. If they do, use the same process on the other computer.

Hope I've given some ideas as to how to address this.

• @NVZ - It's possible each device creates separate routing table entries. The router's specification page says it enables a Wireless Access Control feature or Wireless MAC filter which raises a flag to me. Perhaps proprietary programming, with the idea of enhancing security, creates computational congestion. In order to clarify your fourth point, disabling wireless connections on the router gets rid of the ghost MACs? –  user124863 Commented Oct 20, 2016 at 1:46
• Disabling WiFi disabled the ghosts, yes. –  NVZ Commented Oct 20, 2016 at 1:48
• @NVZ - Do you normally have five devices connected to your router? & when you mentioned you reset the router, can you comment on whether it was a complete reset? The goal would be to clear any cache that may allow the ghost MACs to be reestablished. –  user124863 Commented Oct 20, 2016 at 1:52
• Complete resets, including clearing dhcp list, resetting passphrase, reentering ISP details etc. I normally have some 10 devices connected any time, some of them being phones and laptops of my family members. –  NVZ Commented Oct 20, 2016 at 1:53
• 1 @NVZ - Just checking to see if you completed a hard reset or a soft reset of the router's software. If a factory reset has yielded no results & there's no correspondence between the number of devices you've had connected to the router with the number of ghost MACs you see~ definitely look into a packet sniffer. Good luck! –  user124863 Commented Oct 20, 2016 at 1:58

Regarding interference from other wifi APs please take into consideration wifi APs with hidden SSID running on overlapping channels that can interfere with your.Therefore,try to monitor all wifi access points within range using proper software such as inSSIDer.I would also suggest you consider the following steps;

• Reset your router to factory settings.
• configure your router using cable connection.
• Hide your wifi AP SSID and set strong password.In the wifi settings determine Transmit power of your wifi based on your need.High transmit power means your AP in reachable from farther distance and gives a chance to intruders.
• I suppose you have a fixed number of devices so it would be better to give each device a static IP for this experiment.Furthermore, determine MAC addresses of your devices and activate MAC filtering.
• When your devices are all connected check to see if suspicious MAC addresses appear again.
• If you don't see suspicious MAC addresses anymore, switch to DHCP again but use DHCP Reservations for assigning IP addresses.In some ways this is similar to static IP addressing. How to Set Up DHCP Reservations In addition try limiting your IP pool size to maximum number of devices you think need to be connected to your network.

1. What are these 5 MAC addresses?

Insufficient information to evaluate. Actually unwanted hosts, it's all that you need to know for now.

2. How do I get rid of them?

• Implement a whitelist, so only registered hosts can use your network.
• Create firewall rules to drop these hosts.

If everything fails:

Analyze your network packets using a sniffer and detect what kind of activities these hosts are doing. Attack your own network with Arp Poison or Mac Flood and then analyze all the packets coming from these unwanted hosts. if it's not necessary sniff everything anyway and keep packets for further analysis.

In case of persistence (I doubt) install IPS (virtual machine with bridged connection) and HIDS on your hosts. Analyze some activity logs. If nothing works, maybe your router has a known vulnerability(?).

What happens when you reset your wifi? Are these hosts connecting immediately?

You're probably missing something obvious.

• Thank you for the response. When I reset router, the DHCP table is cleared. Then some hours later, these 5 MACs re-appear out of nowhere. –  NVZ Commented Oct 17, 2016 at 16:42

Configure MAC Address filtering which is provided by Tenda-D303. and create a whitelist for all your devices known MAC Addresses.

• Did that but didn't work. Finally identified that one laptop, in particular, was showing up with 5 MAC addresses in addition to its own. –  NVZ Commented Jan 21, 2017 at 6:09

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MAC Address Lookup

Find the vendor name of a device by entering an OUI or a MAC address

No assignment is found for this MAC: F6:02:B2:36:49:00.

MAC Address more info

It's also be a randomized MAC. Media Access Control (MAC) address randomization is a privacy technique whereby mobile devices rotate through random hardware addresses in order to prevent observers from singling out their traffic or physical location from other nearby devices.

Type of transmission : Unicast

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How to Find the MAC Address of Your Computer

Last Updated: June 8, 2024 Fact Checked

This article was co-authored by Garnik Ovsepyan and by wikiHow staff writer, Nicole Levine, MFA . Garnik Ovsepyan is a Computer Specialist and the Owner of HeliX PC based in Burbank, California. With over 25 years of experience, Garnik specializes in custom computer builds, computer repairs, virus removal, computer tune-ups, hardware and software troubleshooting and installations, diagnostics, and data backup and recovery. There are 17 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 7,949,226 times.

Do you need to find your MAC address to configure a router or get technical support? It's surprisingly easy to find this unique 12-character address that identifies your device on a network. We'll show you the quickest ways to locate the MAC address in Windows, macOS, and Linux, as well as on your Chromebook, iPhone, iPad, or gaming console.

Finding the MAC Address on Windows

• Open the Command Prompt by pressing Windows key + S and searching “Command.”
• Type “ipconfig /all” and press “Enter.”
• Locate the network adapter and find the MAC address next to “Physical Address.”

All Versions of Windows (Command Prompt)

• Open the Windows Search bar by pressing Windows key + S .
• Type Command into the search bar.
• Click Command Prompt in the search results.

Windows 10 (Network Status)

• If you're connected to Wi-Fi, it'll be a wireless symbol, which looks like a cone made of curved lines.
• If you're connected through a wired connection, you'll see a computer with an ethernet cable.
• Depending on your connection type, the icon could also be a white globe.
• If you don't see an icon that looks like any of these, click the Windows menu, select Settings , and then click Network & Internet .

• If you got to your connection via your Settings, click the button that says Properties in the right panel.

iPhone or iPad

• If you're using Android 10 or later, your Android is configured to randomly choose different MAC addresses when connecting to Wi-Fi. If you need to supply a MAC address to someone so they can let it through a router (or for any other reason), you can disable this feature in Settings > Network & Internet (or Connections ) > Wi-Fi . Just tap the gear icon next to the connection, tap MAC address type , and choose Use phone MAC .

PlayStation 5

PlayStation 4

PlayStation 3

Nintendo Switch

Nintendo Wii

Xbox Series X/S

• If you haven't already connected to a network, you'll want to do so before you continue.

• If you haven't already connected to a network, you'll want to do so before you continue. It can be any network at all—you'll just need some type of connection so the MAC address will appear. [22] X Research source

Community Q&A

• It is possible to temporarily change your MAC address with appropriate software. This is known as "MAC address spoofing" and is generally not recommended unless you really need it. Since the MAC is needed to find your computer at a local level, changing your MAC address can confuse the router. This is only useful for pretending you're using a different device when connecting to a router. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 1

You Might Also Like

• ↑ https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/administration/windows-commands/ipconfig
• ↑ https://its.uiowa.edu/support/article/1618
• ↑ https://www.cmu.edu/computing/services/endpoint/network-access/mac-address.html
• ↑ https://oit.ua.edu/article/finding-your-mac-address/
• ↑ https://cets.seas.upenn.edu/answers/find-mac-address.html
• ↑ https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT211227
• ↑ https://services.anu.edu.au/information-technology/login-access/finding-your-mac-address/finding-your-mac-address-iphoneipadipod
• ↑ https://kb.iu.edu/d/bbis
• ↑ https://support.google.com/chromebook/answer/1047420?hl=en
• ↑ https://support.boingo.com/s/article/How-do-I-find-the-MAC-address-for-my-Playstation-5-PS5
• ↑ https://servicecenter.fsu.edu/s/article/How-can-I-find-the-MAC-address-on-my-Playstation-4-1600352497527
• ↑ https://en-americas-support.nintendo.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/22397/~/how-to-find-a-nintendo-switch-consoles-mac-address
• ↑ https://www.nintendo.com/consumer/systems/wii/en_na/includes/rvl-ht-int-find-mac-address.jsp
• ↑ https://networking.grok.lsu.edu/article.aspx?articleid=17612
• ↑ https://support.boingo.com/military/s/article/How-do-I-find-my-MAC-Address-for-my-Xbox-One
• ↑ https://networking.grok.lsu.edu/article.aspx?articleid=5668
• ↑ https://www.technipages.com/xbox-360-find-mac-address

About This Article

1. Connect to a network. 2. Click the network icon in the taskbar. 3. Click Properties on your connection. 4. Scroll down to the “Properties” section. 5. Find the MAC address next to “Physical address (MAC).” Did this summary help you? Yes No

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What is MAC Address?

