diff --git a/plugins/network/network.py b/plugins/network/network.py
index 4a8fb96..d2c5204 100644
--- a/plugins/network/network.py
+++ b/plugins/network/network.py
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ __revision__ = "$Id$"
 
 import subprocess
 import os
+import re
 import cryptobox.plugins.base
 
 
@@ -239,7 +240,6 @@ class network(cryptobox.plugins.base.CryptoBoxPlugin):
         TODO: do not use "address_type" for ip and netmask, but return both in
         two tuples
         """
-        import re
         ## get the current IP of the network interface
         proc = subprocess.Popen(
             shell = False,
@@ -374,24 +374,30 @@ class network(cryptobox.plugins.base.CryptoBoxPlugin):
         else:
             return DEFAULT_INTERFACE
 
+
     def __get_interface_mac(self, interface="None"):
         """Return the MAC address of the given network interface
         """
-        import re, string
+        invalid_mac = "00:00:00:00:00:00"
         proc = subprocess.Popen(
             stdout = subprocess.PIPE,
             stderr = subprocess.PIPE,
             shell = False,
-            args = ["ip", "link", "show", interface] )
+            args = [self.root_action.IFCONFIG_BIN, interface] )
         proc.wait()
         if proc.returncode != 0:
-            self.cbox.log.warn("[network] error from ip command: %s" % str(proc.stderr.read()))
+            self.cbox.log.warn("[network] error from ifconfig command: %s" % str(proc.stderr.read()))
             self.cbox.log.warn("[network] failed to determine MAC address on: %s" % interface)
+            return invalid_mac
         output = str(proc.stdout.read())
-        regex = re.compile('[0-9a-f][0-9a-f]:+')
-        mac = regex.findall(output)
-        mac = string.join(mac[:5], "")
-        return mac
+        ## the MAC is the only string made up of six hexadecimal bytes
+        regex = re.compile('((?:[0-9A-F]{2}:){5}[0-9A-F]{2})')
+        match = regex.search(output)
+        if match:
+            return match.group()
+        else:
+            return invalid_mac
+
 
     def __IP_is_valid(self, ip1, ip2, ip3, ip4):
         try: