Clarification on /networks/{networkId}/clients API - Client Connection to Switch

[Spaz]

Hi everyone,

We're using the Meraki API endpoint /networks/{networkId}/clients to retrieve client details in our network.

One thing we're not entirely sure about:

If a client is shown as being connected to a switch, does this always mean that the client is directly connected via Ethernet (i.e., physically cabled to that switch)? Or is there a scenario where the client could actually be connected via an intermediate device, such as:

• A downstream switch
• A hub
• A docking station with built-in networking

In such cases, does recentDeviceMac represent only Meraki managed switches, and there is a chance there is a "intermediate" switch/device?

We want to ensure that when a client appears to be connected to a switch, we can reliably determine if it's a direct wired connection.

Would appreciate any insights. Thanks!

[alemabrahao]

The recentDeviceMac field does not necessarily guarantee that the client is directly connected via Ethernet to that specific switch. There are scenarios where the client could be connected through an intermediate device, such as a downstream switch, a hub, a  docking station with built-in networking.
In these cases, the recentDeviceMac would still show the MAC address of the Meraki switch that the intermediate device is connected to, not the intermediate device itself. Therefore, it is possible that there is an "intermediate" switch or device between the client and the Meraki switch.

To reliably determine if a client is directly connected via a wired connection, you may need to cross-reference additional information, such as the port status and the MAC address table of the switch. This can help you identify if the client's MAC address is directly associated with a specific port on the switch or if it is being learned through another device.