To communicate or transfer data from one computer to another, we need an address. In computer networks, various types of addresses are introduced; each works at a different layer. A MAC address , which stands for Media Access Control Address, is a physical address that works at the Data Link Layer. In this article, we will discuss addressing a DLL, which is the MAC Address. 

So, go through the article if you are eager to learn what is MAC address and its components.

Table of Content

What is MAC (Media Access Control) Address?

Format of mac address, types of mac address.

• Reason to have both IP and MAC addresses.
• Why should the MAC address be unique in the LAN network?
• How do I find the MAC Address?

What is MAC Cloning?

Characteristics of mac address, advantages of mac address, disadvantages of mac address.

MAC Addresses are unique 48-bit hardware numbers of a computer that are embedded into a network card (known as a Network Interface Card ) during manufacturing. The MAC Address is also known as the Physical Address of a network device. In the IEEE 802 standard, the data link layer is divided into two sublayers:

• Logical Link Control (LLC) Sublayer
• Media Access Control (MAC) Sublayer

The MAC address is used by the Media Access Control (MAC) sublayer of the Data-Link Layer . MAC Address is worldwide unique since millions of network devices exist and we need to uniquely identify each. 

To understand what is MAC address is, it is very important that first you understand the format of the MAC Address. So a MAC Address is a 12-digit hexadecimal number (48-bit binary number), which is mostly represented by Colon-Hexadecimal notation.

The First 6 digits (say 00:40:96) of the MAC Address identify the manufacturer, called the OUI ( Organizational Unique Identifier ). IEEE Registration Authority Committee assigns these MAC prefixes to its registered vendors. 

Here are some OUI of well-known manufacturers:

The rightmost six digits represent Network Interface Controller , which is assigned by the manufacturer. 

As discussed above, the MAC address is represented by Colon-Hexadecimal notation. But this is just a conversion, not mandatory. MAC address can be represented using any of the following formats:

Note: Colon-Hexadecimal notation is used by Linux OS and Period-separated Hexadecimal notation is used by Cisco Systems .  

1. Unicast: A Unicast-addressed frame is only sent out to the interface leading to a specific NIC. If the LSB (least significant bit) of the first octet of an address is set to zero, the frame is meant to reach only one receiving NIC. The MAC Address of the source machine is always Unicast. 

2. Multicast: The multicast address allows the source to send a frame to a group of devices. In Layer-2 (Ethernet) Multicast address, the LSB (least significant bit) of the first octet of an address is set to one. IEEE has allocated the address block 01-80-C2-xx-xx-xx (01-80-C2-00-00-00 to 01-80-C2-FF-FF-FF) for group addresses for use by standard protocols. 

3. Broadcast:  Similar to Network Layer, Broadcast is also possible on the underlying layer( Data Link Layer). Ethernet frames with ones in all bits of the destination address (FF-FF-FF-FF-FF-FF) are referred to as the broadcast addresses. Frames that are destined with MAC address FF-FF-FF-FF-FF-FF will reach every computer belonging to that LAN segment. 

Reason to Have Both IP and MAC Addresses.

The reason for having both IP and MAC addresses lies in the way the Internet works, specifically in the structure of the OSI Model. This model is a conceptual framework that describes how data is sent and received over a network. It’s divided into seven layers, each performing specific functions.

• Layer 2  uses  MAC addresses  and is responsible for packet delivery from  hop to hop .
• Layer 3  uses  IP addresses  and is responsible for packet delivery from  end to end .

Layer 2 (Data Link Layer ) uses a MAC (Media Access Control) address . These are unique identifiers assigned to network interfaces for communications at the data link layer. The primary function of MAC addresses is to manage how data is transported from one network node to another on a direct, physical basis – this is also referred to as “hop to hop” delivery.

