Locating your MAC address

Note: MAC address takes the form of XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX when registering a device make sure you are providing the correct MAC address depending on if the device is being registered to the wired network (Ethernet) or wireless network (WiFi).

The MAC address will be a series of 6 alphanumeric characters separated by colons or dashes.

For example, A1:2B:C3:4D:E5:6F would be a valid MAC address because it includes alphanumeric characters between 0-9 and A-F. AF:HB:23:45:6 would not be a valid MAC address, both due to being less than 6 series, and including letters past A-F.

It can sometimes be difficult to distinguish between the letter B and the number 8, or 0 as opposed to O (although an "O" would automatically be invalid). It is important to use words to distinguish between the letters D and B when calling as they sound similar. For example, say "D as in Dog" or "B as in Beta".

1. Press the Windows key + R
2. In the run box type "cmd" (without quotes) and press the enter key
3. In the black box that appears type "getmac /v" (without quotes)
4. Your MAC address will appear under the Physical Address column. Your Connection Name value may vary on each device, but you'll be looking for anything that points to a wired connection or wireless connection. If you're plugged into the network, you'll see information in the Transport Name column that doesn't say "Media disconnected".

Here is an example of the screen and what you should see:

1. Select System Preferences from the Apple menu in the top left
2. Click Network in the System Preferences menu
3. Choose Ethernet from the list of options and press the Advanced button
4. Choose the Hardware tab and you will see your MAC address

1. Select My Xbox in the Xbox Dashboard and select Settings, then System.
2. Select your wired network name.
3. Click Configure Network.
4. Select Advanced Settings from the Additional Settings tab, then select Alternate Mac Address.
5. At the bottom of this screen you'll see a heading called Wired MAC.

1. Select My Xbox in the Xbox Dashboard and select Settings.
2. In the Settings pane, select Network.
3. Select Advanced Settings from the Network Settings tab.
4. At the bottom of this screen you'll see a heading called Wired MAC.

1. Start up your PlayStation 3 without a disk in the drive.
2. Find the System Settings icon and select the X.
3. Click System Information and press the X.
4. Your Mac Address will display.

1. Turn on your Playstation 4/5 without any disk in the drive and wait for the menu to pop up
2. Navigate to the Settings icon (located on the far left, upper right on PS5)
3. Select the System icon under the Settings menu
4. Select System Information (Console Information on PS5)
5. You will see your MAC address listed on this screen

1. Power on your Wii console and press the A Button on the Wii Remote to reach the Wii main menu. Use the Wii Remote to select the "Wii" button.
2. Select "Wii Settings" to access the "Wii System Settings" menu.
3. Using the arrow on the right side of the screen, scroll to page two and select "Internet."
4. Select "Console Information."
5. The Wii Console's MAC address will be shown at the top of the screen.

Please note Wii Mini's (Red Wiis) cannot be put on the wireless or wired network in any capacity.

1. From the Wii U Menu, select "System Settings."
2. Using the Left Stick select the "Internet" icon and press the A Button.
3. Select "View MAC Address" and wait a moment for the MAC address to be displayed.
4. When you are finished, tap "Back."

It is recommended that an Ethernet Adapter is used with the new Switch dock, but you are able to connect wirelessly to BUother after registering the device with us. 

Please note that a Nintendo Switch will require two device registrations if you want to use both Wired and Wireless, as the Mac Addresses differ for each method.

1. Go to System Settings
2. Scroll down to the Internet category
3. Your MAC address will be listed under the Connection Status
   

Here is an example of the menus you should see:

The MAC address found on the bottom of your router is usually NOT the correct one to register. Please follow the steps below to find the correct MAC address for your router:

For a TP-Link Router:

1. Follow the instructions in this article to complete the initial setup process for your router. You can also use the instructional booklet that came with your router

2. Log into your TP-Link router's admin console using the instructions in this article.

3. You should be able to find your MAC address on that webpage

For a NETGEAR Router:

1. Follow the instructions in this article to complete the initial setup process for your router. You can also use the instructional booklet that came with your router

2. Log into your NETGEAR router's admin console. You can do that by following one of the options in this article. 

3. You should be able to find your MAC address on that webpage

For other routers...

The above steps should be fairly similar. You will just have to set it up and then log into the admin console to find the MAC address. If you have any trouble, feel free to reach out to the IT Service Desk at (309) 677-2964.

If the adapter is brought to the IT Service Desk, we can retrieve the MAC address for you. Alternatively, you can plug the adapter into a computer and find the MAC address using the following set of instructions:

1. With an Ethernet cable plugged into your data jack, connect your Ethernet adapter to the other end of the cable, then plug the Ethernet adapter into one of the laptop's USB or Thunderbolt ports, depending on which type of adapter you are using.
2. In your Mac's menu bar, click on the magnifying glass icon to open a Spotlight search. Begin typing Network Utility until it auto-completes, then press Enter or click on the application name to open it.
3. Under the Info tab, select the applicable network interface from the dropdown menu. The Hardware Address listed is the MAC address of your adapter. This is the address that will need to be registered for housing network connections.

Note: The name of the network interface will depend on what type of adapter you are using, but should contain the word "Ethernet"; for example, a Thunderbolt adapter may be listed under the name "Thunderbolt Ethernet". If you have more than two interfaces listed for Ethernet and are unsure which is the correct one, look for the entry that has the Link Status set to Active (excluding the "WiFi" interface.)

1. Go to Settings and hit OK

2. Select "System" and hit OK

3. Select "About" and hit OK

You should then see the MAC address of both the wireless and wired connection depending on the device

1. From the Main Menu go to Settings

2. Select "System"

3. Then go to "About"

4. Toggle down to Network

Look for the MAC Address

1. Go to the main menu and select "Settings"

2. Select "General" then select "About"

Look for "Wi-Fi Address" 

The location of the MAC address changes depending on the model of SmartTV. Most commonly the MAC address can be found by following these instructions

1. Go to Settings

2. Go to Network Settings

3. Select Wired or Wireless connection

You might have to enter an "about" or "setup" option but the MAC address should be listed

Nintendo Switches require a very specific ethernet adapter to connect to the internet. You must purchase one with an ASIX AX88179 chipset. You should be able to find one more easily by searching specifically for Nintendo Switch-compatible ethernet adapters online. 

1. Make sure the ethernet adapter is plugged into your switch and into an ethernet port 

2. Go to settings

3. Scroll down to Internet settings

4. Click on the option that says "Wired Connection"

5. The MAC address of the adapter should be listed on that page