MAC Lookup
Identify hardware by MAC address

Quickly discover vendor (OUI), device type hints, and basic security tips from any MAC address. Includes examples, API reference, and troubleshooting.

3.4M+

Known OUIs in sample DB

Instant

Lookup time (client-side)

Privacy-first

No server required for basic lookups

MAC Lookup Tool

What is a MAC Address?

Media Access Control Address

A MAC (Media Access Control) address is a unique identifier assigned to network interfaces for communications on the physical network segment. It’s a 48-bit address (6 bytes) typically represented in hexadecimal format (e.g., 00:1A:2B:3C:4D:5E).

MAC addresses are permanently burned into the network interface card (NIC) by the manufacturer, making them useful for identifying device manufacturers and tracking network devices.

How MAC Lookup Works

MAC lookup typically extracts the first 3 bytes (OUI — Organizationally Unique Identifier) and maps it to a vendor. This site demonstrates client-side lookup and validation.

Vendor Database

Our tool queries a comprehensive database of Organizationally Unique Identifiers (OUIs) maintained by the IEEE. The first 3 bytes (6 hex digits) of a MAC address identify the manufacturer.

Instant Results

When you enter a MAC address, our system extracts the OUI and matches it against our vendor database, returning manufacturer details in seconds.

MAC Address Formats

Format	Example	Description
Hyphen-separated	00-1A-2B-3C-4D-5E	Most common on Windows systems
Colon-separated	00:1A:2B:3C:4D:5E	Standard on Unix/Linux and iOS
Dot-separated	001A.2B3C.4D5E	Used in Cisco systems
No separation	001A2B3C4D5E	Continuous hexadecimal string

Common MAC Address Ranges

Here are some well-known MAC address prefixes and their manufacturers:

00:50:C2 – Microsoft Corporation
00:1A:11 – Google, Inc.
3C:D9:2B – Hewlett Packard
00:0C:29 – VMware, Inc.
00:1D:0F – Cisco Systems
00:1E:65 – Apple, Inc.
00:1B:63 – Intel Corporate
00:24:E4 – Samsung Electronics
00:26:BB – Dell Inc.
00:30:48 – Sony Corporation

Why Use MAC Lookup?

Network Security

Identify unknown devices on your network to enhance security and detect unauthorized access.

Network Management

Manage devices on your network more effectively by knowing their manufacturers and types.

Troubleshooting

Diagnose network issues by identifying device types and manufacturers quickly.

Types of MAC Addresses

Unicast MAC Address

A unicast MAC address represents a specific network interface on a device. Frames sent to a unicast address are delivered to a single specific device.

Multicast MAC Address

A multicast MAC address allows a source to send frames to a group of devices. The least significant bit of the first byte is set to 1.

Broadcast MAC Address

The broadcast MAC address (FF:FF:FF:FF:FF:FF) sends frames to all devices on a network segment. It's used for network discovery and management protocols.

MAC Address vs IP Address

MAC Address

Physical/hardware address
Assigned by manufacturer
Permanent (usually)
Layer 2 (Data Link) of OSI model
48 bits (6 bytes) long
Used for local network communication

IP Address

Logical/software address
Assigned by network admin or DHCP
Can change
Layer 3 (Network) of OSI model
32 bits (IPv4) or 128 bits (IPv6)
Used for global network communication

MAC Lookup API vs Private MAC Addresses

Developer Access

Integrate MAC address lookup functionality directly into your applications with our RESTful API. API Endpoint: https://api.maclookup.example.com/v1/mac/{mac_address} Response Format:
JSON Rate Limit:
1000 requests per day for free tier

Randomized MAC Addresses

Modern devices often use private (randomized) MAC addresses to enhance privacy. These addresses change periodically and don't reveal the device manufacturer. Randomized MAC addresses typically have the second-least significant bit of the first octet set to 1. For example: XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX where the first octet has bit 1 set (e.g., 02, 06, 0A, 0E). iOS, Android, and Windows 10/11 all support MAC address randomization for Wi-Fi scanning to prevent tracking.

MAC Address in Networking Protocols

ARP

Address Resolution Protocol maps IP addresses to MAC addresses on local networks.

DHCP

Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol uses MAC addresses to assign IP addresses to devices.

Ethernet

MAC addresses are fundamental to Ethernet frame structure for device identification.

Network Access Control

Many routers and network devices support MAC address filtering as a security measure. This allows network administrators to: Allow only specific devices to connect Block unauthorized devices Create whitelists for secure networks Restrict access to guest networks While MAC filtering provides basic security, it's not foolproof since MAC addresses can be spoofed by determined attackers.

MAC Spoofing

While MAC addresses are burned into hardware, most operating systems allow temporary MAC address changes (spoofing). This can be useful for: Privacy protection on public networks Testing network security Bypassing MAC address filtering Note: MAC spoofing may violate network policies or terms of service. Always obtain permission before changing MAC addresses on networks you don't own.

MAC Lookup Use Cases

IT Professionals

Network troubleshooting, inventory management, and security monitoring.

Cybersecurity

Identifying unauthorized devices, forensic analysis, and intrusion detection.

Home Users

Identifying devices on home networks and managing connected devices.

Limitations of MAC Lookup

What MAC Lookup Can’t Tell You

Exact device model: Only identifies the manufacturer, not the specific device model
Location: Cannot determine physical location of a device
Owner: Cannot identify who owns the device
Randomized MACs: Privacy-focused MAC addresses don’t reveal manufacturer
Outdated databases: New vendors may not be immediately added to databases

IEEE Registration Authority

OUI Assignment

The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) assigns Organizationally Unique Identifiers (OUIs) to manufacturers. An OUI is the first 24 bits (3 bytes) of a MAC address.

Manufacturers pay a fee to register an OUI, which gives them 16.8 million possible MAC addresses (2^24). Large manufacturers may have multiple OUIs.

The official IEEE OUI database is publicly available and forms the basis for all MAC lookup tools.

Bulk MAC Lookup

Process Multiple Addresses

Upload a file containing multiple MAC addresses (one per line) for batch processing. Our system will identify manufacturers for all addresses and provide a downloadable report.

Supported formats: TXT, CSV, JSON

Free tier: Up to 100 MAC addresses per batch