On the other hand, Layer 3 ( Network Layer ) uses an IP (Internet Protocol) address . These IP addresses are used to identify devices on a network and to route traffic between networks. The IP addresses ensure that the data gets from its original source reaches its final destination and it is also called “end-to-end” delivery of data.

When a computer sends data, it first wraps it in an IP header, which includes the source and destination IP addresses. This IP header, along with the data, is then encapsulated in a MAC header, which includes the source and destination MAC addresses for the current “hop” in the path.

As the data travels from one router to the next, the MAC address header is stripped off and a new one is generated for the next hop. However, the IP header, which was generated by the original computer, remains intact until it reaches the final destination. This process illustrates how the IP header manages the “end to end” delivery, while the MAC headers handle the “hop to hop” delivery.

So, Both IP and MAC addresses are essential for the functioning of the Internet. While MAC addresses facilitate the direct, physical transfer of data between network nodes, IP addresses ensure that the data reaches its final destination.

Why Should the MAC Address Be Unique in the LAN Network?

Consider a LAN ( Local Area Network ) as a large gathering where everyone is engaged in conversations. Now, let’s suppose that there are two individuals at this gathering who coincidentally share the same name. This scenario would inevitably create confusion, right? If someone calls out that name, both individuals would respond, making it challenging to discern the intended recipient of the message.

In a similar manner, within a network, each device possesses a distinct identifier referred to as a MAC (Media Access Control) address. Think of it as a unique name assigned to the device. When information is transmitted across the network, it is directed to a specific MAC address, much like a letter being addressed to a specific individual.

However, if multiple devices within the same network were to have identical MAC addresses, it would result in confusion and disrupt the network’s functioning. The network would struggle to ascertain which device should receive the transmitted information. To prevent this confusion and ensure the accurate delivery of information, it is vital for each device on a network to possess a unique MAC address.

How Do I Find the MAC Address?

A MAC address is mostly used to configure a router for a network device or during troubleshooting. The address of our computer device can be easily checked with any operating device. All the Apple devices connected to our home network contain a unique MAC address. Manufacturers may identify a MAC address by other names, such as the physical address, hardware ID, wireless ID, and Wi-Fi address.

Following are the steps which help to find MAC addresses for different OS

MAC address on Windows

Here is the Step-by-Step guide to finding MAC addresses on Windows.

Step 1 – Press  Window Start  or Click on Windows Key.

Step 3 – Click on cmd, the command prompt window will display,

Step 4 – In the command prompt type ipconfig/all command and then press enter.

Step 5 – As you will scroll down, each physical address is the MAC address of your device.

MAC Address on MacOS

Here is a step-by-step guide to finding MAC addresses on a Mac operating system.

Command for MAC Address in MacOS:

Step 1 – Click on System Settings.

Step 2 – In the system settings, click on the MAC network option.

Step 3 – Then go to the advanced settings.

Step 4 – Here you find your MAC address.

MAC Address on Unix/Linux

Here is a step-by-step guide to finding MAC addresses on a Unix/Linux operating system.

Command For MAC Address in Unix/Linux:

Note: LAN technologies like Token rings and Ethernet use MAC Addresses as their Physical address but there are some networks (AppleTalk) that do not use MAC addresses. for further details .

Some ISPs use MAC addresses to assign an IP address to the gateway device. When a device connects to the ISP, the DHCP server records the MAC address and then assigns an IP address. Now the system will be identified through the MAC address. When the device gets disconnected, it loses the IP address.

If the user wants to reconnect, the DHCP server checks if the device is connected before. If so, then the server tries to assign the same IP address (in case the lease period has not expired). In case the user changed the router, the user has to inform the ISP about the new MAC address because the new MAC address is unknown to ISP , so the connection cannot be established. 

Or the other option is Cloning , user can simply clone the registered MAC address with ISP. Now router keeps reporting the old MAC addresses to ISP and there will be no connection issue.

The Media Access Control address (MAC address) is a unique identifier assigned to most network adapters or network interface cards (NICs) by the manufacturer for identification and use in the Media Access Control protocol sub-layer.

An Ethernet MAC address is a 48-bit binary value expressed as 12 hexadecimal digits (4 bits per hexadecimal digit). MAC addresses are in a flat structure and thus they are not routable on the Internet. Serial interfaces do not use MAC addresses. It does NOT contain a network and host portion with the address. It is used to deliver the frame to the destination device.

