Media Access Control (MAC) addresses are 48-bit values burned into network cards at manufacturing.
Format
- 6 pairs of hexadecimal digits: 00:1A:2B:3C:4D:5E.
- First 3 bytes identify the manufacturer (OUI).
- Last 3 bytes are device-specific.
Uses
- Layer 2 (Ethernet) addressing on local networks.
- Device identification for access control (MAC filtering).
- Network troubleshooting and asset inventory.
- DHCP reservations for static IP assignment.
Security notes
- MAC addresses can be spoofed easily.
- Not suitable for authentication or security boundaries.
- Visible to anyone on the local network.
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