A Media Access Control (MAC) address is the physical hardware address of a network computer. Each computer on a network has its own unique MAC address. The MAC Address is actually a numeric code that is usually permanent and does not change. Normally the MAC Address of a computer is assigned by the manufacturer or vendor via the network (Ethernet or Wireless) interface of the computer.
For computers connected to a network, each MAC Address corresponds to a specific IP Address for every computer connected to the network. If there is an issue with either the MAC address or the IP address of a computer (e.g. a duplicate IP Address) then a computer may not be properly recognized or not at all on the ASU network.
Knowing the MAC Address of a computer can be very helpful when troubleshooting network specific issues, such as connection to the internet on the ASU network.
Related Article: How Do I Find My Computer's MAC Address?