MAC Address Lookup
Identify the vendor/manufacturer for any MAC address.
Enter a MAC address in any format: AA:BB:CC:DD:EE:FF, AA-BB-CC-DD-EE-FF, or AABBCCDDEEFF
What Is a MAC Address?
A MAC (Media Access Control) address is a unique hardware identifier assigned to every network interface — Ethernet adapters, Wi-Fi cards, Bluetooth chips, and any other device that communicates on a network. MAC addresses are 48 bits (6 bytes) long, typically written as six pairs of hexadecimal digits separated by colons or dashes (e.g., 00:1A:2B:3C:4D:5E). Unlike IP addresses, which are assigned by networks and can change, MAC addresses are burned into hardware by the manufacturer and are generally permanent.
Understanding the OUI
The first three bytes (24 bits) of a MAC address are called the OUI (Organizationally Unique Identifier). The OUI is assigned by the IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) and identifies the manufacturer or vendor of the network hardware. For example, MAC addresses starting with 00:50:56 belong to VMware, while DC:A6:32 identifies Raspberry Pi devices. By looking up the OUI, you can determine who made a device just from its MAC address — without any additional network queries.
Common Use Cases
MAC address lookups help network administrators identify unknown devices on their network, troubleshoot connectivity issues, and verify hardware vendors. Security teams use OUI lookups to detect rogue devices — if a "printer" has a MAC address from a laptop manufacturer, it warrants investigation. MAC lookups are also useful for inventory management, DHCP troubleshooting, and understanding the device mix on a network segment.
Privacy Note
Modern devices increasingly use randomized MAC addresses for Wi-Fi scanning to prevent tracking. iOS, Android, and Windows all implement MAC randomization by default. When a device uses a random MAC, the OUI won't match any registered vendor. This tool identifies randomized addresses by checking the "locally administered" bit in the first byte.