Good to know: What are MAC addresses?

12.03.2024

MAC addresses – this cryptic term often crops up when it comes to networks and communication between devices. But what exactly is a MAC address and what is it used for? We explain this in this article.

What is a MAC address?

MAC stands for Media Access Control. A MAC address is a unique identifier that is assigned to each network device. This address, which consists of a 48-bit number combination, uniquely identifies each network interface in a network. The MAC address is usually displayed in hexadecimal form, which means that it consists of numbers and letters. Interestingly, the MAC address is divided into two parts: The first 24 bits identify the manufacturer of the device, while the remaining 24 bits identify the individual device.

(https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/MAC-Adresse)

What are MAC addresses used for?

MAC addresses play a decisive role in networks. In order to receive a signal from another device, the receiving device must have a unique MAC address. Without this, the data sent would come to nothing. The MAC address is therefore to be understood analogously to a house number, which enables the resident to receive mail. In addition, network administrators can use MAC addresses to control access to the network. By authorizing or blocking certain MAC addresses, you can ensure that only authorized devices can access the network. This improves network security by preventing unauthorized access.

How do I find the MAC address of my device?

It is relatively easy to read out the MAC address of your device; this is usually written on the inside of the network sockets. The method of reading the MAC address from the software varies depending on the operating system:

Under Windows, you can find the MAC address in the "Status" of a network connection on the "Network support" tab in the "Details" or use the "ipconfig/all" command in the command line.
Under Linux, execute the command "ifconfig" in the terminal to see the "HWaddr" (hardware address).
On a device with Mac OS, you can either use the "ipconfig" command in the terminal or find the MAC address in the "Network" area of the system settings.

In summary, it can be said that MAC addresses play an essential role in communication between devices in e networks, whereas on the Internet, devices are mainly identified via IP addresses .