What does mac address mean?

The MAC address is an address used to uniquely identify and identify a network device. Each network device has a unique MAC address, which is defined and managed by IEEE. This address is used to identify and address the device in the local area network to ensure that data packets can be accurately transmitted to the target device.

The operating environment of this tutorial: Windows 10 system, Dell G3 computer.

MAC address, which stands for Media Access Control Address, is an address used to uniquely identify a network device. Each network device has a unique MAC address, which is defined and managed by the IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers).

The MAC address is a string of 12 hexadecimal digits (or 6 bytes), usually represented as 6 hexadecimal pairs separated by colons or dashes. For example, 00:0A:95:9D:68:16 is a standard MAC address format.

Every network device, whether it is a computer, router, switch or other device, must have a unique MAC address. This address is used to identify and address devices within a local area network (LAN) to ensure that data packets are accurately delivered to the intended device.

The MAC address is a hardware address that is usually determined when the device is manufactured and stored in the network interface card (NIC). Therefore, when a device is connected to the network, its MAC address is identified and associated with the device.

In a LAN, when a device wants to send a data packet to another device, it first needs to determine the MAC address of the target device. To accomplish this, the source device sends a broadcast signal (called an ARP request) asking devices throughout the network: Who has the MAC address of a certain IP address?

The target device will then reply with an ARP response containing its own MAC address. Once the source device obtains the MAC address of the destination device, it can send packets to the destination device's MAC address.

It should be noted that the MAC address only works within the LAN. When a packet leaves the LAN and enters the wide area network (WAN), it passes through a router at the network layer and the MAC address is replaced with the MAC address of the next-hop router.

In addition, the MAC address is usually fixed, but some devices (such as some wireless network devices) may change their MAC address, which is called MAC address masquerading. This technology can be used to protect the identity and privacy of devices.

In summary, the MAC address is an address used to uniquely identify and identify a network device. It plays an important role within a local area network to determine the recipient of a data packet. Understanding the concepts and functions of MAC addresses can help you better understand the process of network communication.

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