MAC-48 or EUI-48 * MAC: Media Access Control * EUI: Extended Unique Identifier Example: 00-40-05-60-7D-49

• No two NICs share MAC addresses. Always have to be unique.
• Uses hexadecimal notation
• 48 bits total with 12 4 bit chars
  • 48-bit binary address or 6-byte binary address
• IEEE issues MAC address to manufacturer, referred to as OUI
  • OUI: Organizationally Unique Identifier
• NICs send a Layer 2 broadcast of FF-FF-FF-FF-FF-FF to request NICs MAC addresses. Every NIC on the network will process this.
• When the MAC address isn't known a NIC can use the IP address (Layer 3) to request the MAC address of the target NIC.

Run these in terminal to see MAC addresses: Linux: ip a Windows: ipconfig /all MacOS: ifconfig

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