Home /glossary/ MAC Address

MAC Address

A Media Access Control (MAC) Address is a unique identifier assigned to network interfaces for communication within a network segment. This hardware address is embedded into the network interface card (NIC) by the manufacturer and is used to ensure that data packets are delivered to the correct device on a local network. MAC addresses are typically written in hexadecimal format and are unique to each device, allowing for precise identification and filtering in network environments. They are crucial for managing network access control, security policies, and device tracking within a network.