Before you connect to the HKU campus network, you need to register your network card.

(1) Users need to register their network cards:

Login the HKU Portal at http://hkuportal.hku.hk with UID and PIN
=> Campus Information Services
=> Central IT Services
=> Register Network Cards

After registration of a network card, wait for 20 minutes before you can access the network.  Each HKU member can register up to 5 Ethernet or wireless network cards.

(2) A department can register network cards by filling in the form CF-75 "Registration of Departmental Network Interface Cards" downloadable at http://www.itservices.hku.hk/home/services/forms.htm#network -- the technical support staff or Authorized Representative of a department will fill in the form. Or, he/she can register through HKU Portal > Campus Information Services > Central IT Services > View NICs Registered by Dept > Register Network Card

When you register your network card under HKU Portal, you are required to enter your Network Card address (also known as Ethernet address or MAC (Media Access Control) address).  A Network Card address is a 12-character string assigned by the network card manufacturer and is a unique hardware address.  Each character is a hexadecimal number from 0-9 and A-F.  Sometimes the characters of a Network Card address are written with colons or hyphens as separators for ease of reading.  These separators are not part of the Network Card address.  Example: 00:E0:00:85:08:3A and 00-E0-00-85-08-3A both mean 00E00085083A. 

How to find out the Ethernet address through the Command Prompt:

Click here to watch video on how to find out the Ethernet address.


1. Click Windows Start => All Programs => Accessories => Run (or press 'Windows Logo' key + 'R' keys)
2. Type in the word cmd , and click OK
3. Once a black command window appears, type in ipconfig /all and hit the Enter key.
4. To register your Wireless network card, look under the Ethernet adapter Wireless Network Connection section and the Physical Address is its Ethernet address.

   To register your wired network card (connection using a cable), look under the Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection section and the Physical Address is its Ethernet address.

5. Register the Ethernet address (12 characters without the hyphens) under HKU Portal. (See Question 1 on how to do so.)

1. Click Windows Start => Run ; type in the word cmd ; click OK
   (or click Windows Start => click the Command Prompt icon)
2. Once a black command window appears, type in ipconfig /all and hit the Enter key.
3. To register your Wireless network card, look under the Ethernet adapter Wireless Network Connection section and the Physical Address is its Ethernet address.

   To register your wired network card (connection using a cable), look under the Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection section and the Physical Address is its Ethernet address.

   The brand name is shown in the "Description" field (before the "Physical Address" field).

4. Register the Ethernet address (12 characters without the hyphens) under HKU Portal. (See Question 1 on how to do so.)

Wired Connection

1. Select System Preferences from the Dock or under the Apple menu.
2. Select Network Pane.
3. Select Ethernet from the left-hand list
4. Click on the Advanced button in the lower right of the window
5. Click on the Ethernet button. The Ethernet ID is your Ethernet address of your wired network card.
6. Register the Ethernet address (12 characters without colons) under HKU Portal. (See Question 1 on how to do so.)

Wireless Connection

1. Select System Preferences from the Dock or under the Apple menu.
2. Select Network Pane.
3. Select AirPort from the left-hand list
4. Click on the Advanced button in the lower right of the window
5. The Airport ID is your Ethernet address of your wireless network card.
6. Register the Ethernet address (12 characters without colons) under HKU Portal. (See Question 1 on how to do so.)

Apple iPhone and iPod Touch

1. Tap Settings
2. Tap General
3. Tap About
4. Scroll down to Wi-Fi Address
5. The Wi-Fi address is your Ethernet address of your wireless network card.
6. Register the Ethernet address (12 characters without colons) under HKU Portal. (See Question 1 on how to do so.)

Linux (Asus Eee PC)

1. Click Settings
2. Click Diagnostic Tools
3. Click System Info
4. Click Details
5. Click Ethernet
6. The address for wifi0 is your Ethernet address of your wireless network card. The address for ath0 is your Ethernet address of your wired network card.
7. Register the Ethernet addresses (12 characters without colons) under HKU Portal. (See Question 1 on how to do so.)

Nokia (Symbian 60) phones

1. Enter *#mac0wlan# (*#62209526#) in your phone to show Ethernet Address of the WLAN adapter.
2. Register the Ethernet addresses (12 characters without colons) under HKU Portal. (See Question 1 on how to do so.)

Windows Mobile 5/6 phones

1. Select Start
2. Select Settings
3. Select Connections
4. Select Wireless LAN
5. The current status of wireless will be displayed. Wireless needs to be on for the Ethernet address to be displayed. If Wireless LAN is off, press Turn on WLAN
6. Select Advanced tab. The Ethernet address will be displayed next to MAC:.
7. Register the Ethernet address (12 characters without colons) under HKU Portal. (See Question 1 on how to do so.)

Note:If you cannot find your Ethernet address, please consult your smartphone vendor.

Blackberry phones

1. Press menu at the home screen
2. Select Options
3. Select Status
4. Select WLAN MAC address
5. Register the WLAN MAC address (12 characters without colons) under HKU Portal. (See Question 1 on how to do so.)

Macintosh OS X (10.3 - 10.4)

Macintosh OS X (10.1 - 10.2)

1. Select System Preferences from the Dock or under the Apple menu.
2. Select Network Pane.
3. Under Show, select Network Status.
4. Select Built-in-Ethernet.
5. Click on the TCP/IP button. The Ethernet Address in the lower left is your Ethernet address.
6. Register the Ethernet address (12 characters without colons) under HKU Portal. (See Question 1 on how to do so.)

Macintosh OS 9.x and earlier versions

1. Go to the Apple Menu => Control Panels => TCP/IP.
2. Click on the File menu => Get Info.
3. The Hardware address is your Ethernet address.
4. Register the Ethernet address (12 characters without spaces) under HKU Portal. (See Question 1 on how to do so.)

Windows 98/ME

1. Click Windows Start => Run.
2. Type in winipcfg , and click OK.
3. Look in "Ethernet Adapter Information" for the entry about your Ethernet Adapter.
4. The Adapter Address is your Ethernet address (i.e. Network Card address).
5. Register the Ethernet address (12 characters without the hyphens) under HKU Portal. (See Question 1 on how to do so.)

For connecting to the wireless local area network on campus, please refer to setup for Universities Wifi.

For more information about Network Connections, click here.