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Data link layer : the layer you are interested in for MAC addresses.

In network communication, in order to send a message from point A to point B, your message will go through multiple layers called OSI layers. In order to understand how MAC addresses are used, you need to understand what the OSI model is. However, you need to understand about the OSI model before being able to understand how MAC addresses are practically used. In the next section, we are going to focus on MAC addresses for local network communication. Even if your IP may change because you change networks, your MAC address will remain the same thus leaking your location over time. Device tracking : MAC addresses are actively used by companies in order to be able to track the location of a device.MAC address spoofing : meaning purposefully stealing an existing MAC address in order to gain access to a unsecure system.If you have access to the first three digits, you already know the vendor of your device, meaning that you can know about the manufacturer of an unknown device. Device identification : in short, MAC addresses uniquely identify a node over the network and they can be used in order to identify a device.MAC addresses are most of the time used for local network communication but they might also be used for : However, be aware that this does not mean that your MAC address cannot be changed at all, most operating systems support MAC address changes. In most cases, MAC addresses are stored in the firmware or in the memory of the network device, meaning that your computer will be assigned a MAC address without any configuration. The first three groups are reserved for the vendor (also called a OUI vendor) and the last three digits are used as a device identifier. MAC addresses (short for Media Access Control addresses) are represented by six groups of two hexadecimal numbers separated by dashes or colons and they are used in order to uniquely identify a NIC (network interface controller). In this tutorial, we are taking a practical look at MAC addresses, what they are and how they are used in order to communicate over a network. However, IP is not the only information used in order to communicate. Many users are familiar with the concept of IP address, understanding that nodes are assigned IP addresses and that they use this information in order to communicate. MAC addresses are central when it comes to network communication. If you have been working as a systems engineer for quite some time, you should be familiar with the concept of MAC address.