I presume your runnign Windows 2000 or XP, so just open a DOS shell "Start -> Run -> cmd" and issue the command

ipconfig/all

This will then output all IP (Layer 3 info) along with your network cards and MAC address's

That's exactly how you get the MAC address.  However, the IPCONFIG /ALL command will list the call the MAC address the Physical Address   FYI - Ethernet address is yet another term for MAC address.

I am having problems gathering my MAC address, i have typed in ipconfig/all into the window but all it returns with is:

Windows IP Configuration

then it waits for the next command? is there a way of displaying the details of the configuration?

That should work. An alternate way is to click start->run and type in winmsd.

That will pull up the system Information application. Open the Components->Network->Adapter subtree.

All of your network adapters should be listed in there. Note however that many of these will likely be virtual network drivers. You can tell them apart because their MAC Address field will say "Unknown".

Only the real network adapter will have a MAC Address.

Goto

http://www.belarc.com

Download Belarc Advisor the free download.

Run the program and it will list out lots of useful info.