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Media Access Control layer (MAC layer)

Definition

Media Access Control layer (MAC layer)

In the Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) model of communication, the Media Access Control layer is one of two sublayers of the Data Link Control layer and is concerned with sharing the physical connection to the network among several computers. Each computer has its own unique MAC address. Ethernet is an example of a protocol that works at the Media Access Control layer level.

The other Data Link Control sublayer is the Logical Link Control layer.

Related glossary terms: TP0-TP4 (transport protocols 0 to 4), physical layer, Transport Services Access Point (TSAP), Layer Two Tunneling Protocol (L2TP), data link layer, OSI (Open Systems Interconnection), CDPD (Cellular Digital Packet Data), presentation layer, Application layer, Transport layer

This was last updated in September 2005

Posted by: Margaret Rouse

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Articles
Resources from around the Web
- SearchNetworking.com provides links to more information about "Standards and Protocols."
- On WiFi Planet, Jim Geier has a tutorial, "802.11 MAC Layer Defined."

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