[N2E] How to Find MAC Address on initial setup [ Edited ]

[Nallia Distinguished Bibliophile]

I Erased and Deregistered my device because I had a feeling that it was possible to find the MAC address before conencting to WiFi and setting up your N2E.  It turns out that I was right. 

When you turn your N2E on for the first time you will see this screen:

Don't click Next yet!

While you are still on that screen, HOLD DOWN the right bottom page turn button  and tap Next while holding down the lower right page turn button.

A Device Info icon will appear in the upper left corner:

Tap Device Info and you will be able to get your MAC Address before going through setup and trying to connect to WiFi.

I tried to get this to work on the subsequent screens, but it only seems to work on this one.  I also tried to get it to work with different page turn buttons, but the right lower button is the only one that worked.

I hope this helps some of you!

[JEB63]

Thanks Nallia,

It would have helped, had they put it in the flipping Quick Start Guide.  As it is, what you have found is more of an Easter Egg feature. 

By the time most of us log onto support, we will have already figured out another way around the issue -- so unless they start including this instruction in the packaging of the device....

Bad on B&N's part.

[Nallia Distinguished Bibliophile]

Probably true, but there are a lot of people here still waiting for their devices and probably even more lurking and reading reviews before buying. There will also undoubtedly be times when some need to Erase and Deregister their devices so will need to go through setup all over again. If this helps some of those people, I'm happy.

[JEB63]

True. 

[JEB63]

I recommend that when the site supervisors/admins start a new category of discussions for the new Nook, they make your post a sticky at the top of the discussions.

[mpclemens]

Nallia: While you are still on that screen, HOLD DOWN the right bottom page turn button  and tap Next while holding down the lower right page turn button. A Device Info icon will appear in the upper left corner [...]

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Perfect Nalia, thank you! we do MAC filtering on my home network, and I wasn't looking forward to monkeying with the router settings while I did the setup. Thanks for taking the time to document this so clearly.

B&N: please consider not hiding this in future firmware releases! I've had this exact catch-22 registering other devices in the past (you need the MAC address for setup, but setup won't complete without a 'Net connection.) Please consider making this button non-hidden in the future.

[Schwa]

Yes thank you nallia for this, good to know more WiFi info as this has been the biggest thorn in Nook's (and Android's) side.

[repapipa]

Dear Admins,

Please make this a sticky post. Thank you!

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[SLevine]

Done!

[Big_Dave_H]

I have to say that this was an absolutely stupid oversight on B & N's part. 

Another one is that it appears that you cannot set a static IP in the new Nook.  It appears to be DHCP only.  While this will work for most people, there are people who or places that set static IPs on their networks.  How hard would it have been to at least give people the option of setting an IP, mask, and gateway? 

[DMel]

Completely AGREE with Big_Dave_H!!!!

[Nallia Distinguished Bibliophile]

You're welcome.

[Lupe819]

Thanks so much for the mac address information.

I've past the initial screen and need to know how to erase the device and start over.  What do I do?

Thanks for any help with this.

[Carey_J]

Go to settings\device info\about your Nook.

It's at the bottom of the screen.

[mettleh3d]

I'm dumb.  Whats MAC address for?  I connect to wifi fine.

[Nallia Distinguished Bibliophile]

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mettleh3d wrote:

I'm dumb.  Whats MAC address for?  I connect to wifi fine.

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People turn on MAC address filtering in order to help prevent any devices--other than those they add to the router themselves--from being able to connect to their WiFi.

[mettleh3d]

ah thank you.

[LectorGS]

Regarding the MAC address, please help me out here... Does my device's MAC address show all the time or only during certain times?  My N2E is on airplane mode and when I did the settings/device info/about your nook sequence the final result is "Wi-Fi MAC address - 'Unavailable'" 

I remember that a few days ago, I saw the device's MAC address.  What's the problem?  Is this normal?

Thanks!

[Zion21]

Great tutorial! Now I can finally get my Wifi working correctly and not have to talk to customer service for hours. Thanks.