
To ensure data is transmitted to your computer and not your friend’s smartphone, your local network uses a MAC address to distinguish between different devices. If it does occur, both devices will have communication issues because the local network cannot determine which device should receive the message. No two devices should share the same MAC address on a local network. It identifies the hardware manufacturer and is used for network communication between devices in a network segment.Įvery device has a distinct MAC address. Without further ado, let’s jump right into it.Ī Media Access Control (MAC) address is a unique identifier for every network-connected device, more like a separate postal address is assigned to each home.

And that’s why we have MAC addresses.Įverything online has a MAC address. As a result, each connected device requires a unique method of identification to distinguish it from other networks.

However, the issue with networks is that a large number of devices are connected to them. The fundamental components of any network are the gadgets linked to it, whether they are computers, smartphones, or peripherals such as printers. Even the internet is essentially a massive network made up of several smaller networks working together. There is no doubt that networks are an integral part of computers and data processing.
