A Media Access Control (MAC) address is a unique identifier assigned to a network interface controller (NIC) for use as a network address in communications within a network segment. This use is common in most IEEE 802 networking technologies, including Ethernet, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth.
What is an OUI?
The first three octets (24 bits) of a standard MAC address constitute the Organizationally Unique Identifier (OUI). This identifier is exclusively assigned by the IEEE to manufacturers and vendors of network hardware. By analyzing the OUI of a device's MAC address, you can accurately determine the hardware manufacturer (e.g., Apple, Cisco, Intel).