• MAC addresses are used in LAN (Local Area Network) environments to identify devices and allow communication between them.
• MAC addresses are burned into the hardware of a network interface card (NIC) and cannot be changed, except in some rare cases where the manufacturer has provided a specific tool to do so.
• The first 3 bytes of a MAC address represent the manufacturer ID, while the last 3 bytes represent a unique identifier assigned by the manufacturer.
• MAC addresses are often used in conjunction with ARP (Address Resolution Protocol) to resolve IP addresses to MAC addresses for communication on a LAN.
• Some operating systems, such as Windows and Linux , allow you to view the MAC address of your network adapter through a command prompt or network settings.
• Uniqueness: Each MAC address is unique, which means that devices on the network can be easily identified and managed.
• Simplicity: MAC addresses are easy to configure and manage, and do not require any additional network infrastructure.
• Compatibility: MAC addresses are widely used and supported by a variety of networking technologies and protocols, making them compatible with many different systems.
• Security: MAC addresses can be used to restrict access to a network by only allowing devices with authorized MAC addresses to connect.
• Fault-tolerance: In case of hardware or software failure, a device can be easily replaced without affecting the network, as long as the new device has the same MAC address as the old one.
• Multicasting: MAC addresses can be used for multicasting, allowing a single packet to be sent to multiple devices at once.
• Efficiency: MAC addresses allow for efficient communication on the network, as they enable devices to quickly and easily identify and communicate with each other.
• Lower network overhead: MAC addresses reduce network overhead by allowing devices to communicate directly with each other without the need for additional routing or addressing.
• Ease of troubleshooting: MAC addresses can be used to troubleshoot network issues by identifying the source of problems and tracking network activity.
• Flexibility: MAC addresses can be used to support a variety of network configurations and topologies, including peer-to-peer, client-server, and hybrid models.
• Limited address space: MAC addresses are 48-bit numbers, which means that there is a finite number of possible MAC addresses. This can lead to address conflicts if multiple devices have the same MAC address.
• Spoofing: MAC addresses can be easily spoofed, allowing unauthorized devices to gain access to the network.
• Inefficiency: MAC addresses are not hierarchical, which can make it difficult to efficiently manage large networks.
• Static addressing: MAC addresses are typically assigned at the time of manufacture and cannot be easily changed. This can be a disadvantage in situations where devices need to be reconfigured or replaced.
• Limited scope: MAC addresses are only used for identifying devices within a local network segment, and cannot be used to identify devices outside of this segment.
• Hardware-dependent: MAC addresses are tied to the network interface card (NIC) of a device, which means that if the NIC fails or is replaced, the MAC address also changes.
• Lack of encryption: MAC addresses are sent in plain text, which can make them vulnerable to interception and eavesdropping.
• No inherent security: While MAC filtering can be used to restrict access to a network, MAC addresses themselves do not provide any inherent security features.
• MAC address collisions: In rare cases, MAC addresses can collide, which can cause network disruptions and make it difficult to identify and manage devices on the network.

FAQs on MAC Address

Q1. what is mac address used for.

MAC address is used to identify devices in the same network. On the other hand, IP Addresses also did the same thing but that is used to identify Device devices globally or through its internet address.

Q2. Can we change MAC address?

No , MAC address is a permanent address of a device which is also hardcoded in the Network Interface Card (NIC). However, many drivers allow the MAC address to be changed.

Q3. What is my MAC address number?

To find the MAC address of any device, you can follow these general steps: Open the Settings app on your device. Navigate to the Network & Internet section. Select Properties. Scroll down to the bottom of the page until you find the Physical Address (MAC). For Further Details:- Check Here

Q4. Difference between MAC Address and IP Address?

