There might be times when you want to change or override the network address of the NIC when running the DLC protocol. You might want to do this, for example, when communicating directly to a mainframe. Certain configurations of mainframe software require the network address of the devices connecting to it to follow a set format, and so it might be necessary to change the card's network address. You can do this through the Registry Editor.
The following example is for an IBM Token Ring adapter. This parameter is supported on other NICs as well, but not necessarily on all.
To change the address of an adapter card
1. Click Start, and then click Run.
2. Type regedit, and click OK.
3. When the Registry Editor starts, select the following key:
4. On the Edit menu, click Add Value.
5. Type NetworkAddress in Value, select REG_SZ for data, and then click OK.
6. Type the 12-digit Locally Administered Address (LAA) that you need to communicate to the mainframe.
If you don't know this address, see your network administrator or operations group.
7. Close the Registry Editor and restart your computer for the modification to take effect.
8. From the command prompt, run the following command to report the active MAC address:
If the MAC address is the same as the LAA you entered in the Registry Editor, the LAA has taken effect.
For information about running the Registry Editor, use online Help and the keyword Registry.