- Generator tab: Choose a separator format (colon, hyphen, dot, or none), case (upper/lower), address type (random unicast, multicast, locally administered, or universally administered), and optionally select a vendor OUI prefix from 20 major manufacturers. Set the quantity (1-100) and click Generate. Each address has a copy button, or copy all at once.
- OUI Lookup tab: Enter a MAC address or 3-byte OUI prefix to look up the vendor/manufacturer. Includes a reference table of 20 common OUI prefixes.
- About MAC tab: Visual SVG diagram showing the MAC address structure (OUI + NIC bytes), explanation of unicast/multicast and universal/local bit flags, and common use cases.
MAC Address Generator — Create Random & Vendor-Specific Addresses
MAC (Media Access Control) addresses are 48-bit hardware identifiers assigned to network interfaces. Whether you're testing network configurations, populating lab environments, creating documentation, or studying networking concepts, our MAC Address Generator creates properly formatted MAC addresses with correct bit flags — all computed instantly in your browser.
MAC Address Structure
A MAC address consists of 6 bytes (48 bits) typically written as six pairs of hexadecimal digits:
- Bytes 1-3 (OUI): The Organizationally Unique Identifier assigned by IEEE to hardware manufacturers. Apple, Intel, Cisco, and other vendors each have multiple registered OUI prefixes.
- Bytes 4-6 (NIC Specific): Assigned by the manufacturer to uniquely identify each network interface card (NIC) they produce.
Special Bit Flags
The first byte of a MAC address contains two important bit flags:
- Bit 0 (Least Significant Bit): 0 = Unicast (for a single recipient), 1 = Multicast (for a group of recipients). The broadcast address FF:FF:FF:FF:FF:FF is a special case of multicast that targets all devices on the network segment.
- Bit 1: 0 = Universally Administered (assigned by the manufacturer), 1 = Locally Administered (assigned by software, an admin, or privacy features). Virtual machines, Docker containers, and modern smartphones using MAC randomization all use locally administered addresses.
Generator Features
Vendor OUI Presets
The generator includes 20 major manufacturer OUI prefixes including Apple, Samsung, Intel, Cisco, Dell, HP, Huawei, Microsoft, Google, Raspberry Pi, TP-Link, Netgear, ASUS, Lenovo, Sony, Xiaomi, Amazon, Ubiquiti, VMware, and Juniper. Select a vendor to generate addresses with their authentic OUI prefix.
Four Address Types
- Random (Unicast): Standard unicast addresses with bit 0 cleared — the most common type for regular network communication.
- Multicast: Group addresses with bit 0 set — used for multicast protocols and group communication.
- Locally Administered: Addresses with bit 1 set — commonly used by virtual machines (VMware, Hyper-V), containers (Docker), and privacy-conscious devices.
- Universally Administered: Addresses with both special bits cleared — representing manufacturer-assigned hardware addresses.
Multiple Output Formats
Supports four standard notation styles:
- Colon notation: AA:BB:CC:DD:EE:FF — Standard Linux/macOS format
- Hyphen notation: AA-BB-CC-DD-EE-FF — Windows format
- Dot notation: AABB.CCDD.EEFF — Cisco format
- No separator: AABBCCDDEEFF — Compact format for databases
OUI Vendor Lookup
Enter any MAC address or 3-byte OUI prefix to identify the manufacturer. The built-in database includes 20 of the most common vendors. The full IEEE OUI registry contains over 40,000 registered prefixes.
Common Use Cases
- Network testing: Generate MAC addresses for test environments, lab configurations, and network simulations.
- Documentation: Create realistic example MAC addresses for technical documentation and tutorials.
- Database population: Fill test databases with properly formatted MAC addresses.
- VM and container setup: Create locally administered MAC addresses for virtual machine assignments.
- Security research: Study MAC address formats, OUI patterns, and address structures.
Privacy and Security
All MAC addresses are generated entirely in your browser using JavaScript. No addresses, vendor selections, or usage data are transmitted to any server. No accounts, no tracking, no data collection.