The Difference points between MAC Address and IP Address MAC Address IP Address MAC Address stands for Media Access Control Address. IP Address stands for Internet Protocol Address. MAC Address is a six byte hexadecimal address. IP Address is either a four-byte (IPv4) or a sixteen-byte (IPv6) address. A device attached with MAC Address can retrieve by ARP protocol. A device attached with IP Address can retrieve by RARP protocol. NIC  Card’s Manufacturer provides the MAC Address. Internet Service Provider provides IP Address. For more Details :- Check Here

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Unnamed devices whose MAC addresses can't be identified

Looking at past 30 days of activity I found two "unnamed devices" have connected in the past. I tried looking up the first three octets of their MACs but no vendor was found. They're currently not connected so I can't blacklist them in family wifi. I want to first identify them and then block them if needed. I have three pucks... could the two downstream ones possibly be the unnamed devices?

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How to fix “self-assigned IP address” issue on Mac

Updated on:

Key Takeaways

• The self-assigned IP address error occurs when your Mac assigns itself an IP address instead of getting one from the router.
• This usually happens due to network configuration issues, DHCP server problems, glitches in the firewall settings, unstable Wi-Fi connection, etc.
• To fix the “self-assigned IP address” error on your Mac, renew DHCP lease, restart your network devices , rejoin your Wi-Fi , or check your network settings .

Is your MacBook struggling to access the internet, though your Wi-Fi or Ethernet works fine? This can be due to the self-assigned IP address error on your Mac. Worry not!

Here, I’ll share how to fix the internet not working due to a self-assigned IP address error on your Mac to regain a stable network connection. But before we jump into the troubleshooting steps, let’s understand what a self-assigned IP error is.

What does “self-assigned IP address” mean on Mac? 

The “self-assigned IP address” error on Mac refers to a situation where your device assigns an IP address and sets up an ad-hoc network instead of obtaining one from the network router or DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol) server.

This self-assigned IP address is not legitimate or acknowledged on the network. That’s why your Mac cannot connect to the internet or other devices on the network, resulting in limited or no network connectivity.

This issue occurs due to several reasons such as:

• Network configuration conflicts
• DHCP server unavailability
• Problems with Mac’s network
• Unstable Wi-Fi connection
• Wrong Firewall settings
• Outdated macOS

But you can fix the issue with a few simple methods. Let’s learn them!

How to fix “self-assigned IP address” error on Mac

There are 12 ways to fix the problem, from simple checks to more advanced changes. It would help if you tried them in the order provided.

1. Check your connection

Before diving into Mac-specific settings, ensure that your router is functioning correctly and located near your Mac to obtain a valid IP address. Besides, if you are using an Ethernet connection, plug in the cable snugly.  

I also check to validate that the cable has no fault and is in good condition. Moreover, If you are using an old Wi-Fi router, discard it and get a new one to obtain a smoother connection.

2. Reboot your network devices

Restarting both your modem and router can often resolve temporary network glitches. Power off the devices, unplug the cables, and wait a few seconds. It will help them cool down, as excessive heat can cause malfunctions.

After that, plug all cables, connect them to the power outlet, and turn them back on. In the meantime, restart your Mac once to iron out any bugs in macOS.   

• Click the Apple logo .

3. Renew DHCP Lease on macOS

This method is effective when the assigned IP address may have expired or encountered conflicts. When you renew the DHCP Lease, your Mac requests a new IP address from the DHCP server. It ensures a valid configuration and resolves connectivity issues.  

• Open the same TCP/IP tab window from Wi-Fi Details, as shown above. 

After renewing the lease, check if you can connect to your network. If that doesn’t help, try creating a New Network Location and renewing the lease.

4. Rejoin your Wi-Fi network

Sometimes, simply forgetting and rejoining your Wi-Fi network can solve the self-assigned IP address error on your Mac.   

• Turn off Wi-Fi for a few seconds and toggle it on.

5. Check your connection settings

Verify that your Mac’s network settings are configured correctly. You must opt for the appropriate network settings to obtain IP addresses and DNS information automatically. 

• Go to your Wi-Fi Details .  I have shown the steps above.  
• Select TCP/IP from the left panel. 

You may also try turning off the IPv6, as some users reported it conflicted with the IP address assigning procedure.

• Click on the drop-down arrow beside Configure IPv6 . 

6. Reset your Network Preferences on Mac 

Resetting the network preferences can help eliminate IP address misconfiguration, causing the internet to not work. So, you must delete specific network connectivity-related files from your MacBook.

