Allow me to explain a little better. MAC stands for Media Access Control, 
and it is a common way of giving network devices a hardware address. Each 
device has one, sorta like latitude and longitude coordinates on a map. Each 
device gets one that is unique and unchanging, and only the next device or 
devices that see your device will ever know about it. To talk further down 
the chain, you need an address that can be passed along, and that is what IP 
is. It's like sticking house numbers onto those map coordinates. They both 
mean the same thing, just that one is easier to pass around. MAC is only 
good for talking between points A and B which are directly connected to each 
other on a cable or a wireless link. IP allows you to stretch your 
communications from point A to point Z way on the other side of the net. 
Another way to look at is is using a bucket brigade. MAC gets the bucket 
(your data) between individual people (network devices) in the chain, and IP 
makes sure the bucket goes all the way down the chain end to end.

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "g.Computer9f" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Sunday, April 20, 2008 12:48 PM
Subject: Re: [PCBUILD] MAC address corrupted?


So they are only readable by your own modem or router??

AnnaSummers

----- Original Message ----- 
From: Kenneth Whyman
To: [log in to unmask]
Sent: Saturday, April 19, 2008 3:01 AM
Subject: Re: [PCBUILD] MAC address corrupted?


MAC addresses are only readable by the next device physically connected to
you. They cannot propogate the same way an IP address can.

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "g.Computer9f" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Friday, April 18, 2008 4:13 PM
Subject: Re: [PCBUILD] MAC address corrupted?


The MAC address sounds a little scary, kind of like the "fritz-chip"
That is "personally identifying information" if it is unique.
Can just any website grab the MAC address of people's computers?
Is there anyway to limit who has access to it?

AnnaSummers

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