Notes
MAC
What is MAC?
MAC -> Media Access Control A media access control address (MAC address) is a unique identifier assigned to a network interface controller NIC for use as a network address in communications within a network segment. This use is common in most IEEE 802 networking technologies, including Ethernet, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth. Within the Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) network model, MAC addresses are used in the medium access control protocol sublayer of the data link layer. As typically represented, MAC addresses are recognizable as six groups of two hexadecimal digits, separated by hyphens, colons, or without a separator.
Why MAC?
MAC address is a unique number which is used to track a device in a network. MAC address provides a secure way to find senders or receivers in the network and helps prevent unwanted network access. Mac address is also used in Wi-Fi networks at the airport for a specific device in order to identify it.
MAC address works at link layer of OSI model whereas, IP address works at network layer of OSI model.
About MAC
- Unique for every device
- Used for local communication
- Hardcoded on NIC
- 48 bits length