• Launch  Finder .

• Enter your Mac password to authenticate the deletion.
• Restart your Mac. It will automatically recreate the deleted files.
• Log in and connect to your Wi-Fi network.
• Go to the  TCP/IP  setting again and check the router files.

7. Create a new network location

Creating a new network location lets your Mac start fresh with network settings and eliminate a self-assigned IP address.  

• Click the  Apple logo →  System Settings .

• Wait for a few seconds until your Mac connects to your Wi-Fi.

Repeat the steps of renewing the DHCP lease on your Mac, and then try connecting to your network.

When you try to perform configuration changes to the system, your Mac’s firewall experiences configuration issues. Let’s fix this problem by resetting the Firewall.

8. Reset the Firewall on your Mac

• In the menu bar, click  Go  → Go to   Folder .

• Restart your Mac.

After your system boots, it’ll ask you to allow access to numerous programs and services. Enable access depending upon your choice. Then, try connecting to your network and check if the self-assigned IP address error persists.

If you are unsure about deleting the Firewall files, you may temporarily disable it. Toggling off the Firewall on your Mac can help determine if it’s causing conflicts with network connectivity.

• Select  Network  from the left panel → Choose Firewall .

• Restart your Mac and turn it on again.

9. Set Service Order from Mac’s network settings 

Adjusting the service order can prioritize the network interface, ensuring your Mac connects to your preferred network. 

• Click the  Apple logo →  System Settings →  Network .

10. Change DNS Servers on macOS

Discarding existing DNS and switching to alternative DNS servers can resolve DNS-related issues that may contribute to the self-assigned IP address error.  

• Open System Settings → Wi-Fi → Click Details beside your Wi-Fi name.

• Add   these numbers: 8.8.8.8 8.8.4.4 1.1.1.1 9.9.9.9

11. Check for conflicting IP address 

Ensure that no other devices on your network use the same IP address as your Mac. Check your router’s DHCP client list and verify that all devices have unique IP addresses assigned.

12. Disable VPN 

If you have a VPN service enabled, disable it temporarily to see if it resolves the self-assigned IP address error. Open your Mac’s VPN settings and turn off the VPN connection. 

Bonus fixes 

You may need to attempt more complex fixes if the troubleshooting techniques outlined above do not fix the self-assigned IP address problem on your Mac:

• Update your Mac to the latest OS version.
• Verify your Mac is not infected with any malware or viruses. 
• Ensure your network devices are operating well and there are no hardware problems. 
• Restart your router or modem
• Reset NVRAM or PRAM on Mac to clear up the system settings memory. 

Tips to prevent self-assigned IP address issues on Mac

Self-assigned IP address error is indeed frustrating as it prevents your Mac from accessing the internet. So, you must take some precautions to avoid such a nuisance in the future.

• Regularly update your Mac
• Try to restart your Mac, router, or other network devices once in a while
• If your router or modem is outdated, replace it with a new one to get optimal performance. Also, configure the network with high-quality equipment.
• Connect your Mac to only one active network. I suggest using an ethernet cable for a stable connection.
• Don’t connect too many devices to your Wi-Fi at a time, as it may create network overcrowding.

Get back your smooth internet access!

Encountering a self-assigned IP address error on your Mac hampers your work, so you should address it ASAP. You can tackle the issue and restore a stable and reliable network connection using these troubleshooting techniques. 

If the problem isn’t resolved, contact Apple Support and seek assistance.

Explore more…

• MacBook connects to Wi-Fi but has no Internet? 12 Fixes  
• Wi-Fi not working on Mac? 10 Ways to fix!  
• How to Run Wi-Fi Diagnostics on Mac for Better Network Connections  
• How to fix IP address conflict on Mac: Simple solutions to fix it!

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Find my Mac message - "No location found Online"

I have followed all of the instructions above to turn on Find My Mac. My Mac is running the current OS and the iphone is also up to date. The Mac shows up with the message "No location found Online" on the Find My app on the iPhone, why?

iMac 27" 5K, macOS 10.15

Posted on Feb 3, 2020 2:40 PM

Posted on Feb 7, 2020 7:37 AM

The Mac has been logged into the same Apple ID as the iPhone during all testing of this feature. What I discovered is the Mac must have the Wi-Fi turned on in order to establish a location.

