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MAC Addresses & ARP

Beginner

What is a MAC address?

A MAC address (Media Access Control) is a 48-bit hardware identifier assigned to every network interface at manufacture.

Format: AA:BB:CC:11:22:33 — six pairs of hexadecimal digits.

- First 3 bytes (OUI): manufacturer ID (AA:BB:CC = vendor) - Last 3 bytes: unique device serial

MAC addresses are local — they only matter on the same network segment. Every router hop uses different MACs.

Packets in motion — click to inspect:

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