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Media access control (MAC)—also called medium access control—is the data-link function that governs who may transmit over a shared network medium and when. In the IEEE 802 data-link architecture, MAC is the lower sublayer, between the physical layer and logical link control (LLC). It is a networking function, not a MAC address.
What does media access control do?
When multiple devices share a transmission medium, they need rules for using it. The MAC function coordinates access to that medium: it governs which device may transmit and when. The specific mechanism depends on the network technology; MAC is not one universal access algorithm.
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Where does MAC fit in the data-link layer?
IEEE places MAC between the physical layer below and the logical link control (LLC) sublayer above. The physical layer carries signals; MAC manages access to the medium; LLC is the upper data-link sublayer. IEEE’s Technology Navigator describes MAC as one of the two sublayers explicitly addressed by IEEE 802 standards.
What does IEEE 802.1AC define?
IEEE 802.1AC defines the MAC service provided by IEEE 802 MACs, as well as the Internal Sublayer Service within MAC bridges. It describes the service in terms of semantics, actions, events, parameters, and valid sequences—not as a single transmission-control method. See the IEEE 802.1AC overview.
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The 2016 revision was published on March 10, 2017, according to IEEE’s revision page. IEEE’s maintenance page showed a draft submitted to the IEEE SA Review Committee and an archive item dated July 13, 2026, in its status snapshot checked October 7, 2026. That snapshot does not establish that a newer revision has been approved or published. The IEEE maintenance page is the place to check for later status.
Is media access control the same as a MAC address?
No. Media access control is a networking function or service; a MAC address is a separate networking term. The address itself should not be described as the mechanism that controls access to a channel.
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