If you have a router, then your machine’s MAC address will go no further than that. That means that the MAC address of your computer’s network adapter travels the network only until the next device along the way. MAC addresses are typically used only to direct packets from one device to the next device as data travels on a network. MAC operates at Layer 2 of the OSI model while IP operates at Layer 3. Initially it might seem that IP addresses and MAC addresses are redundant because both are unique identifiers of networked devices, but they actually serve different purposes, and are visible in very different ways.

The leftmost six hexadecimal digits of the address correspond to a manufacturer's unique identifier, while the rightmost six digits correspond to the serial number of the network interface card (NIC).

Traditional MAC addresses are 12-digit hexadecimal numbers. If the addresses match, the packet is processed, otherwise it is discarded. If a network adapter is receiving a packet, it is comparing the packet’s destination MAC address to the adapter’s own MAC address. Packets that are sent on the Ethernet are always coming from a MAC address and sent to a MAC address. For a network switch, it is likely to have many MAC addresses, since one MAC address is assigned to every interface on the switch.Ī MAC address, also known as “hardware address” or “physical address”, is a binary number used to uniquely identify computer network adapters. A MAC Address is given by the manufacturer and it is embedded in the chip that allows your device to connect to a network. To put the MAC (Media Access Control) address in layman’s terms, you can think of the MAC address as your unique digital fingerprint, which is one of a kind in the world.

So, why does your network devices need two addresses to connect to a network? Isn’t an IP address sufficient? What exactly is that MAC address for? Except for switches which have switch MAC address, all devices that connected to the Internet have this unique identifying number, from desktop computers, laptops, cell phones, tablets to wireless security cameras, and even your connected refrigerator have a MAC address. You may have noticed that every piece of hardware on your local network has a MAC address in addition to the IP address. Switch Mac Address: What’s It and How Does it Work?

Mac ethernet switch