3 Simple Ways to Get a MAC Address from an IP Remotely
Introduction:
When you manage a network of computers or IoT devices, there might be times when you need to find out the MAC address of devices connected to the network. A MAC address, or Media Access Control address, is a unique identifier assigned to a network interface controller (NIC) for communications within a network segment. There are several ways you can obtain the MAC address of a device remotely using its IP address. In this article, we will discuss three simple methods that will help you get the MAC address from an IP remotely.
1. Using Address Resolution Protocol (ARP):
The Address Resolution Protocol (ARP) can be used to obtain the MAC address of a device using its IP address. ARP is used in local networks to resolve IP addresses into MAC addresses and vice versa. To use ARP to get the MAC address from an IP, execute the following steps:
a. Open a command prompt or terminal window on your computer.
b. Ping the target IP address by entering “ping [IP_address]” and press Enter.
c. Once you get the reply from your ping command, type “arp -a [IP_address]” and press Enter.
The ARP command should display the MAC address associated with the given IP address.
2. Using Remote Network Discovery Tools:
Another way to get the MAC address using an IP is by using remote network discovery tools like Nmap or Advanced IP Scanner. These tools scan your network for various information about connected devices, including their IP addresses, MAC addresses, and other details.
a. Download and install a remote network discovery tool like Nmap or Advanced IP Scanner.
b. Follow the tool’s instructions for initiating a network scan.
c. Look for your target device’s IP in the scan results – its corresponding MAC address should be listed alongside it.
3. Querying SNMP Data:
If your network devices support Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP), you can use SNMP queries to retrieve the MAC addresses associated with connected devices using their IP addresses.
a. Make sure that SNMP is enabled on your target device.
b. Download and install an SNMP client or management tool, such as Paessler SNMP Tester or ManageEngine MibBrowser.
c. Using the tool, conduct an SNMP ‘GET’ query with the target device’s IP address and the correct Object Identifier (OID) for MAC address information, which is usually “1.3.6.1.2.1.2.2.1.6”.
The SNMP query will return the MAC address corresponding to the specified IP address.
Conclusion:
There are several methods to obtain a MAC address remotely using an IP address, and determining which one is best for you will depend on your specific requirements and network environment. Nevertheless, these three simple techniques – using the ARP command, employing remote network discovery tools, and querying SNMP data – provide quick and straightforward solutions for finding MAC addresses from IP addresses remotely.