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- MAC addresses are used to identify which device is which on your local network so that data gets sent to your computer and not your roommate's smartphone. MAC addresses are always a 12 digit hexadecimal number, with the numbers separated every two digits by a colon or hyphen.
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Jan 8, 2012 · A Media Access Control address (MAC address) is a unique identifier assigned to network interfaces for communications on the physical network segment. Logically, MAC addresses are used in the Media Access Control protocol sub-layer of the OSI reference model.
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Multiple hardware and software elements work together every day to connect us to the internet and get data to our devices. Hardware devices like routers and cables transmit the data we need, while software like border gateway protocol (BGP) and internet protocol (IP) addresses direct those data packets to and from those devices. Without both working together, we couldn't get online.
One of those critical elements is the media access control (MAC) address. MAC addresses are associated with specific devices and assigned to them by the manufacturer.
Other names used for MAC addresses include:
•Networking hardware address
•Burned-in address (BIA)
•Physical address
When data packets from the internet hit your router, that router needs to be able to send them to the right device on its network. It does this using MAC addresses, assigning a private IP address to each network-connected device based on that device's MAC address. This is different from the IP address your internet service provider (ISP) assigns you---that's your public IP address.
Your router tracks outbound data requests so that when the data comes back, it can attach the correct private IP to the data packets, then send them along to whichever device's MAC address matches that private IP.
Devices can have more than one MAC address because they get one for every place they can connect to the internet. If your laptop has an ethernet port and Wi-Fi, for example, it would have different MAC addresses for the Wi-Fi connection and the Ethernet connection. Bluetooth also uses its own MAC address.
Related: Wi-Fi vs. Ethernet: How Much Better Is a Wired Connection?
In addition to sending your data to the right place, your wireless router also uses MAC addresses to secure your connection by only accepting traffic from devices with MAC addresses that it recognizes. This is called MAC filtering.
Related: Internet Connection Not Working? 10 Troubleshooting Tips
If you need to find the MAC address for your device, you can usually do it by going into the settings menu. You can follow our guide to finding the MAC addresses on your Windows device, whether by the Settings app or by the command prompt.
It's also easy to find the MAC address on a Mac computer. In System Preferences, click the Network icon, select the interface you want to use, then click Advanced. You'll see the MAC address listed under the Hardware tab.
Many more devices, including smart TVs, game consoles, and smartphones have their own MAC addresses that you can find.
If you want to, it's also possible to change or "spoof" your MAC address.
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Oct 30, 2023 · Find Your MAC Address in System Information. Sometimes you need to know the physical hardware address, or MAC address (short for "Media Access Control"), of your network adapter on a Windows 10 or Windows 11 PC. Here are several ways to find it.
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MAC address essentials: Understanding, locating, optimizing network configuration, and leveraging MAC addresses for efficient network management. Read more! A brief guide to what a MAC address is and how to find it on your device.
Nov 30, 2020 · The MAC address is a unique 17-character (00:1A:C2:9B:00:68, for example) which serves as a hardware identifier that’s embedded on your computer’s network interface controller (NIC) card. The unique identifier is assigned by the device manufacturer and permanently tied to your device.
