Lollie Posted October 14, 2009 Share Posted October 14, 2009 My son is now at Uni in the UK. Sharing a house with other students they all had to give their MAC code and subsequently received a code for internet access in the rented home. Everyone else now has internet but my son, he just doesnt recognise the code, no one seems to be able to help is it to do with his french connections? Any suggestions please he is getting quite desperate, obviusly his answer is he NEEDS a new laptop!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
f1steveuk Posted October 14, 2009 Share Posted October 14, 2009 has it already got software to attach to a French ISP? If so, it wont work elsewhere. If it has a simple Wi Fi seeking software, it should pick it up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lollie Posted October 14, 2009 Author Share Posted October 14, 2009 I dont image so, he has managed to use in in Halls of residence last year, this was the first time he was asked for a mac number though. Why did the landlord need a mac nmber? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Coeur de Lion Posted October 14, 2009 Share Posted October 14, 2009 I have a UK laptop and have no idea what my MAC code is.I thought it was something to do with the router.Can't he just ask one of his room mates where they got theirs from and do the same thing? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clair Posted October 14, 2009 Share Posted October 14, 2009 I think the landlord is simply filtering access to his wifi, to prevent other students or visitors from using his wifi signalI do the same for the gite visitors.The MAC number is simply the unique ID given to the ethernet card. It is found by going to start buttontype cmd in the search barin the command screen, type "ipconfig /all" (with a space before the /, but without the " ")look for Carte Ethernet and make a note of the adresse physique, which is the MAC address (something like 00:40:A1:55:2E:62)Hope this is right... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pickles Posted October 14, 2009 Share Posted October 14, 2009 [quote user="Lollie"]I dont image so, he has managed to use in in Halls of residence last year, this was the first time he was asked for a mac number though. Why did the landlord need a mac nmber?[/quote]I suspect that what the landlord is doing is restricting access to the wi-fi to specific computers by using their unique MAC numbers. This adds an additional layer of security when trying to control access to the wi-fi. I would be surprised if the students have been given different WPA/WEP/Whatever access codes: have they all compared notes on what code they were given? My suspicion is that the MAC code may have been entered incorrectly into the routers MAC-restriction table, and hence even if he has the correct code, he still can't log in because his PC's MAC code (or more specifically his PC's wifi card MAC code) is not in the "allowed access" table.(edited to add) And Claire gets there first again ....RegardsPickles Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyv Posted October 14, 2009 Share Posted October 14, 2009 The MAC (Media Access Code) is the unique identifier for the computer's network card, similar to a serial number. The landlord needs it to enter into his router so that only authorised computers can gain access to it.I would say the MAC is the prime suspect for this problem. How did your son obtain it? Did he mis-read it? Computers sometimes have two or more MACs, one for each network interface, e.g. wireles and wired. Did he give the correct one? Did the landlord enter the code correctly into his router? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DerekJ Posted October 14, 2009 Share Posted October 14, 2009 I can't see the relevance of a MAC code in this circumstance. The MAC code is (must) be issued by a UK Internet Service Provider if you wish to switch ISP.See here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suein56 Posted October 14, 2009 Share Posted October 14, 2009 [quote user="Clair"]The MAC number is simply the unique ID given to the ethernet card. [/quote]My laptop has its 2 mac numbers on the underside of the machine: one for the ethernet card and one for the LAN.Sue Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DerekJ Posted October 14, 2009 Share Posted October 14, 2009 [quote user="DerekJ"]I can't see the relevance of a MAC code in this circumstance. The MAC code is (must) be issued by a UK Internet Service Provider if you wish to switch ISP.See here.[/quote]Do you mean the MAC Address? Otherwise known as the Ethernet Hardware Address? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pickles Posted October 14, 2009 Share Posted October 14, 2009 [quote user="DerekJ"]I can't see the relevance of a MAC code in this circumstance. The MAC code is (must) be issued by a UK Internet Service Provider if you wish to switch ISP.See here.[/quote]Different sort of MAC. You are writing about a Migration Autorisation Code. We are writing about a Media Access Control address. There are FAR too many TLAs (three-letter acronyms)RegardsPickles Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pickles Posted October 14, 2009 Share Posted October 14, 2009 [quote user="suein56"][quote user="Clair"]The MAC number is simply the unique ID given to the ethernet card. [/quote]My laptop has its 2 mac numbers on the underside of the machine: one for the ethernet card and one for the LAN.[/quote]Errr ... one is for the ethernet card (ie for a hard-wired network) and the other is for the WiFi card. A LAN (Local Area Network) can be wired or Wifi.RegardsPickles Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DerekJ Posted October 14, 2009 Share Posted October 14, 2009 [quote user="Pickles"][quote user="DerekJ"]I can't see the relevance of a MAC code in this circumstance. The MAC code is (must) be issued by a UK Internet Service Provider if you wish to switch ISP.See here.[/quote]Different sort of MAC. You are writing about a Migration Autorisation Code. We are writing about a Media Access Control address. There are FAR too many TLAs (three-letter acronyms)RegardsPickles[/quote]Yes, that dawned on me (see my second post). It's just that Lollie used the expression MAC code in the original post. