MAC Address Converter
Convert any MAC address to colon, hyphen, Cisco dot or plain format, and see its binary, decimal, OUI and EUI-64 values.
Windows shows MAC addresses as 00-1A-2B-3C-4D-5E, Linux and macOS as 00:1a:2b:3c:4d:5e, and Cisco switches as 001a.2b3c.4d5e. When you copy a MAC from one system into another, the format often has to change. GoogieHost’s free MAC Address Converter does it instantly.
Paste a MAC address in any format and get it back in colon, hyphen, Cisco dot, plain and space-separated forms, in upper and lower case. The tool also shows the binary and decimal values, the OUI (vendor prefix), the unicast/multicast and universal/local bits, and the EUI-64 and IPv6 link-local address made from the MAC.
MAC Address Formats Explained
| Format | Example | Where it is used |
|---|---|---|
| Colon | 00:1A:2B:3C:4D:5E | Linux, macOS, most routers and DHCP servers |
| Hyphen | 00-1A-2B-3C-4D-5E | Windows (ipconfig, getmac) and the IEEE standard form |
| Dot (Cisco) | 001a.2b3c.4d5e | Cisco IOS switch and router commands |
| No separator | 001A2B3C4D5E | Databases, APIs, licence files and some firewalls |
| Space separated | 00 1A 2B 3C 4D 5E | Some network appliances and documentation |
All of these are the same 48-bit address. Only the separators and letter case change, and MAC addresses are not case-sensitive.
How to Use the MAC Address Converter
- Paste a MAC address: Colons, hyphens, dots, spaces or no separators all work.
- Click Convert: The tool checks that it has exactly 12 hex digits and shows every format.
- Copy the format you need: Click the copy icon next to it.
What Is a MAC Address?
A MAC (Media Access Control) address is a 48-bit hardware address that identifies a network interface on a local network, such as a Wi-Fi card, Ethernet port or Bluetooth chip. It is written as 12 hexadecimal digits, usually in six pairs. Switches use MAC addresses to deliver traffic to the right device on the same network.
A MAC address has two halves:
- OUI (first 3 bytes): The Organizationally Unique Identifier, assigned by the IEEE to the manufacturer. For example, 00:1A:2B is the OUI of 00:1A:2B:3C:4D:5E.
- NIC-specific part (last 3 bytes): Set by the manufacturer to make each device unique.
Unicast vs Multicast, Universal vs Local
The two lowest bits of the first byte carry special meaning, and the converter reads both:
- I/G bit (bit 0): 0 means unicast (one device), 1 means multicast (a group). FF:FF:FF:FF:FF:FF is the broadcast address.
- U/L bit (bit 1): 0 means universally administered (burned in by the vendor), 1 means locally administered (set by software, a VM or a random-MAC feature).
An easy check: if the second hex digit is 2, 6, A or E, the address is locally administered. iPhones and Android phones use random, locally administered MACs on Wi-Fi by default to protect privacy, and Windows offers the same as an option.
MAC Address to EUI-64 and IPv6 Link-Local
IPv6 can build a 64-bit interface ID from a MAC address using the modified EUI-64 method (RFC 4291):
- Split the MAC in half: 00:1A:2B | 3C:4D:5E.
- Insert FF:FE in the middle: 00:1A:2B:FF:FE:3C:4D:5E.
- Flip the U/L bit in the first byte: 00 becomes 02.
- The result is the interface ID 021a:2bff:fe3c:4d5e, and the link-local address is fe80::21a:2bff:fe3c:4d5e.
Many modern systems use random or stable-privacy interface IDs for public IPv6 addresses instead of EUI-64. You will still see EUI-64 on routers, switches and many link-local addresses. To plan the IPv6 prefixes these interface IDs live in, use our IPv6 Subnet Calculator.
How to Find Your MAC Address
| System | Command or location |
|---|---|
| Windows | ipconfig /all (Physical Address) or getmac |
| Linux | ip link (shown after link/ether) |
| macOS | ifconfig en0 | grep ether, or System Settings → Network → Details |
| Cisco IOS | show interfaces or show mac address-table |
| Android / iPhone | Wi-Fi settings → the network → Wi-Fi address (may be a private, random MAC) |
Can You Convert a MAC Address to an IP Address?
Not directly. A MAC address works on the local network, while an IP address is assigned by DHCP or set by hand. To find which IP a MAC is using on your network, check your router’s DHCP client list or the ARP table (arp -a on Windows, macOS and Linux). The one real link is IPv6 EUI-64, where the interface ID is built from the MAC as shown above.
Working with IP addresses too? Try our Subnet Calculator and IPv6 to IPv4 Converter.
FAQs
What are the different MAC address formats?
The common formats are colon (00:1A:2B:3C:4D:5E), hyphen (00-1A-2B-3C-4D-5E), Cisco dot (001a.2b3c.4d5e) and plain with no separators (001A2B3C4D5E). They all represent the same 48-bit address.
Is a MAC address case sensitive?
No. 00:1a:2b:3c:4d:5e and 00:1A:2B:3C:4D:5E are the same address. Some systems display or expect one case, which is why the converter shows both.
How do I convert a MAC address to Cisco format?
Remove the separators, split the 12 digits into three groups of four, and join them with dots in lowercase. 00:1A:2B:3C:4D:5E becomes 001a.2b3c.4d5e. The converter does this for you.
What is an OUI in a MAC address?
The OUI (Organizationally Unique Identifier) is the first 3 bytes of the MAC address. The IEEE assigns it to a manufacturer, so it identifies who made the network interface.
How do I convert a MAC address to EUI-64?
Insert FF:FE between the third and fourth bytes and flip the second-lowest bit of the first byte. For 00:1A:2B:3C:4D:5E the EUI-64 interface ID is 021a:2bff:fe3c:4d5e. The converter shows this and the matching fe80:: link-local address.
Can a MAC address be changed?
The hardware address is set by the manufacturer, but operating systems can use a different, locally administered MAC in software. Phones and laptops do this on Wi-Fi for privacy. These random MACs have the locally administered bit set.
Is this MAC address converter free?
Yes. It is free with no signup or limits, and the conversion runs in your browser, so your MAC addresses are not sent to our server.
