Media Access Control

A MAC address is a unique identifier for a network interface controller (NIC). It is used as a network address in network segment communications. A common use is in most IEEE 802 networking technologies, such as Bluetooth, Ethernet, and Wi-Fi. MAC addresses are most commonly assigned by device manufacturers and are also referred to as a hardware address, or physical address. A MAC address normally includes a manufacturer's organizationally unique identifier (OUI). It can be stored in hardware, such as the card's read-only memory, or by a firmware mechanism.