MAC addresses and the TCP/IP protocol suite

[Jake Bunce]

Media Access Control, that is. Not the platform. :D

I think thewitt was saying that MAC addresses weren't defined in the http protocol or something. A friend of mine says his MAC address was banned from an online gaming service. So if MAC addresses can't be transmitted over http than how is this possible? What protocol do online gaming services typically use for authentication? Do any protocols within the TCP/IP protocol suite allow for MAC address viewing? Aren't MAC addresses a core part of the addressing portion of TCP/IP packets?

Just curious. :)

[gekko]

MAC addresses can be indentified. Many broadband ISPs use them to prevent the users from using unauthorized devices through their connection. I could only use 1 computer through my cable service, so i had to setup a router. I called to have them change the MAC address that it allowed to that of the router and their systems detected it.

There's obviously some way to detect it online.

[Heikin]

I had to give my MAC address of my LAN Card to my ISP, so if I want use a other PC then I have to pay additional $15.
If the MAC address is not the same then I have no way to connect.

In W2K use the command ipconfig /all to see the details. (In W98 it’s winconfig, not sure)

Heikin

[Mas*Mind]

I believe the mac-address is obtained via the Address Resolution Protocol (ARP)

so it's not through tcp/ip

[Jake Bunce]

so would an online gaming service have any way of obtaining the MAC address of a client and use it to ban?