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View Full Version : How to find MAC address of computer on LAN?

Richard M
08-04-2005, 09:48
Fairly straightforward you'd think, just do a "nbtstat -a \\computer" but it's slightly more complicated - the machine is turned off.

However, it belongs to a Win2k domain and I have access to the server which runs Windows 2003.
Is there anywhere in the AD that I can find historical MAC address info?
I've looked in the eventlog for the DNS server but can't really see much.

The reason is that I need to do a Wake On LAN - but this needs the MAC address.
TheBlueRaja
08-04-2005, 10:00
Can you do an "arp -a" to show all Ip addresses with MAC addresses?
Richard M
08-04-2005, 10:03
Yes but the machine that's turned off doesn't turn up.
There's got to be some log somewhere on the AD server that has it stored.
TheBlueRaja
08-04-2005, 10:21
Do you have access to the DHCP server?

That should have logs...

DNS server wouldnt help would it as thats just a translator for IP addresses to domain names isnt it?
Richard M
08-04-2005, 10:26
Do you have access to the DHCP server?

That should have logs...

DNS server wouldnt help would it as thats just a translator for IP addresses to domain names isnt it?

Well yes but I thought it might hold the info somewhere.
Other problem - I don't run DHCP on my network, all my private and WAN IPs are static.
TheBlueRaja
08-04-2005, 10:36
You dont like making this easy do you.... :D

Im out of ideas mate - not sure what to do now other than to say get off your ass and walk round there.

:D
Richard M
08-04-2005, 12:10
It's my main home PC, and I'm at work. :(
KingPhoenix
08-04-2005, 12:23
why do you need your home pc's mac whilst your at work :S???
Richard M
08-04-2005, 13:41
Because I want to boot it up to get some files off it.

I have 3 machines at home: 1 DC, 1 XP desktop and 1 Linux server.
I can remote into any of these from work but only the DC is running 24/7.
I can remote desktop into this and use a Wake On LAN tool to boot up the XP desktop but I don't have the MAC addy.
KingPhoenix
08-04-2005, 14:39
Because I want to boot it up to get some files off it.

I have 3 machines at home: 1 DC, 1 XP desktop and 1 Linux server.
I can remote into any of these from work but only the DC is running 24/7.
I can remote desktop into this and use a Wake On LAN tool to boot up the XP desktop but I don't have the MAC addy.

Ah i see.....

hmmm..... i dont think you can get its mac, unless the arp table on the dc is currently remembering it (hence the arp -a dos command posted above)
Tricky
08-04-2005, 18:46
Can you get the properties from Computer objects in AD? - My AD is t1ts up at present so cannot test! - I think the mac addy is there or it might be one of the extended attributes
Richard M
08-04-2005, 18:55
No you can't.
I've made a note of it now that I'm home and have put it in a text file on the DC's desktop! :D