What does mac mean in computer terms mac#
In short, while SSID is the network name, which arrives as default but can be configured and changed according to your business requirements, the BSSID of access points is default, usually configured from the MAC address, or randomly if you are dealing with an ad-hoc network. So, there you have it – the basics of BSSID! You can’t use this to connect to any other basic service set, as there are no access points. You don’t need any network infrastructure whatsoever, but one or more stations will be communicating with one another if they both consent. This stands for independent basic service set. It will be used across multiple access points which are all using the same WLAN. Here are two of the most common, and what they mean in an IT environment:Īn extended service set identifier is often used interchangeably with a service set identifier. When it comes to wireless networking, you might also hear a few other similar acronyms. To find your BSSID, different apps are available for this on both the Play Store and the App store.Īre there any other terms I need to know? The drop-down menu will have the BSSID listed automatically. On macOS, you can hold the Option key down while you’re also clicking on the WiFi icon which is found in the top right-hand corner.
What does mac mean in computer terms windows#
If you’re looking for your BSSID on the Windows OS, you can run the command netsh wlan show interfaces | find “BSSID”. This makes it a little harder to track down your BSSID.
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It will look like a MAC address, and be used for every packet. In this case, there will be a randomly generated 48-bit string of numbers used. This is simple when a BSS has a single WAP alongside wireless nodes, but as IT admins know – sometimes you come across ad-hoc networks which don’t have a WAP. This means you need to know the MAC address in order to find the BSSID.
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Your first step is your MAC address, as each access point’s MAC address is used to create the BSSID. Sometimes you might need to find your BSSID for a specific access point. This is because one part of the network could have too much traffic, or you might need to find a specific client. While the user has no idea when they move from one BSS to another, (which as we said, will happen automatically without any noticeable change or impact to connectivity and availability) an administrator will want to stay on top of this information. While the SSID is the name of the network itself, the BSSID is the AP MAC address for each access point. The BSSIDs are used to identify the access points and keep them separate from one another. This is because inside each WLAN, there will be more than one access point. This can be managed via usernames and passwords.Īs an administrator of an IT network, you need to think further than SSIDs, and consider BSSIDs as well. This means you can offer different permissions and authentication and authorization rules to different users, so that guests don’t have the same access rights as administrators. For example, in a hospital you might have staff, patient, guest and administrator. When you connect wirelessly, the SSID is used to recognize which service profile is being used. Each WLAN needs its own unique name so that they can exist on the same host, and so each will be given its own SSID. In order to understand BSSID, you also need to have an understanding of what SSID is – which stands for Service Set Identifier.Īs we said, if you’re a wireless network user, you probably only care about the SSID, the service set identifier that allows you to connect to a network. An end user will not notice when their BSSID changes, which could happen simply from moving from one part of a building to another – and it won’t have any impact on connectivity. For an admin – it’s important to stay on top of the BSSIDs in your environment, but for your end-users, they will probably only care about SSID. This term is used in wireless networking, and BSSID itself is used to describe the different sections of a WLAN (wireless local area network). Here’s your overview of one of the most common acronyms – BSSID.īSSID stands for Basic Service Set Identifier, but what does that really mean? In this article, we will cover what the term means, what other related acronyms are important to know, and when you might need to find and use your BSSID in an IT business.īSSID stands for Basic Service Set Identifier, and it’s the MAC physical address of the access point or wireless router that is used to connect to the WiFi.
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Always wondered what certain networking terms stood for, but no-one to ask? Atera has you covered.