
Wi-Fi and Bluetooth are among the technologies that also use MAC addresses. While it was once known as an Ethernet address, other types of hardware have been introduced making this term more obsolete. It is also known as a fixed address for this reason. This number is set by the manufacturer and is embedded within the hardware so it cannot be altered.

It is a set of numbers that identifies network devices. However, there are some very distinct differences.

Just like an IP address identifies your connected device and allows it to communicate with other devices while connected to the internet, the MAC address is similar in that it is used as an identifier. While many people are familiar with IP addresses – or rather, the unique address that identifies online devices including computers, laptops, and tablets – you may or may not be familiar with a MAC address, what it is, how it works, and the specifics of this identifier.

As one would expect, the internet and the hardware used to get online all have settings and have “addresses” that are used to communicate with each other, much like homes have their own addresses used to identify them. The fact that we can share data with others, access online content from anywhere in the world, and do all of it wirelessly shows us just how amazing technology can be. The internet is really a brilliant and innovative thing when you think about it.
