ToolKit

BACnet Invalid MAC Address

The BACnet stack rejects a MAC address that is out of range, malformed, or duplicates another node. MS/TP MAC addresses must be 0–127 and unique on the trunk.

Common Causes

  • MAC address set to 255 (broadcast) or other reserved value
  • Duplicate MAC address on the same MS/TP trunk
  • Typo in router/gateway configuration (wrong network/MAC)
  • Device firmware default (e.g., 0) conflicting with another node

Fix Steps

  1. Verify all MS/TP MAC addresses are 0–127 and unique; run MAC scan if available.
  2. Change conflicting MACs; document assignments to avoid future duplicates.
  3. Check router configuration: correct MS/TP network number and MAC for each port.
  4. Avoid using 0 or 255 unless required; prefer mid-range addresses for new devices.
  5. Update device configuration and restart; confirm in I-Am or network scan.

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