The Physical Layer understands the electrical signals on the network and creates the frame which gets passed to the Datalink layer. All machines on a network will listen for packets that have their MAC address in the destination field of the packet (they also listen for broadcasts and other stuff, but that’s analysed in other sections). This is where the MAC address – Layer 2 comes into the picture. You see, the IP address of a machine exists on the 3rd Layer of the OSI model and, when a packet reaches the computer, it will travel from Layer 1 upwards, so we need to be able to identify the computer before Layer 3. The diagram below provides a visual representation how important MAC Addresses are on our network and at which layer of the OSI Model they exist: If you’re thinking of IP addresses, then you’re correct to some extent, because an IP address does identify one unique machine on a network, but that is not enough. THE REASON FOR MACĮach computer on a network needs to be identified in some way. The reason for this is that the MAC address is actually “the burned-in address (BIA)” into your network card’s memory chipset. Logical addresses require you to load special drivers and protocols in order to be able to configure your network card/computer with an IP Address, where as a MAC address doesn’t require any drivers whatsoever. MAC addresses are physical addresses, unlike IP addresses which are logical addresses. The NIC is essentially a computer circuit card that makes it possible for your computer to connect to a network.Īn NIC turns data into an electrical signal that can be transmitted over the network. Typically it is tied to a key connection device in your computer called the network interface card, or NIC. So not surprisingly, along with an IP address (which is networks software), there’s also a hardware address. ![]() Whether you work in a wired network office or a wireless one, one thing is common for both environments: It takes both network software and hardware (cables, routers, etc.) to transfer data from your computer to another or from a computer thousands of miles away to yours.Īnd in the end, to get the data you want right to YOU, it comes down to addresses.
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