RE: [TCLUG:8688] mack address

["Carl Patten" <cpatte@trimodalinc.com>]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: dave@chmls11.mediaone.net [mailto:dave@chmls11.mediaone.net]On
> Behalf Of Dave Erickson
>
> This is my first post to this/any list so if I screw up please be
> patient.

Don't worry, this is a very low-flame mailing list.

> I am trying to upgrade my cable modem to the two way service offered by
> mediaone in my area.

What area?  Just curious; I've been watching this rollout with keen interest
in Minneapolis.  Anything to bypass their crappy dial-ups!

> However the installer said he needed my nics mac
> address so mediaone could "know where my computer is" on the network.
>
> Does anyone know how I can get the mac address in linux? Is there a
> security concern? I plan on using IP Masqurading, will this cause me
> problems?
>
> Originally they said all that was required was dhcp.

They can configure DHCP to give you a certain IP address based on the MAC
address of your nic.  Maybe that's what they're doing, making sure they only
give out DHCP addresses to "authorized" PCs.  It shouldn't affect your IP
Masquerading any, since your Linux box will still be the only one visible to
the cable modem.  Your MAC address gets sent in all your DHCP broadcast
packets anyway, so it's not much of a security threat for them to know it.

"Quick Draw" James Raney already said how to get the MAC address (use
ifconfig).  If you can dual-boot into Windows 95 on this PC, you can use the
"winipcfg" command to get the same info.

--
Carl Patten
Systems Administrator
Trimodal Inc.
Just got a DSL line at work - keen!