Enter a MAC address to find its manufacturer or vendor
A MAC (Media Access Control) address is a unique identifier assigned to a network interface controller (NIC) for use as a network address in communications within a network segment. It is a 48-bit (6-byte) hexadecimal number typically written as six groups of two hex digits separated by colons, like 00:1A:2B:3C:4D:5E.
Unlike IP addresses, which are logical and can change as devices move between networks, MAC addresses are permanently burned into the hardware by the manufacturer. This makes them useful for device identification, network access control, and troubleshooting.
The first three bytes (24 bits) of a MAC address are known as the OUI (Organizationally Unique Identifier). This portion identifies the organization or manufacturer that produced the network device. The IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) assigns OUIs to manufacturers, maintaining a public database of all registered OUIs.
For example, the OUI 00:1A:2B is assigned to a specific manufacturer. By looking up this OUI, you can determine which company made the device. The last three bytes are the NIC-specific part, assigned by the manufacturer to uniquely identify each device.
MAC addresses can be written in several formats, all of which our tool accepts:
Network Inventory: Identify the manufacturers of devices on your network without physical inspection. This helps with asset management and tracking what equipment is connected.
Security Monitoring: Detect unauthorized or unknown devices on your network. If a MAC address lookup reveals an unfamiliar manufacturer, it could indicate a rogue device.
Troubleshooting: When diagnosing network issues, knowing the device manufacturer helps identify potential hardware-specific problems or compatibility issues.
Device Identification: In environments with mixed equipment (Cisco, Apple, Samsung, etc.), MAC lookup helps quickly identify device types for targeted configuration or support.
ipconfig /all, look for "Physical Address"ifconfig, or check System Preferences > Network > Advancedip link show or ifconfigWhile the hardware MAC address is permanent, most operating systems allow you to change the MAC address that is broadcast on the network. This is called MAC spoofing and is used for privacy, to bypass MAC filtering, or for testing purposes.
If the second-least-significant bit of the first byte is set to 1, the MAC address is locally administered (as opposed to globally unique). These addresses are not assigned by the IEEE and can be used freely within a local network. The "Universal" bit being 0 indicates a globally unique, manufacturer-assigned address.
If the vendor shows as "Unknown", the OUI may not be in the database, or the MAC address may be locally administered (not assigned by a manufacturer). Some newer OUIs or smaller manufacturers may also have limited registration data available.