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In what type of hardware are MAC addresses used besides routers?

For example, could a MAC address be in printer or in a mobile phone?

Yes, I am talking about Ethernet MAC addresses.

Can you please give examples. For example, is MAC address stored on a SIM card in a phone or in the phone's hardware itself?

Jorgio
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    The kind of MAC address I *suspect* you are asking about is the 48 bits number used in Ethernet devices. *All Ethernet devices, regardless if they are in a computer, a printer, a phone, a switch or a router. That does not preclude the use of other unique serial number or similar in other devices. – Hennes Apr 12 '13 at 08:52
  • The MAC address on a phone wont be in the SIM, it will be on the radio. – David Houde Apr 12 '13 at 10:03

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Any device that adheres to an IEEE 802 protocol requires a MAC address, so that's a huge range of devices and communication methods including Ethernet, Bluetooth, wifi and even Token-Ring if you can remember that!

Chopper3
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  • I remember token ring, I remember it was a huge primadonna. – NickW Apr 12 '13 at 09:09
  • Do SIM cards in mobile phone store MAC addresses? – Jorgio Apr 12 '13 at 09:11
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    What I remember more than anything else was crawling around on my hands and knees trying to find out who had kicked their connector hard enough to disconnect it and take down the whole network. – NickW Apr 12 '13 at 09:12
  • @Chopper3 relive your past for only $10 (plus S+H) http://www.ebay.com/itm/TOKEN-RING-MAU-RESET-TOOL-/390531325237?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item5aed7b1d35 – NickW Apr 12 '13 at 09:16
  • @Jorgio - no, I mean you COULD but not by default, SIMs have their own unique identifying code but generally the actually signalling hardware (i.e. the phone) has it's MAC/s encoded at the factory when made. – Chopper3 Apr 12 '13 at 13:25
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My phone has a MAC address because it uses WiFi. Any device that has ethernet (or similar protocols like 802.11[x]) connectivity uses MAC addresses for L2 connectivity (the data link layer). If the printer is networkable, it will have a MAC addresses.

NickW
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