Get MAC address of new PC without switching it on

[koipot]

Hi

We are deploying a large number of HP desktops: specifically:

• HP Compaq Elite 8300
• HP EliteDesk 800 G1
• HP ProBook 450 G1

In order for any device to work on our network, its MAC address has to be authorised on our DHCP server.  So I need to send a list of MAC addresses for each batch of machines to the network administrator, after which I can deploy them with WDS.

I could, of course, unpack each machine, connect monitor/mouse/keyboard, start it up and run ipconfig /all to get each MAC address but that is tedious and time-consuming.  I don't see MAC addresses anywhere on the carton or the PC casing.  Is there a quick way of getting this info?

Thanks

Pat

[TheOldMan]

IMHO, " unpack each machine, connect monitor/mouse/keyboard, start it up " is going to be done eventually, just wait until the machines get to the person that is going to use it and then go thru the routine of getting that info.  Since the only common sense approach is to wait,  is that a problem?  I'm fairly certain more has to be done than get the MAC address from each machine as each user needs to be able to recognise the attached network devices that will be shared.

In answer to the question, however, I know of no way to get the MAC address of each PC until they are at least connected to the network, wired, I assume as the wireless MAC will be different from the wired MAC. ( the MAC is part of the network device hardware )

[koipot]

Yes, there are a couple of issues.  Passing MAC addresses in a batch means the authorisation can be script-automated.  Also, we want to deploy our own customised images via WDS, so booting up each PC, and doing the OOBE configuration pass wastes even more time.

But thanks anyway.

[TheOldMan]

While the MAC address gives the network a filter, it is by no means an absolute ( not very secure ).  If this particular issue is such a burden, have IT disable that feature until the new machines are deployed, get the needed info while the custom work is being done to set each machine  and then re-enable the MAC filter on the network.

[MarcusA]

Hi

in our company , every day new employees are coming. Thus it is not possible to turn the MAC filter off an on everytime.

I dont understand, why the MAC-Address is not printeted on the package, like the serial Nr and the Model, where it could be scanned with a barcode scanner.

The way i do it, is unpack the PC, boot into BIOS where the MAC is visible under System information.

This extra  work is very annoying, and if anyone has another solution, please share it!

Thanks and regards