A MAC address is a unique identification number or code used to identify individual devices on the network. Therefore, it’s also sometimes referred to as a hardware or physical address.

These numbers are embedded into the hardware of the network device during the manufacturing process. While they usually remain constant, you can sometimes find and modify the MAC address settings through software.

MAC addresses are 12-digit hexadecimal numbers (48 bits or 6 bytes in length) and often written in MM:MM:SS:SS:SS format. They help with communication on the network, and also provide some ISPs with a secure means to authenticate devices or computers for internet access.