How Do You Know If A MAC Address is Unicast, Multicast or Broadcast | Tooabstractive

In order to know if a MAC address is a Unicast MAC address, Multicast MAC address or Broadcast MAC address, you need to understand what a MAC address is.

A MAC address consist of a 48-bit or 6-byte. As an example - 4A:30:10:19:10:1A
But the main point needed in order to identify if a MAC address is a Unicast or Multicast is the first byte.

The first byte consists of 8-bits [b7, b6, b5, b4, b3, b2, b1, b0], b7 is the MSB (Most Significant Bit) while b0 is the LSB (Least Significant Bit).

If the LSB (b0) is 0 then it is said to be a unicast MAC address but if LSB (b0) is 1 then it is said to be a multicast MAC address.

But a broadcast MAC address is generic and does not need to be noted using the LSB or whatsoever because it consist of FF:FF:FF:FF:FF:FF or 1111:1111:1111:1111:1111:1111.

[hasnainmalik]

Bro thanks for explaining in such a simple way please keep making videos. Your video is far simple and best than other videos i have seen..

[anshumansharma_a]

simplest explanation I have seen so far, thanks bro.

[jordancarthy]

great teacher i have exam tomorrow many thanks

[zxynb]

According to the video, A3:34:45:11:92:F1 should be multicast, but in my text book its given as unicast...
how is it possible

[fatimahalqadheeb]

in a simple way you can look at the first byte of the mac address form the left side. Then see the second digit if it is an odd number then it is a unicast. And if it is an even number then it is a multicast. This is written in the Data Communication and Networking book fifth edition chapter 9

[styzicmuzic]

shortcut way to find unicast or multicast mac add. thanks mate

[AkashSrivastava]

Very good and very clear explanation bro 👏

[Eren]

Crystal clear explanation buddy thanx!!

[yahyaosmakdown]

That was very helpful, Thank you so much ❤

[Lemonn]

That was very helpful! Thank you so much!!

[miltonperez]

Dude amazing. Got the idea in the first look, thank you!

[amochswohntet]

On example 5 you showed the MAC address represented as 1111.1111.1111…
but this is not accurate because the binary represention of FF is a total of 8 numbers. Your example is either wrong or confusing. So many bad teachers out there.