Prove Ownership of your Swiped PSP with the MAC Address

The PlayStation Portable or PSP is a portable multi entertainment unit produced by Sony. It can support music, videos, photos, Internet, and video games using wireless technology. It is a small, handheld devise that can be taken anywhere.

Sony PSP 3000 Metal Gear Solid Bundle + Bonus!!

NEW SPIRITED GREEN SONY PSP 3000 SLIM JAPANESE SYSTEM

NEW BRIGHT YELLOW CARNIVAL SONY PSP SLIM CONSOLE

Sony PSP Go, Black w/ 3 Bonus* Games NIB

Sony PSP-3000 Core Bundle piano black ~ w/ 21 games NIB

Silver Sony PSP 3000 Ratchet and Clank Limited Edition

The Sony PSP is immensely popular with consumers. Much like with all new and popular electronics with value the PSP is being stolen on a regular basis. Sony has designed a unique way to identify each of the PSPs in the case of a theft. Consumers can use the Mac address in the hardware of the unit to efficiently identify the PSP as their own if it is ever stolen. Using a MAC address as an identification tool is common practice in almost all electronics.

Every Sony PSP has its own unique MAC address that can be used to identify the property if it is ever stolen. The MAC address is a specific identifier and can be located on the system information screen of every PSP. The Mac address is a series of numbers and letters and is not printed anywhere (like the packaging box or manual). MAC addresses can be found on a wide variety of electronic devises in addition to the PSP and can always be used for identification purposes.

To locate the MAC address on the PSP you should first go to the System Settings and then navigate to System Information. This is where the unique MAC address is listed.

MAC stands for a Media Access Control in computer networking terms. A layer above the MAC address is a devices IP address. When the PSP is used wirelessly it is assigned an IP address until the user disconnects. Unlike the IP address the MAC address is actually in the unit’s hardware, and is always the same, and very difficult to hack into.

The PSP has a regular serial number as well. It is placed on a small sticker on the front edge of the devise. This sticker can be peeled off or defaced, making it useless in the case of a theft. For this reason, the MAC address is a much more reliable way to prove ownership of the portable entertainment unit if it is ever stolen.

The MAC address is used to connect to public networks. For this reason, the MAC address will not change unless the thief pries open the unit and hacks into the microchips, which is highly unlikely. Most thieves are either unaware of the MAC address all together or lack the capability of hacking in to alter it. Therefore; the MAC address is the most foolproof way to prove ownership of the PSP if it is ever stolen.

Experts agree that consumers should write down both the MAC address and serial number for their PSP’s immediately. If the electronic devise is ever stolen the owner should contact the local authorities and fill out a police report. They should advise the police that they have the identifying markers to the PSP. In the case that the PSP is recovered the authorities will be able to identify the unit and prove ownership using the serial number and MAC address.

Experts also warn that consumers should be wary of purchasing any PSP they fear might be stolen. Because the MAC address can easily be used to identify the stolen property the owner will be able to prove the unit is theirs without a problem. Thus the purchaser of the stolen property will be charged with the theft. Also keep in mind if you purchase a stolen PSP it may be password protected. Without the capability of circumventing the password, the PSP will be useless.

July 15 2010 12:26 am | PlayStation Articles

Comments are closed.