How to find out the MAC ID of the Bolt WiFi ?

[scbolt]

We use MAC ID filtering in our home wireless network to only allowed known hosts to connect. For this to work, I need to know the MAC ID of each device that wants to connect to our network so I can add it to the "white list".

Anyone know how to find out the MAC ID of my Bolt's WiFi?

For now I have temporarily disabled MAC ID filtering so the Bolt can connect, but I would like to re-enable it as soon as I can add it to the white list.

 

[SparkE]

I don't know how to ask your Bolt to divulge this info, but can't you log in to your router and see what MAC address(es) are currently using the network/logged in?

 

[scbolt]

I don't know how to ask your Bolt to divulge this info, but can't you log in to your router and see what MAC address(es) are currently using the network/logged in?

Thanks SparkE!

You know, that is the surprising part. I thought EXACTLY same and tried that first, but the routing table I am getting from the router configuration screen is not definitely providing that info. As far as I can tell, from the routers pov, the Bolt is not connecting to my home WiFi at all ... but when I do that from the Bolt's manage wifi networks screen, it claims it has successfully connected to my home SSID.

I even tried checking for the software update to force it to actually use the internet, and it did that successfully (getting software version 14.1.0 BTW ... is this the latest?). But because I just got the Bolt and still under the OnStar free trial period, not sure if it is using their connection somehow.

Any other ideas? Any way I can turn OFF the OnStar connection so that the ONLY way my Bolt can connect is thru my home WiFi? Then I can check the routing table again

 

[RyanZ]

Have you tried re-entering the passphrase? It's possible to be 'connected' to a broadcasting SSID but transmitting gibberish with some software.

 

[Schnort]

Maybe the BOLT isn't staying connected continuously?

Does your router have a log you can peruse?

 

[scbolt]

Great ideas on forcing a passphrase input as well as look at the router logs ... will try both this evening when I am back home.

 

[scbolt]

Still hoping though that there might have been an easier way to find the MAC ID ... surely I am not the only one out there who is using MAC ID filtering

I was really hoping that the settings menu will have some kind of a "system details" page which will include this info ... but so far have not found any :|

 

[user 387]

MAC ID filtering is a terrible way to secure a network. MAC addresses can be easily spoofed and the addresses are sent in the clear, easily sniffed.

WPA2 is much easier and way more secure.

 

[scbolt]

MAC ID filtering is a terrible way to secure a network. MAC addresses can be easily spoofed and the addresses are sent in the clear, easily sniffed.

WPA2 is much easier and way more secure.

Agreed when MAC ID filtering is the only way to secure the network.

I use WPA2/PSK along with MAC ID filtering.

 

[user 1034]

Have you checked the phone app? I swear I saw it in there listed under the hotspot configuration. I can't confirm right now though, I don't have that device nearby...

 

[scbolt]

I did look in the phone app, but unfortunately did not find anything obvious. Really hoping though that I might have missed it and it is there somewhere.

If someone knows where exactly to look for, that will be much appreciated! I use an Android phone if it matters.

 

[user 1034]

OK I was incorrect. The MAC I saw was for the Hotspot by AT&T/OnStar.

Your best bet is to use "ARP -A" on a command line (Windows) followed by the IP address - i.e., "arp -a 169.128.0.1"

Using "arp -a" alone will give you all the MACs showing on the network.

 

[scbolt]

OK I was incorrect. The MAC I saw was for the Hotspot by AT&T/OnStar.

Your best bet is to use "ARP -A" on a command line (Windows) followed by the IP address - i.e., "arp -a 169.128.0.1"

Using "arp -a" alone will give you all the MACs showing on the network.

did not know about the arp command ... great to learn about it! thanks much. will give this a try this evening as well.

 

[scbolt]

Okay, thanks all for the helpful responses! It was not very easy, but I *think* I may have been able to figure out the MAC ID of the Bolt. If I can find a way to turn OFF the OnStar LTE service, I can confirm for sure.

Anyway, is anyone else willing to try to find your Bolt's MAC ID? If so, could you please confirm if it starts with A0:6F:AA:... ? This group is assigned to the vendor LG Innotek, who, I think, is the OEM for the Bolt Infotainment system (including MyLink)

 

[grestep5621]

I see it on my network as 7c:70 which is a private MAC address.
Did you reboot your router to clear out the MAC addresses and then just add the network from your Chevy Bolt to see the new device that connects to the router?
I could be wrong, but a device with that MAC address connected to my network when I added my home network to the Chevy Bolt and it wasn't there before.

 

[scbolt]

I see it on my network as 7c:70 which is a private MAC address.
Did you reboot your router to clear out the MAC addresses and then just add the network from your Chevy Bolt to see the new device that connects to the router?
I could be wrong, but a device with that MAC address connected to my network when I added my home network to the Chevy Bolt and it wasn't there before.

Yes, I rebooted my routers couple times, and then forced an update of the vehicle status from the mobile app. Did this process couple times, and kept watching the router logs to see which IP/MAC-ID is showing connection activity. This is not entirely conclusive, but every time shortly after forcing the update from the mobile app, I saw connections being initiated from MAC-ID A0:6F:AA:.... The host name is listed as "localhost" for this.

Problem is that this MAC-ID does not persist in the routing table for some reason ... so if I go check some other time, I don't see it. It only shows up when there is an active connection. Due to this, "ARP -A" did not work reliably.

What is the host name for the device you are seeing with MAC-ID 7c:70:... ? Using the first 6 digits, you can try to look up the vendor at this website: https://www.adminsub.net/mac-address-finder

 

[user 1034]

The phone app has the ability to turn off your OnStar hotspot. It shouldn't show up on your router table anyway due to it being a network provider and not a client.

 

[scbolt]

The phone app has the ability to turn off your OnStar hotspot. It shouldn't show up on your router table anyway due to it being a network provider and not a client.

I have turned off the OnStar hotspot already ... but that is not what I am after. I want to turn off the ability of the Bolt to communicate using the 4G LTE connection provided by OnStar. I want it to use *only* my home WiFi (or my phone's data connection, if that is possible)

In order to do that, I need to make sure my Bolt is properly "allowed into" my home network, and hence I was looking for the MAC ID

 

[grestep5621]

reboot your router and then add the network in on the Chevy Bolt screen.
It should have a hostname starting with C and a MAC address 7c:70

 

[grestep5621]

Hostname starts with C and ends will the last 2 digits of the MAC address