root@generate-random:~/mac-addresses/php$ _

Generate Random MAC Addresses in PHP

Complete code tutorial with examples and best practices

PHP

[ Code Example - Quick Summary ]

Language: PHP

What: Generate random MAC addresses in PHP for network testing, device simulation, and development. Covers standard format, locally administered addresses, vendor prefixes, and validation.

Try it: Use our interactive Mac-addresses generator or integrate this code into your PHP application.

Generate random MAC addresses in PHP for network testing, device simulation, and development. Covers standard format, locally administered addresses, vendor prefixes, and validation. Looking for other languages? Check our code examples in JavaScript , Python , Java , C# , C++ , Ruby and Go or use our interactive web generator.

PHP Code Example

<?php
// Generate random MAC address (standard format)
function randomMacAddress() {
    $octets = [];
    for ($i = 0; $i < 6; $i++) {
        $octets[] = sprintf("%02X", mt_rand(0, 255));
    }
    return implode(":", $octets);
}

// Generate locally administered MAC address (bit 1 of first octet set)
function randomLocalMacAddress() {
    $octets = [];
    // First octet: set bit 1 (locally administered), clear bit 0 (unicast)
    $firstOctet = (mt_rand(0, 127) & 0xFE) | 0x02;
    $octets[] = sprintf("%02X", $firstOctet);

    for ($i = 1; $i < 6; $i++) {
        $octets[] = sprintf("%02X", mt_rand(0, 255));
    }
    return implode(":", $octets);
}

// Generate MAC with specific vendor prefix (OUI)
function randomMacWithVendor($vendorPrefix = "00:1A:2B") {
    $vendor = explode(":", $vendorPrefix);
    $octets = $vendor;

    for ($i = count($vendor); $i < 6; $i++) {
        $octets[] = sprintf("%02X", mt_rand(0, 255));
    }
    return implode(":", $octets);
}

// Generate MAC with different separator
function randomMacFormatted($separator = ":") {
    $octets = [];
    for ($i = 0; $i < 6; $i++) {
        $octets[] = sprintf("%02X", mt_rand(0, 255));
    }
    return implode($separator, $octets);
}

// Validate MAC address format
function isValidMacAddress($mac) {
    $patterns = [
        "/^([0-9A-Fa-f]{2}:){5}[0-9A-Fa-f]{2}$/",  // 00:1A:2B:3C:4D:5E
        "/^([0-9A-Fa-f]{2}-){5}[0-9A-Fa-f]{2}$/",  // 00-1A-2B-3C-4D-5E
        "/^[0-9A-Fa-f]{12}$/",                      // 001A2B3C4D5E
    ];

    foreach ($patterns as $pattern) {
        if (preg_match($pattern, $mac)) {
            return true;
        }
    }
    return false;
}

// Generate multiple MAC addresses
function generateMacAddresses($count = 10) {
    $macs = [];
    for ($i = 0; $i < $count; $i++) {
        $macs[] = randomMacAddress();
    }
    return $macs;
}

// Usage examples
echo "Random MAC: " . randomMacAddress() . "\n";
echo "Local MAC: " . randomLocalMacAddress() . "\n";
echo "Vendor MAC: " . randomMacWithVendor("00:1A:2B") . "\n";
echo "Dash format: " . randomMacFormatted("-") . "\n";
echo "No separator: " . randomMacFormatted("") . "\n";
echo "Is valid: " . (isValidMacAddress("00:1A:2B:3C:4D:5E") ? "true" : "false") . "\n";
print_r(generateMacAddresses(3));

[EXPLANATION]

This implementation uses mt_rand() for generating random octets (0-255) and sprintf("%02X") for hexadecimal formatting with zero-padding. Locally administered MAC addresses have bit 1 set in the first octet (0x02) and bit 0 cleared (unicast). Vendor prefixes (OUI - Organizationally Unique Identifier) are the first 3 octets. Common formats include colon-separated (00:1A:2B:3C:4D:5E), dash-separated (00-1A-2B-3C-4D-5E), and no separator (001A2B3C4D5E). Validation uses regex patterns for different formats.

Expected Output

Random MAC: A3:45:B7:89:CD:EF
Local MAC: 02:45:B7:89:CD:EF
Vendor MAC: 00:1A:2B:89:CD:EF
Dash format: A3-45-B7-89-CD-EF
No separator: A345B789CDEF
Is valid: true
Array
(
    [0] => 12:34:56:78:9A:BC
    [1] => DE:F0:12:34:56:78
    [2] => 9A:BC:DE:F0:12:34
)