MAC address lookup — find the vendor of any MAC
Paste a MAC address in any format (3C:5A:B4:1F:2E:9D, 3c-5a-b4-1f-2e-9d, 3c5a.b41f.2e9d), just the first six digits (OUI), or a whole list copied from your router. The tool identifies the manufacturer, normalises every format and tells you whether the address is randomised.
| MAC / OUI | Vendor | Type |
|---|
What is a MAC address?
A MAC (Media Access Control) address is a 48-bit hardware identifier assigned to every network interface — your Wi-Fi card, Ethernet port or Bluetooth radio. Written as six hex pairs (e.g. 3C:5A:B4:1F:2E:9D), it identifies a device on the local network. Unlike an IP address it doesn't route across the internet; it only matters within a single network segment.
How to read a MAC address
The same 12 hex digits are written differently depending on the system: Windows uses hyphens (3C-5A-B4-1F-2E-9D), macOS and Linux use colons, and Cisco switches group them in threes of four (3c5a.b41f.2e9d). They're all the same address — paste any of them above. Split it in half:
- First 6 digits — the OUI. The Organisationally Unique Identifier is registered with the IEEE by the manufacturer. Looking it up tells you who made the network chip — Apple, Intel, Samsung, TP-Link, Espressif (smart plugs), and so on.
- Last 6 digits — the device part. Chosen by the manufacturer to make each interface unique.
The two special bits
- U/L bit (second-lowest bit of the first byte) — universal factory-assigned, or locally administered (randomised, spoofed or virtual). If the second hex digit is
2,6,AorE, the address is locally administered. - I/G bit (lowest bit) — unicast (one device) or multicast (a group).
Identify an unknown device on your Wi-Fi
Seeing a device in your router's client list you don't recognise? Copy its MAC address here. A vendor like Espressif or Tuya is usually a smart plug or bulb; Amazon, Google or Sonos a speaker; Hon Hai / Foxconn or Intel a laptop. If the vendor is blank and the address is locally administered, it's a phone, tablet or laptop using a private (randomised) Wi-Fi address — check your own devices' Wi-Fi settings for a matching “private address”. Tracking down an IP conflict? Paste your whole ARP table into the IP conflict checker instead.
MAC randomisation & privacy
To stop venues tracking you by MAC as you move between Wi-Fi networks, phones now use randomised MAC addresses per network. That's also why one phone can appear in a router's list as two different devices with two IPs. It's a meaningful privacy win — related to the broader mobile tracking story.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I find a device's location from its MAC address?
No. MAC addresses aren't routable and never leave the local network, so they carry no geographic information. Location tracking via MAC only works when you're physically near the scanning Wi-Fi equipment.
Why does the vendor show as unknown?
Either the OUI isn't in the public IEEE registry yet, or the address is randomised. Modern phones and laptops use a private, locally-administered MAC per Wi-Fi network, which has no registered vendor — the tool flags these.
Can I look up a vendor from just the first part of a MAC address?
Yes. The vendor is determined only by the first six hex digits (the OUI), such as B4:01:FB or b401fb. Paste just those and the lookup works the same way.
How do I find the MAC address of a device with a given IP?
Ping the IP, then run arp -a (Windows/macOS) or ip neigh (Linux): the list maps each local IP to its MAC. Your router's DHCP client list shows the same mapping.
How do I change (spoof) my MAC address?
Most operating systems allow it: Windows via the adapter's advanced properties, Linux with ip link set dev eth0 address …, macOS with ifconfig. Spoofing sets the locally-administered bit, which this tool will detect.
Two devices fighting over one IP?
Paste your ARP table and find the duplicate IP and both devices' vendors in seconds.
Open IP Conflict Checker