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I'm trying to find out how to access the IP address + MAC code of a computer (macbook pro) that I once had on my network at home.

Does terminal store the 'connected' or 'linked' computer ID or IP of a networked computer anywhere that I can access after the laptop is no-longer within range?

The laptop was part of my airport extreme network, its now out of range (stolen!), and I would like to know if its possible to discover the physical address of that laptop, even though I no-longer have physical access to the laptop.

I have my airport extreme configured (somewhere??) to sniff out that laptop if it comes within range, and then connect to it. Where would this 'configured info' be stored on my desktop?

floebs
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3 Answers3

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if you have a log on your dhcp server (probably your router), you may be able to retrieve its MAC address from the log. The IP will be local and will be of no use to you as many networks use the same local IPs but if you remember the IP it was assigned, it will be easier to identify its MAC address in the log.

laurent
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Even if you had the address, it wouldn't help identify your stolen laptop. Access points normally assign IP addresses from a private address space. Thousands (millions?) of access points are using this address space, there are a lot of computers out there with the exact same address.

Besides, your laptop is no longer using that address. If it's currently connected to another network, it's using the address that network assigned to it.

If you're hoping to probe the intertubes and find traces of your computer, the name of the computer is more useful than the IP address. The MAC address of the wireless interface is even better, since it's unique. Difficult to see how you can utilize these facts, however.

Community
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Isaac Rabinovitch
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Your laptop does not have a physical IP address. It received its IP address via DHCP and it is not permanent. Once conneted to another DHCP server it is reassigned.

It does have a media access code (MAC) that is unique, but that can be hidden or changed.

Your best hope of finding a lost machine is contacting the manufacturer, in this case Apple, and telling them the laptop was stolen. Apple will be able to detect if the thief tries to register the Macbook with them if they havent changed the MAC.

Keltari
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