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The MAC address of a network card is sometimes called the Physical Address. MAC stands for Media Access Control, and each network card, wireless access point, or wireless card on your network has a unique MAC address. You should determine the MAC address of the wireless devices on your network so that you can recognize them when you attempt to identify unauthorized users on your network.
Determining the MAC address of a wireless device
Use these steps to determine the MAC address of a wireless device on your network:
1. On a Windows PC, choose Start --> Control Panel and then click the Network Connections icon.
2. In the Network Connections window, double-click the network connection currently used to connect to the network and then click the Support tab.
3. Click the Details button and note the Physical Address listed in the Network Connection Details dialog box.
If you have a wireless game console adapter, check the label on the underside of the adapter to determine its MAC address. Although game consoles don't normally interact with other computers on your network, they do show up in the router logs as wireless devices, and they have MAC addresses just like any other computer on your network.
 | Although MAC addresses are normally a useful way to identify devices on your network, keep in mind that it is possible to spoof a MAC address. In other words, someone could detect a valid MAC address for a device on your network, and then assign that MAC address to a device of its own. They could later use this spoofed MAC address to gain access to your network, without being immediately recognized as an unauthorized intruder. |
Determining the MAC address of a Pocket PC
The steps here assume you have a Pocket PC running Windows Mobile 5 or better. Most handheld devices with Wi-Fi capability are similar, however.
Follow these steps to find the MAC address for your Pocket PC:
1. Tap the wireless connection icon on the status bar at the top of the Pocket PC's Today screen, and then tap Settings.
2. In the resulting WLAN utility screen, tap the icon for your WLAN connection.
3. Tap the Advanced tab. Note the MAC address (see Figure 1).
Figure 1: Check the MAC address for your Pocket PC.
Determining the MAC address of a Macintosh PC
Use the following steps to locate the MAC address of a Macintosh PC:
1. Choose Apple --> System Preferences to open System Preferences.
2. Click the Network icon to open the Network control panel.
3. In the Network control panel, note the Ethernet Address (see Figure 2). The Ethernet address is the computer's MAC address.
Figure 2: A Macintosh's MAC address is listed as the Ethernet Address.
 | Make sure that you have the right connection selected in the Show menu of the Network control panel. If you are connecting to the network with an AirPort card, the Built-in Ethernet option won't give you the correct MAC address. |
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