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Address FF FF FF FF FF FF

nana -  
brupala Posted messages 111174 Registration date   Status Member Last intervention   -
Hello everyone!
Please help me, can a machine accept the following address: FF FF FF FF FF FF, and if so, what is the role of this address?
Thank you very much in advance.

6 answers

  1.
    brupala Posted messages 111174 Registration date   Status Member Last intervention   14 454
     
    Hi,
    The address all ones, FF-FF-FF-FF-FF-FF, is the broadcast MAC address (destination Everyone).
    As a result,
    1-All machines on a local network listen to this address and will respond if they are concerned by another selection criterion (for example DHCP server, ARP, etc....)
    2-This address should not be used by anyone as a unicast (unique) address.
    An ARP is always issued to the broadcast address.
    --
    And ... There you go!
    17
    1. A
       
      Well explained
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      1. brupala Posted messages 111174 Registration date   Status Member Last intervention   14 454 > A
         
        Thank you :-)
        It's nice after 16 years ....
        The advantage is that it hasn't changed since :-)
        I will add, because I had forgotten and it is still important, that it only exists for destination addresses, not for source addresses, that's not allowed.
        0
  2. A. B. Posted messages 40 Status Member 1
     
    huh ... no that's not possible!

    But what are you talking about ... an Ethernet address???
    Anyway that's what I see.

    I think I'm a bit lost .... maybe if you clarify a bit I will better understand your question.

    Bye
    1
  3. haveac00kie Posted messages 184 Status Member 60
     
    Hi,

    it looks more like a MAC address, it's sort of the ID card of a network device (Ethernet card, router, etc).
    It's a coding of 6 bytes, the first 3 refer to the manufacturer and the last 3 to the serial number. We will never find two identical MAC addresses on the network. So the address FF FF FF FF FF FF seems rather unrealistic to me.

    See you later!
    1
  4. A. B. Posted messages 40 Status Member 1
     
    Yes, I meant to talk about MAC address... it was a mistake on my part to mention Ethernet address.

    However, it is still possible to change your MAC address (there are utilities like SMAC from KLC Software, for example). So, in theory, it is possible to give the MAC address you want... However, the address FF:FF:FF:FF:FF:FF corresponds to the Broadcast address.
    I admit I don’t know if it's possible to assign this MAC address to a machine... but I think it's not possible.

    Ciao.
    0
  6. nana
     
    I believe that a MAC address cannot be changed; it is a fixed address given by the manufacturer of the network cards and it is unique.
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  7. A. B. Posted messages 40 Status Member 1
     
    No, I'm sure of myself when I say that there are utilities that allow you to change your MAC address... as my "Communications under Unix" professor (Guy Pujolle for those who know) put it.

    Ciao.
    0