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VB.net Reliable way to always return the same code for the MACAddress

Hi

The following function always returned my machine's MAC addresss but suddenly returns a blank string. Why might the cause be?

    Friend Function GetMACAddress() As String

        Dim mc As ManagementClass = New ManagementClass("Win32_NetworkAdapterConfiguration")
        Dim moc As ManagementObjectCollection = mc.GetInstances()
        Dim MACAddress As String = String.Empty
        For Each mo As ManagementObject In moc

            If (MACAddress.Equals(String.Empty)) Then
                If CBool(mo("IPEnabled")) Then MACAddress = mo("MacAddress").ToString()

                mo.Dispose()
            End If
            MACAddress = MACAddress.Replace(":", String.Empty)

        Next
        Return MACAddress
    End Function

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The function below seems to work better but it said that that only refers to the first network adapter

    Function getMacAddress()
        Dim nics() As NetworkInterface = _
              NetworkInterface.GetAllNetworkInterfaces
        Return nics(0).GetPhysicalAddress.ToString
    End Function

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What is a reliable way to always return the same code for the MACAddress

Nasir Razzaq

Problem with your first function is that it loops through the network adaptors and returns you MAC of the last adaptor in the loop. Problem with second function is that it always returns MAC of the first adaptor. What is your requirement? Always return the same MAC? Or always return some MAC?

Murray Brown

ASKER

Hi
It is to always return the same MAC

Nasir Razzaq

I don't know the context of your program but may be you run this function to get a valid MAC once and then store the MAC somewhere instead of calling this function every time.

Murray Brown

ASKER

Hi
I am using the MAC address as a way to identify a valid user so it is stored in my cloud SQL
database. Each time the user connects my code validates that the MAC address is the same. So I am just looking for a way to return the same MAC address

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Nasir Razzaq

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Murray Brown

ASKER

thanks very much

Murray Brown

ASKER

HI

I posed a further related question on this:
https://www.experts-exchange.com/questions/28376847/VB-net-Get-all-MAC-addresses-on-a-computer.html