What Is a MAC Address? And How It Differs From an IP

A MAC address is a hardware identifier burned into every network adapter: your laptop's Wi-Fi chip, your phone, your TV, your console. It identifies a device on a local network, while an IP address identifies it on the wider internet. The two are easy to confuse, so here is the difference and how to find yours.

What a MAC address looks like

It is 48 bits, written as six pairs of hexadecimal digits, for example 00:1A:2B:3C:4D:5E. Some systems use dashes or dots instead of colons. The first three pairs are the OUI, which identifies the manufacturer, so a MAC address can reveal whether a device is an Apple, Samsung or Intel product. The last three pairs identify the individual adapter.

Every network interface has its own, so a laptop with both Wi-Fi and Ethernet has two.

MAC address vs IP address

The last row matters most. Your MAC address does not travel beyond your router, so websites never see it. The address they do see is on our IP checker. If you want to understand the two kinds of IP address as well, read public vs private IP addresses.

How to find your MAC address

Windows

Open Command Prompt and run ipconfig /all. The Physical Address line under your adapter is the MAC address. The command getmac /v gives a shorter list.

macOS

Open System Settings, then Network, select Wi-Fi, click Details and look for Wi-Fi Address (it is called Hardware Address on older versions). In Terminal, ifconfig en0 | grep ether prints it.

iPhone and iPad

Settings, then General, then About, then Wi-Fi Address. Note that iOS shows a different, private address per network by default, which is explained below.

Android

Settings, then About phone, then Status, then Wi-Fi MAC address. On some phones it is under the Wi-Fi network's own details.

Linux

Run ip link. The value after link/ether is the MAC address.

Game consoles and TVs

On PlayStation and Xbox, open the network settings and look at the connection status or advanced settings. On a smart TV it is usually under Network or About. You can also find every device's MAC address in your router's list of connected clients.

MAC address randomization

Modern phones and laptops invent a different MAC address for each Wi-Fi network they join. Apple calls this Private Wi-Fi Address, Android calls it randomized MAC. It stops shops, airports and other networks from tracking a device as it moves between them. It also means the address you see may not match what the hardware label says, and it can break setups that allow only known MAC addresses, so you may need to turn it off per network.

What a MAC address is used for

• Delivering data on your own network. Your router uses it to know which device a packet belongs to.
• DHCP reservations. Giving a device the same local IP every time, which is useful for printers and servers. See what port forwarding is.
• MAC filtering. Allowing only listed devices on a network. It is weak as a security measure, because addresses can be copied.
• Device identification by network administrators.

Common myths

• “Someone can track me by my MAC address over the internet.” No. It does not leave your local network. What others can see is covered in can someone track you by your IP address?
• “MAC filtering secures my Wi-Fi.” It helps a little, but addresses are visible in the air and can be imitated. A strong WPA2 or WPA3 password matters far more.
• “A MAC address is permanent.” It is set in hardware, but operating systems can and do present a different one.