I wanted to know if the MAC address is needed to be changed and does the ip address need to change if I move my computer from my home and into my office at work which are not on the same network?
When you move your computer from one network to another, such as from your home to your office, several changes may occur, including the need to change both the MAC address and the IP address.
1. MAC Address: A MAC (Media Access Control) address is a unique identifier assigned to the network interface of your computer. It is embedded in the hardware and cannot be changed easily. Each network interface, whether wired or wireless, has its own MAC address.
Changing the MAC address is not typically necessary when moving your computer from one network to another. The MAC address is used at the data-link layer of the network protocol stack to facilitate communication within a local network, usually limited to a specific geographical area.
Since your home and office networks are not connected, they are generally considered separate networks, and each network requires its own MAC address for proper functioning. Therefore, you do not need to change your computer's MAC address when moving between these two networks.
2. IP Address: An IP (Internet Protocol) address is used to identify and locate devices on a network or the internet. IP addresses are assigned dynamically or statically, depending on the network configuration.
When you move your computer to a different network, the IP address needs to be changed. In most cases, networks use different IP address ranges and configurations for different locations. Your home network and office network likely have different IP address ranges, subnet masks, and gateways. When you connect your computer to the new network, it will automatically be assigned a new IP address based on the network's configuration.
In summary, the MAC address does not necessarily need to be changed when moving your computer between your home and office networks, while the IP address will typically change as a result of connecting to a new network.