What are random IP and MAC addresses used for?
Randomly generated network addresses are used in test fixtures, mock APIs, network simulation, documentation examples, and anonymization of logs. IPv4 addresses are 32-bit values written as four decimal octets (192.168.1.1). IPv6 are 128-bit values in colon-separated hex groups, often compressed with ::. MAC addresses are 48-bit hardware identifiers written as six hex pairs. None of the addresses this tool generates are live or associated with real devices.
How to use this tool
- 1 Select IPv4, IPv6, or MAC mode from the tab bar.
- 2 Set the count, then use the IPv4 options to restrict to private ranges or add a /CIDR suffix.
- 3 For IPv6, toggle compressed notation (::). For MAC, choose your preferred separator.
- 4 Hit regenerate for a fresh batch with the same settings.
Frequently asked questions
What are private IPv4 ranges?
The three private ranges are 10.0.0.0/8, 172.16.0.0/12, and 192.168.0.0/16. These addresses are not routable on the public internet and are used inside private networks and LANs.
What does the /CIDR suffix represent?
CIDR notation (e.g. 192.168.1.0/24) specifies a subnet: the number after / is how many leading bits are the network part. This tool appends a random /8 to /32 suffix, useful for generating test subnet entries.
Are the generated MAC addresses real?
No. The locally administered bit is set (second least-significant bit of the first octet) and the multicast bit is cleared, marking them as software-generated and not from a real hardware NIC.
What is :: in IPv6?
:: is shorthand for one or more consecutive groups of all zeros. The longest run of zero groups is replaced with :: to shorten the address. For example, 2001:db8:0:0:0:0:0:1 becomes 2001:db8::1.
Is anything sent to a server?
No. All generation uses crypto.getRandomValues locally in your browser.