Question

Each NIC or network interface card has a unique network address called what?

a. IP Address
b. MAC Address
c. Subnet Address
d. Gateway Address

Answer 1

A unique network address for a NIC is called a MAC Address, which is a permanent 48-bit hexadecimal number used to identify devices individually on a network.

Step-by-step explanation:

Each network interface card (NIC) has a unique network address known as a MAC Address. This hardware address is used to identify devices uniquely on a LAN (Local Area Network). While an IP Address can change, especially when assigned dynamically by a DHCP server, the MAC Address is hard-coded into the NIC by the manufacturer and remains constant. It is a 48-bit number, commonly represented in hexadecimal format, divided into 6 groups of two hexadecimal digits, usually separated by colons or hyphens. Since each MAC Address is unique, it ensures that each device on a network can be individually identified, which is essential for the delivery of data packets to the correct destination on a network.