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suein56 Posted October 14, 2009 Share Posted October 14, 2009 [quote user="Pickles"]Errr ... one is for the ethernet card (ie for a hard-wired network) and the other is for the WiFi card. A LAN (Local Area Network) can be wired or Wifi.[/quote]Well it says 'Lan mac' followed by a number.Sue Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pickles Posted October 14, 2009 Share Posted October 14, 2009 [quote user="suein56"][quote user="Pickles"]Errr ... one is for the ethernet card (ie for a hard-wired network) and the other is for the WiFi card. A LAN (Local Area Network) can be wired or Wifi.[/quote]Well it says 'Lan mac' followed by a number.[/quote]Yes - this is the case for a lot of PCs. If the flipping manufacturers can't get it right, no wonder it confuses the heck out of mere users.RegardsPickles Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Coeur de Lion Posted October 14, 2009 Share Posted October 14, 2009 [quote user="Pickles"][quote user="DerekJ"]I can't see the relevance of a MAC code in this circumstance. The MAC code is (must) be issued by a UK Internet Service Provider if you wish to switch ISP.See here.[/quote]Different sort of MAC. You are writing about a Migration Autorisation Code. We are writing about a Media Access Control address. There are FAR too many TLAs (three-letter acronyms)RegardsPickles[/quote]TIT (this is true). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suein56 Posted October 14, 2009 Share Posted October 14, 2009 [quote user="Pickles"][quote user="suein56"]Well it says 'Lan mac' followed by a number.[/quote]Yes - this is the case for a lot of PCs. If the flipping manufacturers can't get it right, no wonder it confuses the heck out of mere users.[/quote]I think the 'mere' is a tad impolite - couldn't you just have said 'users'Sue [:(][:(][Www] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pickles Posted October 14, 2009 Share Posted October 14, 2009 [quote user="suein56"][quote user="Pickles"][quote user="suein56"]Well it says 'Lan mac' followed by a number.[/quote]Yes - this is the case for a lot of PCs. If the flipping manufacturers can't get it right, no wonder it confuses the heck out of mere users.[/quote]I think the 'mere' is a tad impolite - couldn't you just have said 'users'Sue [:(][:(][Www][/quote]Profuse apologies - I did not intend to denigrate you: I am a mere user myself. My point - which was evidently not well articulated - was that users should be able to rely on the manufacturers providing consistent, correct information. The fact that they can't rely on this leaves many users thinking that anything that goes wrong is their fault, when frequently it is down to poor/negligible/misleading manufacturer's documentation and guidance.RegardsPickles Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suein56 Posted October 14, 2009 Share Posted October 14, 2009 [quote user="Pickles"]Profuse apologies - I did not intend to denigrate you: I am a mere user myself. My point - which was evidently not well articulated - was that users should be able to rely on the manufacturers providing consistent, correct information. The fact that they can't rely on this leaves many users thinking that anything that goes wrong is their fault, when frequently it is down to poor/negligible/misleading manufacturer's documentation and guidance.[/quote]Well I must say I was a bit miffed at first reading, but then I thought 'well, I am a mere user' in that I have learnt as I have gone along, But thank you for reassuring me re manufacturers. Especially in the early days of computer usage I can't tell you how often I thought 'what have I done wrong now?' when something untoward went awry with either of our machines. Now I have perfected the gallic shrug and think 'well it might be me, but it is more than likely them'. Sue [:)] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Coeur de Lion Posted October 14, 2009 Share Posted October 14, 2009 If it's any consolation, I took it as Pickles meant, ie not in a bad way, in that we are all mere users.However, I can see how it could easily have been interpreted the other way too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suein56 Posted October 14, 2009 Share Posted October 14, 2009 [quote user="Richard"]If it's any consolation, I took it as Pickles meant, ie not in a bad way, in that we are all mere users.However, I can see how it could easily have been interpreted the other way too.[/quote]Probably me being over-touchy - down to me feeling a little off-colour today. One of my wisdom teeth is in the middle of a growth spurt and it is very painful.Sue Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lollie Posted October 14, 2009 Author Share Posted October 14, 2009 Yes I meant MAC as in Media access... He is double checking everything this evening. Fingers crossed! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Coeur de Lion Posted October 14, 2009 Share Posted October 14, 2009 [quote user="suein56"][quote user="Richard"]If it's any consolation, I took it as Pickles meant, ie not in a bad way, in that we are all mere users.However, I can see how it could easily have been interpreted the other way too.[/quote]Probably me being over-touchy - down to me feeling a little off-colour today. One of my wisdom teeth is in the middle of a growth spurt and it is very painful.Sue[/quote][:(] Hope it gets better soon for you then. Nasty things painful wisdoms. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sid Posted October 15, 2009 Share Posted October 15, 2009 When anyone attempts to conect to my network, wireless or ethernet, I can see their IP and Mac addresses on my router admin pages (Netgear DG834); I then decide whether to allow the access or not. Surely the landlord could do the same?Sid Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Albert the InfoGipsy Posted October 15, 2009 Share Posted October 15, 2009 Derek wrote: I can't see the relevance of a MAC code in this circumstance. The MAC code is (must) be issued by a UK Internet Service Provider if you wish to switch ISPhref="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Migration_Authorisation_Code">See hereDerek,I think in the context it's pretty obvious that what is being referred to is the MAC address (network card ID). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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