Rodent of Unusual Size <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes: > I'm not real conversant with the various packet formats. > Is there anything at the TCP packet level that might include > the MAC address of either endpoint? If so, I rather guess > it isn't used, but I'm not even sure it exists. In other > words, is the MAC address completely inaccessible in a WAN > environment using TCP, or only by convention?
The MAC address is not visible at the TCP level. Ethernet was developed
at Xerox as a full networking solution, but its most common uses these
days is vestigial, merely acting as a physical transport underneath IP.
IP can sit transparently on top of Ethernet, ATM, FDDI, serial line, and
many others.
There's even an old April Fools gag about running IP over a system of
carrier pigeons:
Request for Comments: 1149 - 1 Apr 1990
A Standard for the Transmission of IP Datagrams on Avian Carriers
Request for Comments: 2549 - 1 Apr 1999
IP over Avian Carriers with Quality of Service
--
John Abreau / Executive Director, Boston Linux & Unix
ICQ 28611923 / AIM abreauj / JABBER [EMAIL PROTECTED] / YAHOO abreauj
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