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.ĭevices can have more than one MAC address because they get one for every place they can connect to the internet. This is different from the IP address your internet service provider (ISP) assigns you-that’s your public IP address. It does this using MAC addresses, assigning a private IP address to each network-connected device based on that device’s MAC 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. RELATED: What Is a Network Adapter? How Does a MAC Address Work? Large network adapter manufacturers like Dell and Cisco will often code their identifiers, called their Organizationally Unique Identifier (OUI), into the MAC addresses of devices they make. MAC addresses are always a 12 digit hexadecimal number, with the numbers separated every two digits by a colon or hyphen. 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 work with the card in your device that lets it connect wirelessly to the internet, called a Network Interface Controller (NIC). Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and Ethernet connections all use MAC addresses. Other names used for MAC addresses include: MAC addresses are associated with specific devices and assigned to them by the manufacturer. One of those critical elements is the media access control (MAC) address.

Without both working together, we couldn’t get online. 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. Multiple hardware and software elements work together every day to connect us to the internet and get data to our devices.

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