Search results
Cannot be changed
- MAC addresses are 'burned' into the Network Interface Card (NIC), and cannot be changed. See ARP and RARP on how IP addresses are translated into MAC addresses and vice versa. In order for a network device to be able to communicate, the MAC address it is using must be unique. No other device on that local network subnet can use that MAC address.
superuser.com/questions/968340/how-is-uniqueness-of-mac-addresses-enforced
People also ask
What happens if two devices use the same MAC address?
Can a network device communicate with a different MAC address?
How do MAC addresses work?
What is a MAC address?
Can a device have more than one MAC address?
Why are devices not uniquely identified by their MAC addresses?
Feb 8, 2016 · IF you can connect to the device you know the MAC of on the same network (ideally a cross-over cable). You can assign an IP address to the MAC and then access the IP that way: Microsoft Windows Windows systems require the dash "-" character between each digit of the MAC Address (Ethernet Address).
- What Is a MAC Address?
- How Does a MAC Address Work?
- How Are MAC Addresses Used?
- How Do I Find My MAC Address?
- The Best Tech Newsletter Around
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.
By subscribing, you agree to our Privacy Policy and may receive occasional deal communications; you can unsubscribe anytime.
Share Share Share Share Share
Copy
Email
Share
Share Share Share Share Share
Apr 13, 2017 · Can duplicate MAC addresses on same LAN cause trouble? What happens to network traffic on a switched LAN if two devices have the same MAC (probably because one is cloning the other). This is probably a static IP network instead of DHCP.
Sep 14, 2024 · Learn what the MAC address is, how it is formed, and the types of MAC addresses (unicast, multicast, and broadcast). In network, an address provides a unique identity to an end device. Unless an end device has a unique address, it can’t communicate with other devices in the network.
Mar 18, 2024 · Until now, we know that MAC addresses identify a particular device in a network. So, we naturally can use MAC addresses to enable a device to communicate with other devices. It occurs indeed: the frame header carries a source and a destination MAC address.
1. To clarify, it appears to allocate a new MAC everytime you re-launch an instance. – jakc. Oct 30, 2011 at 2:54. Add a comment. 7. Nope, joining to a new network won't give you a new address. Installing a new device, won't change the existing MAC address on your other card.
Sep 4, 2015 · If two devices have the same MAC address (which occurs more often than network administrators would like), neither computer can communicate properly. On an Ethernet LAN, this will cause a high number of collisions.
