Windows - Find MAC Address

Windows - Find MAC Address


Problem: How do I find my IP address, MAC Address or check my network configuration?


Operating Systems: Windows XP, 2000, ME, 98, & NT


IPConfig Utility (Windows 98/ME/XP/2000/NT)
Winipcfg Graphical Tool (Windows 95/98)
Getmac Utility (Windows XP)


IPConfig Utility


Most versions of Windows allow you to view detailed network configuration information with the ipconfig utility. This utility will show your IP address, MAC address (also known as the physical or hardware address), and DNS servers in addition to other information.


To use the ipconfig utility, go to the Start button. Select Run.






Enter command into the Open box and click OK. This will open the MS-DOS (Command) Prompt window.


Microsoft(R) Windows 98
  (C)Copyright Microsoft Corp 1981-1999.


C:\WINDOWS\Desktop>




Enter ipconfig and press Enter. You should see something similar to the output below.


Example: Dialup Connection (Windows XP)


C:\WINDOWS\Desktop>ipconfig


Windows IP Configuration


Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:


    Connection-specific DNS Suffix . : expedient.net
    IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 216.151.124.X
    Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
    Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 216.151.124.1


PPP adapter Dialup Stargate:


    Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
    IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 209.166.149.121
    Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.255
    Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 209.166.149.121




Example: DSL Connection (Windows 98)


C:\WINDOWS\Desktop>ipconfig


Windows 98 IP Configuration


0 Ethernet adapter :


    IP Address. . . . . . . . . : 0.0.0.0
    Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . : 0.0.0.0
    Default Gateway . . . . . . :


1 Ethernet adapter :


    IP Address. . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.15
    Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
    Default Gateway . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1




Notice that the information shown depends on your version of Windows. In the Windows 98 example, 0 Ethernet adapter represents a dialup modem, and 1 Ethernet adapter represents the ethernet (network) card.


By using the ipconfig /all command, you can find out even more information about your configuration:


Example: Dialup Connection (Windows XP)


C:\WINDOWS\Desktop>ipconfig /all


Windows IP Configuration


    Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . : computer
    Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . :
    Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . : Hybrid
    IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . : No
    WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . : No


PPP adapter Dialup Stargate:


    Connection-specific DNS Suffix :
    Description . . . . . . . . . . : WAN (PPP/SLIP) Interface
    Physical Address. . . . . . . . : 00-53-45-00-00-00
    Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . : No
    IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . : 209.166.149.130
    Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.255
    Default Gateway . . . . . . . . : 209.166.149.130
    DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . : 209.166.161.121
    DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . : 209.166.161.120
    NetBIOS over Tcpip. . . . . . . : Disabled




Example: DSL Connection (Windows 98)


C:\WINDOWS\Desktop>ipconfig /all


Windows 98 IP Configuration


    Host Name . . . . . . . . . : customer.expedient.net
    DNS Servers . . . . . . . . : 209.166.160.45
    DNS Servers . . . . . . . . : 209.166.160.46
    Node Type . . . . . . . . . : Broadcast
    NetBIOS Scope ID. . . . . . :
    IP Routing Enabled. . . . . : No
    WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . : No
    NetBIOS Resolution Uses DNS : Yes


1 Ethernet adapter :


    Description . . . . . . . . : Fast Ethernet Adapter
    Physical Address. . . . . . : 00-10-AF-EC-21-3C
    DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
    IP Address. . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.15
    Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
    Default Gateway . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
    Primary WINS Server . . . . :
    Secondary WINS Server . . . :
    Lease Obtained. . . . . . . :
    Lease Expires . . . . . . . :




If you have multiple modems or network cards installed, you will see information for each one.
Winipcfg - Graphical Tool


Some versions of Windows also have a graphical tool that allows you to view this information:


Click the Start button and select Run. Enter winipcfg and click OK.






PPP Adapter is the information for your dialup connection. If you are not connected this information will be blank. The drop down menu allows you to switch between ethernet adapters.






The image above shows information for a DSL connection using a Fast Ethernet Adapter. For even more information about a connection, click the More Info button:






Windows XP - Getmac Command Line Tool


Note that Windows XP has a command line tool, "getmac", that will allow you to ascertain the MAC address. To use the "getmac" command:


Open a command window - go to Start > Run and type "command" into the field then click "OK".
Type getmac.
The MAC address will be noted on the column on the left under "Physical Address"


Example


C:\>getmac


Physical Address    Transport Name
=================== ==============================
00-D0-B7-B1-A7-14   \Device\Tcpip_{474E507B-4FCD-428C-A553-304B997C4D96}