What is a MAC Address?

A MAC Address, which stands for Media Access Control Address, is a unique, permanent hardware identifier assigned to a device's network interface controller (NIC)—the component that connects a device to a network via an Ethernet cable or Wi-Fi.

Think of it as a physical serial number for your network hardware. Every network-capable device, from a VoIP phone to a computer or printer, has a unique MAC address burned into its hardware by the manufacturer. It is typically represented as a 12-digit hexadecimal number, often separated by colons or hyphens (e.g., 00:0A:95:9D:68:16).