diff --git a/slsDetectorSoftware/slsDetector/slsDetector.cpp b/slsDetectorSoftware/slsDetector/slsDetector.cpp
index 157087487..f15f5a41f 100644
--- a/slsDetectorSoftware/slsDetector/slsDetector.cpp
+++ b/slsDetectorSoftware/slsDetector/slsDetector.cpp
@@ -4920,13 +4920,27 @@ char* slsDetector::setClientIP(string clientIP){
   struct sockaddr_in sa;
   int result = inet_pton(AF_INET, clientIP.c_str(), &(sa.sin_addr));
   if((!result)||(clientIP.length()>15))
-    sprintf(thisDetector->clientIP,"IP Address should be VALID and in xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx format");
+    return ("IP Address should be VALID and in xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx format");
   else
     sprintf(thisDetector->clientIP,clientIP.c_str()); 
   return thisDetector->clientIP;
 };
 
 
+char* slsDetector::setClientMAC(string clientMAC){
+  if(clientMAC.length()==17){
+    if((clientMAC[2]==':')&&(clientMAC[5]==':')&&(clientMAC[8]==':')&&
+       (clientMAC[11]==':')&&(clientMAC[14]==':'))
+      sprintf(thisDetector->clientMAC,clientMAC.c_str()); 
+    else
+      return("MAC Address should be in xx:xx:xx:xx:xx:xx format");  
+  }
+  else
+    return("MAC Address should be in xx:xx:xx:xx:xx:xx format");  
+
+  return thisDetector->clientMAC;
+};
+
 
 
 string slsDetector::executeLine(int narg, char *args[], int action) {
diff --git a/slsDetectorSoftware/slsDetector/slsDetector.h b/slsDetectorSoftware/slsDetector/slsDetector.h
index 50fa9ee29..4bec9e84a 100644
--- a/slsDetectorSoftware/slsDetector/slsDetector.h
+++ b/slsDetectorSoftware/slsDetector/slsDetector.h
@@ -448,8 +448,8 @@ typedef  struct sharedSlsDetector {
   char* getClientMAC() {return thisDetector->clientMAC;};
   /** validates and sets the client IP address for gotthard \sa sharedSlsDetector  */
   char* setClientIP(string clientIP);
-  /** sets the  client MAC address for gotthard \sa sharedSlsDetector  */
-  char* setClientMAC(string clientMAC) {sprintf(thisDetector->clientMAC,clientMAC.c_str());return thisDetector->clientMAC;};
+  /** validates the format of client MAC address  and sets it for gotthard \sa sharedSlsDetector  */
+  char* setClientMAC(string clientMAC);
 
 
   /* I/O */