How to find the MAC address of a Linksys WRT54GS wireless router

If you have a Linksys WRT54GS wireless router and you need to find its MAC address for some reason, this article will walk you through the process of obtaining the address through the router's web interface. Other methods may be used instead -- such as Windows Vista's Network Map or a third party utility. (The MAC address is also printed on a sticker on the bottom of most routers, but if the router is hidden behind a computer desk or trapped in a tangle of wires, using the web interface will probably be easier.)

First, open a web browser window and type in your router's local IP address (typically, 192.168.1.1) and hit Enter. When prompted, type in your username and password to gain access to the router's interface.

Once you've logged in, the blue and black Linksys page will appear. Click on the Status tab (the last one on the right).

The MAC address is assigned to the network interface port inside the router, not to the actual router as a unit, so since the WRT54GS has two network interface ports (one for your local area network and one for access outside your network) it will therefore have two MAC addresses.

The MAC address for the port that connects to the wide area network or to your Internet service provider can be found under the Router heading beneath the Status tab. It will be listed below Firmware Version and Current Time, and it will appear as six pairs of letters and numbers separated by colons.

The other MAC address, the one for the local port, can be found under the Local Network heading, and it will be the first item listed there. Typically these two addresses will be very similar -- maybe separated by one or two digits.