Obtaining the MAC Address (Physical Address) of Any Computer on Your Local Subnet

This example allows you to retrieve the MAC address of a remote computer on your local subnet. It uses calls to the System Exec VI which calls the Windows utilities "ping" and "arp" which return this information. It then parses the MAC address and returns it.

Unfortunately the "arp" command does not properly return the MAC address when fed the IP address of the computer that runs it, so if you feed the VI the IP address of the computer that is executing the VI, it will attempt to use "ipconfig" to get the local computer's MAC address.

Because these commands are Windows-specific, this example will work only with Windows operating systems. Furthermore, when obtaining the MAC address of the local computer, the "ipconfig" command is used. This command only exists on Windows NT, 2000, and XP.

Requirements

Filename: get_remote_mac_address.vi

Software Requirements

Application Software: LabVIEW Full Development System 6.1
Language(s): LabVIEW

Reader Comments | Submit a comment »

it is only for english version: see Get Network card information for better call
The vi is only for english version. See Get Network card information for better call http://decibel.ni.com/content/docs/DOC-1267 and search phisical address in the card info
- Gianluca Bacchiega, IRS. bacchiega@irsweb.it - Apr 28, 2009

Returns the incorrect MAC address
When run on the local machine with multiple network adapters the MAC address returned is for the first adapter listed in the "ipconfig /all" list , and not necessarily the one bound to the IP address specified.
- Greg Sussman, Process Automation Corp. gsussman@processauto.com - Mar 19, 2008