Test 1: A couple days ago it couldn't be found use the iPhone Find My or logging into the iCloud app. Then I turned on the Mac Wi-Fi, even though I already had internet connection with Ethernet. The location suddenly appeared on the map. Then I turned the Wi-Fi off, Ethernet is still connected to the internet. And the location got stale and never refreshed afterwards.

Test 2: Today the Mac location couldn't be found while the Mac Wi-Fi is off. While I was logged on to iCloud, with the Mac, I turned the Wi-Fi on, and suddenly the location updated.

This series of positive and negative testing proves that the Wi-Fi on my Mac must be turned on in order to establish a location for iCloud Find My Mac and Find My mobile app. Very bad design.

I am running macOS Catalina Version 10.15.2.

This doesn't make any sense because I use an Ethernet connection for the Mac and I don't want to use the Wi-Fi. I think Apple iOS has a bug, the Find My Mac iCloud app must work with an Ethernet connection alone and should not depend on Wi-fi to establish the location. The Find My mobile should also find the Mac while the Mac is connected to the internet using Ethernet. What if the Mac were stolen and they used an Ethernet connection only? Then the Find My Mac is useless. Please fix it.

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Feb 7, 2020 7:37 AM in response to Axel Foley

Feb 3, 2020 2:58 PM in response to Brewski57

On your Mac, Go To Settings-->>Apple ID-->>iCloud and ensure that Find My Mac has a checkmark to the left of it. Click on Options to the right of Find My Mac and ensure that both options are set to ON .

Ensure that both your iPhone and your Mac are signed on to the same Apple ID for this to work.

Feb 4, 2020 3:00 PM in response to Axel Foley

Axel, I appreciate your reply but everything is set the way you describe and it doesn't work. I get "Online, No Location Available"

Feb 4, 2020 3:13 PM in response to Axel Foley

Magically it started to work. But maybe it started to work after I turned the iPhone Find My iPhone off and waited a few minutes and then turned it on again. Go figure! I didn't change anything else. But I did turn the Mac Wi-Fi on and that seemed to fix the location. But I turned it off afterwards the location still worked.

Feb 4, 2020 3:22 PM in response to Brewski57

Just wanted to confirm that your Mac is logged into the same Apple ID as your iPhone. If that is true then please read the following-

If you see "Offline," " No location available ," or " Location  Services Off," your device might be offline for one of these reasons: It's powered off, the battery has run out, or more than 24 hours passed since the last  location  was sent to Apple (if Send Last  Location  is turned on).

Try again and make sure that your Mac is logged into the Apple ID and it is connected to the internet. Thanks.

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Why does Zsh complain of my variable assignment as "command not found"?

When I try to write a Zsh script on macOS Big Sur, Version 11.5.1, I noticed that it keeps failing to recognize my variables as variables.

Instead, Zsh treats them as UNIX-like commands.

Screenshot of the problem on the Terminal Application - variable assignment problem for Zsh shell scripts

In the screenshot linked above, I did the following on the Terminal application.

• Showed the contents of the simple Zsh shell script.
• Used the "ls -l" UNIX-like command to indicate its file permissions, and show that it is an executable Zsh shell script.
• Executed the Zsh shell script, which shows that the Zsh script interpreter complains of how my variable name is a "command not found".

The source code for my Zsh shell script is provided as follows:

Can you please kindly let me know what am I missing, and what did I do wrong?

I just want to assign values to variables in my Zsh shell scripts.

Thank you so much, and have a great day! Ciao!

• macos-bigsur

The syntax to assign a value to a variable is foo=bar , not foo = bar . Whitespaces matter. The latter syntax is a command foo with arguments = and bar .

Few examples of how = is interpreted:

This is not specific to Zsh. The POSIX shell ( sh ) and POSIX-compliant shells behave this way. Zsh (while not being POSIX-compliant in general) also follows.

• My upvote can only be recorded but not cast, since my reputation score is low for the "Super User" site of Stack Exchange. That said, thank you so much! It makes a lot of sense now. –  Giovanni Commented Aug 12, 2021 at 19:17

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