Many users are interested in information about MAC-addresses, IP-addresses, which help to better understand the principles of the computer, laptop. Sometimes users themselves can find out the correct settings and fix the problem. In some cases, there is a need to change these specifications to perform certain tasks. There are several ways available to users, but before changing the MAC address, we strongly recommend finding out as much information as possible about such a parameter. Otherwise, there is a risk of making incorrect settings that will cause malfunction of the device. It is worth noting that the MAC address has different gadgets, including a router, a network card, and various Wi-Fi adapters. Very often it has to change the field of buying a new computer or reinstalling the operating system.
There are different approaches to changing the physical address.
What is the MAC address?
A MAC address is a combination of alphabetic and numeric characters. It is necessary to know that numbers from 0 to 9 are used and the first six letters of the Latin alphabet - from A to F. The MAC address consists of 12 characters. Any network device has a combination that, in fact, makes it unique. Often, Internet providers bind to the MAC address.
It should be noted that such a combination along with IP is necessary for the correct operation of the Internet. Often, users first hear about this characteristic when setting up gadgets. For example, none of the home router settings can do without a MAC address. For this reason, all owners of a computer or laptop need to be able to work with a similar parameter and know how it can be changed.
How to quickly and easily find out the MAC address?
If your laptop or computer is running on Windows, you can follow a few simple steps to find out the necessary data. The key combination Win + R will bring up a window in which you must enter "cmd". Such actions will launch the command line, in which you just need to enter "IPconfig / all" and press the enter key. You will see a list of all real and virtual network devices of your computer or laptop. The physical address information is the MAC address.
There is an even easier way to view information about the IP and MAC address in the Windows environment — the “getMAC / v / fo list” command. It will also show all the physical addresses of network devices. The Windows software interface also allows you to view MAC address information. To do this, open the System Information window using the command: Win + R - enter msinfo32 - press Enter - Components - Network - Adapter. Information about the IP address will appear in the same window.
Unlike Windows, to find out the MAC address for Linux, you need to use the following command in the terminal: “ifconfig -a | grep HWaddr. Owners of a computer based on MAC OS need to run the System Settings and go to the Network section. Next, open the advanced options and open the Ethernet. The required data will be displayed on the Hardware tab. Also, the MAC address information is stored in the AirPort. As you can see, finding out information about the MAC and IP addresses of a computer is actually very easy.
Change settings
Changing the MAC address is easy, but it’s important to follow simple rules. A combination cannot begin with the number 0. At the same time, it must end with the following symbols: A, E, 2, or 6. Only the observance of this condition ensures that the changed parameters take effect. In Windows, it’s enough to open the Device Manager. You can do this in the most familiar ways for you, for example, through the Control Panel. After that, go to the Network Adapters tab and find the network gadget whose MAC address you intend to change, right-click on it, and then select Properties. Then immediately switch to the Advanced tab and find the Network Address option in the list, after which it can be changed to a new one. It is worth noting that for some devices this method is not available.
You can change the setting through the Windows Registry Editor. It is necessary to execute the command: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE - SYSTEM - CurrentControlSet - Control - Class - {4D36E972-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}. After that, several network device directories will appear in the section. You need to select the appropriate folder of the device to change the MAC address. Then follows DriverDesc in the right part of the window. Then you need to perform a right-click on the object and perform the following actions: Create - String parameter, name it NetworkAddress. After that, open it and specify the desired value of the MAC address. At the end, you should restart the Windows software.
It should be noted that there are special programs that allow you to learn and change parameters such as the value of MAC and IP. In many cases, using them is easier than manually making changes. Information about the parameters of network devices is very important. It allows knowledgeable users to independently debug a computer or laptop.