Every device capable of communicating on a network has a MAC address. Network printers, computers, and routers,
whether Ethernet or wireless, all have MAC addresses.
While it is possible to change the MAC address of a network device, it is not common practice to do so. For this reason,
MAC addresses are considered permanent. IP addresses are easily changed, so MAC addresses are a more reliable
method of identifying a specific device on a network.
Routers with security capabilities may allow filtering of MAC addresses on networks. This allows a managed list of
devices to access the network, identified by their MAC addresses. MAC address filtering can help prevent access on
the network from unwanted devices, such as from intruders on a wireless network. MAC address filtering can also
prevent legitimate access if you forget to add a new device to the router's list of allowed addresses. If your network
uses MAC address filtering, be sure to add the MAC address of the printer to the list of allowed devices.
How do I find the MAC address?
Most network equipment has a unique hardware identification number to distinguish it from other devices on the
network. This is called the
Media Access Control
(MAC) address.
When installing the printer on a network, make sure you select the printer with the correct MAC address.
The MAC address label is located inside the printer.
MA
C:
XX
XX
X
X X
X X
X X
X
The MAC address of the internal print server is a series of letters and numbers. Other devices sometimes use a type
of MAC address called
Universally Administered Address (UAA)
.
MAC:
XX XX XX XX XX XX
UAA:
XX XX XX XX XX XX
Note:
A list of MAC addresses can be set on an access point (router) so that only devices with matching MAC addresses
are allowed to operate on the network. This is called
MAC filtering
. If MAC filtering is enabled in your access point and
you want to add a printer to your network, then the MAC address of the printer must be included in the MAC filter
list.
Networking
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