The MAC communications layer resides in all hardware/firmware in ALL network adapters/cards/whatever. Each MAC has (or should have) an unique address different from that in all others in all the network adapters in the world. Part of this address in manufacturer identification and manufacturers therefore have a very large number of addresses available to them so that each device they manufacture possesses an address unique in all the world. In most devices, there is no way to change this address and it shouldn't be changed. The MAC address is comparable to the ESN (Electronic Serial Number) that exists in all wireless (PCS) phones. It's the number that's actually called to reach your phone - uniquely apart from all others. Your IP address is a software address in a higher protocol and must be assigned by your provider. It's analog in the PCS world is your telephone number and while assigned to you, it belongs to the phone company (unless transferred to another company). This way, you don't have to get a new telephone number each time you buy a new phone. -- Nor do you have to get a new IP address every time you use a different adapter. The parallel with the PCS system is not perfect , and there's much more to this and to the functions of each communications layer, but they are transparent to you and are not germane to the MAC discussions that have been going on here.
Unless your a hacker, you have no need to change a MAC address and you shouldn't. Doing so can cause network havoc. --------------------------------------------------------------- "I don't mind if you don't like my manners. I don't like them myself. They're pretty bad. I grieve over them long winter evenings." -- Philip Marlowe (Humphrey Bogart) -- PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List PDML@pdml.net http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and follow the directions.
