Hardware Reference
In-Depth Information
Figure 3-4
Network settings panels for Mac OS X and Windows.
Hardware Addresses
and Network Addresses
Whether you're using a simple network model where
all the objects are directly connected, a multitiered
model, or anything in between, you need an address-
ing scheme to get messages from one point to another
on the network. When you're making your own network
from scratch, you have to create your own addressing
scheme. For the projects you're making in this topic,
however, you're relying on existing network technologies,
so you get to use the addressing schemes that come with
them. For example, when you used the Bluetooth radios
in Chapter 2, you used the Bluetooth protocol address-
ing scheme. When you connect Internet devices, you use
the Internet Protocol (IP) addressing scheme. Because
most of the devices you connect to the Internet also rely
on a protocol called Ethernet , you also use the Ethernet
address protocol. A device's IP address can change when
it's moved from one network to another, but its hardware
address , or Media Access Control (MAC) address , is
burned into the device's memory and doesn't change.
It's a unique ID number assigned by the manufacturer
that differentiates that device from all the other Ethernet
devices on the planet. WiFi adapters also have hardware
addresses.
You're probably already familiar with your computer's IP
address and maybe even its hardware address. In Mac OS
X, click Apple Menu Location Network Preferences to
open the Network control panel. Here you'll get a list of the
possible network interfaces through which your computer
can connect to the Internet. It's likely that you have at least
a built-in Ethernet interface and an AirPort interface. The
built-in Ethernet and AirPort interfaces both have hardware
addresses, and if you select either, you can find out that
interface's hardware address. In either interface, click
on the Advanced button to get to both the Ethernet tab
(where you can see the hardware address), and the TCP/IP
tab (where you can see the machine's IP address if you're
connected to a network).
In Windows 7, click the Start Menu Control Panel, then
double-click "Network and Internet". Each network
interface has its own icon in this control panel. Click Local
Area Connection for your built-in Ethernet connection, or
Wireless Network Connection for your WiFi connection.
Under the Support tab, click Details to see the IP settings
and hardware address.
 
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