Strange terminology : "MAC address"

[Kevin Dorrell]

I have been using the term "MAC address" for years, but it is only when I try explaining it to someone else that I realise I have a problem with it.

I know "MAC address" typically as the layer-2 address that a particular NIC recognises as its own.

As far as I am aware, MAC stands for "Media Access Control". (Leaving aside for a moment the colleague who thought MAC addresses were specific to AppleTalk ... ). But I reckon, the so-called MAC address has nothing to do with media access control, i.e. access to the media. Indeed, the MAC addresses go through repeaters, hubs, and switches, transparently without modification. You can change Ethernet media without changing the MAC address. The so-called "MAC address" belongs to a higher sub-layer of the datalink than media access.

Does anyone else find this terminology strange? Or does MAC stand for something else in this context?

Kevin Dorrell

Luxembourg

[pflunkert]

Hi again,

a mac-address is a hard-coded address. This address is hard is in the firmware of the NIC. You need this address to identify the device on your network. The first 3 Byte of the address is the vendor code and the last 3 byte are the serial number. Some vendors have more than one vendor codes (cisco for example). You receive a vendor code from the IANA http://www.iana.org/

Regards

Peter

[Kevin Dorrell]

Hi Peter,

My problem was not about understanding what we mean by "MAC address" - I think I have understood that already. My question more about whether "MAC address" is a suitable word for it. After all, it doesn't have anything to do with controlling access to the media (Madia Access Control).

Kevin Dorrell

Luxembourg

[aashish.c]

Hi,

MAc - Media access control is a standard termnology. We cant play with words and call it access to the media. Physical layer is designated to take care of different types of medias like fibre copper etc. In data link layer error correction, flow control and frame conversion takes place.

MAC address is the burnt-in hardware address on every network device.

regards

aashish C

[scottmac]

In Cisco outputs, it's actually referred to as the "Burned-In Address" (BIA) .... which may be a more suitable description.

(I know you knew this, but had to toss in my two cents ..)

FWIW

Scott