The MAC address, for any device that connects to the internet, is like your home address or the VIN # for your vehicle. It never changes and serves as the identifying marker for your device within your own Wi-Fi network. Even a Roku connecting to your network needs a MAC address. But how do you find this number on your device?
Below, we’ll cover why you may need your Roku device’s MAC address, as well as how to go about finding it.
How to Find the MAC Address On Any Roku Device
If you own a Roku device, odds are you can find the MAC address on the back of the device or on the bottom. It’s usually located there along with the serial number.
On most Roku devices, it’s a pretty cut and dry process if you want to find it within the system, especially if it’s too small to read or if the numbers are a little worn. Whatever the reason, the following steps will pull it up for you:
- Press the Home button on the remote.Scroll down and select Settings.Select Network.Highlight and select About.
The About screen contains all of the information about your Roku device, including the MAC address and IP address, if you’re interested in that as well.
How to Find the MAC Address on Roku Smart TVs
However, if you own a Roku Smart TV, such as a Roku TCL or a Roku Hisense, there may not be a MAC address on the back of the TV, but the method for finding it is exactly the same.
If you’re on the home screen and the left column isn’t up, just press left on the remote.
- Select Home in the left-hand column of options.Select Settings.Select Network.Select About.
Roku makes this really easy on their smart TVs because you don’t have to do any scrolling. Each option is automatically highlighted as you select it, in the order of what you need to get to the MAC address on the About screen.
Keep in mind, if your smart TV is connected to the router with an ethernet cable, the MAC address will be displayed as the Ethernet MAC Address. If you’re wireless, it will just say MAC Address, followed by the six, two-digit code sections.
What’s the Purpose of Your Roku’s MAC Address?
The MAC address is essential for your network to function or, at least, for your Roku device to function on that network. Every device that connects to your router comes with a MAC address. It’s a solid, built-in address physically listed on your device and assigned by the manufacturer. Without a MAC address, your router would not be able to identify your Roku device on its network, so it wouldn’t be able to add it.
The MAC address is also important for traffic routed throughout your network, not out there on the internet, but within your home Wi-Fi and all of the devices connected to it. It would be like having identical triplets, with each individual being given a different name. Since they all look alike, the only way to identify them is with their name.
Your router doesn’t have eyes, so how does it tell the difference between four signals coming in, and how does it know what packages to send to those four devices? The MAC address. However, don’t confuse the MAC address with the IP address, for they do the same thing in different ways.
Final Thoughts
Accessing and viewing the MAC address for your Roku device is fairly simple. On the Roku home screen, select Settings > System > About. You’ll see your MAC address at the bottom of the About screen, right above SD Card (if applicable).
In some cases, you may see two MAC addresses listed. This isn’t unusual, and it doesn’t mean that they flip back and forth or anything. If you have an ethernet connection for your Roku device, there’s a MAC address for it as well as for your Wireless connection.
Alternatively, most Roku devices—whether it’s a standalone device or built into your Smart TV—will normally have the MAC address listed on the back of the box/TV.