Xref: utzoo comp.protocols.tcp-ip:12318 comp.protocols.tcp-ip.ibmpc:3412
Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!lll-winken!rogue.llnl.gov!oberman
From: oberman@rogue.llnl.gov
Newsgroups: comp.protocols.tcp-ip,comp.protocols.tcp-ip.ibmpc
Subject: Re: How do you get a ENet Addr?
Message-ID: <1990Jul25.090203.1@rogue.llnl.gov>
Date: 25 Jul 90 16:02:03 GMT
References: <488@eng3.UUCP>
Sender: usenet@lll-winken.LLNL.GOV
Followup-To: comp.protocols.tcp-ip
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Organization: Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
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In article <488@eng3.UUCP>, joe@eng3.UUCP (Joe LaRocque) writes:
> I have been given a 'chance to excell' by my boss. Simply put, how do
> we go about getting a base EtherNet Address assigned to us? I seem to
> recall that PARC is still in charge of these numbers. But, I know that
> they have moved to San Diego and I no longer have a name or telephone
> number for an individual that I can talk to about this request.
> 
> Before I forget....I know that we could get a set of proms from a mfg
> who would take care of the problem for us. Our problem is that the new
> system we are building requires as few surface mount structures as 
> possible, so we will be assigning the EtherNet Address via software.
> 
I believe that the IEEE now hand out these numbers, although Xerox still does
the actual work. But I am concerned with the idea that you are planning on
putting out a device which gets it's Ethernet address from software.

I don't have the Ethernet or 802.3 spec handy, but I believe that this is NOT
legal. And, even if it is, it's dangerous. It is critical that all Ethernet
devices have globally unique addresses. The hardware assignment of these
ainsures that there can NEVER be two the same. The portion of the spec allowing
software to reset this address is something I've always objected to, but it is
there.

					R. Kevin Oberman
					Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
					Internet: oberman@icdc.llnl.gov
   					(415) 422-6955

Disclaimer: Don't take this too seriously. I just like to improve my typing
and probably don't really know anything useful about anything.