Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!ucbvax!BBN.COM!tmallory
From: tmallory@BBN.COM
Newsgroups: comp.protocols.tcp-ip
Subject: Re: Token Ring Mac Addresses
Message-ID: <8906071025.AA09929@ucbvax.Berkeley.EDU>
Date: 7 Jun 89 02:50:35 GMT
Sender: daemon@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU
Organization: The Internet
Lines: 19

Eric,

I've been a little behind in my mail, and have saved your message for a later
moment, which is now.  Though I don't have a copy in front of me, my memory is
that the cover letter which the IEEE sent with a block address assignment, as
well as the address itself, explicitly addressed the fact that the bit orders
for 802.3 and 802.4-5 are reversed.  The assigned address block refers to the
bits as they appear on the wire(fiber, etc.).  Our address was printed in
three forms:  binary network order, 802.3 hex, and 802.5 hex.  Reversing the
bits in each byte is the correct way to go for the different network types.

BTW There was a recent tip-ip posting concerning the hardware addresses from
some well-known manufacturer's equipment which did not match the assigned
address block(perhaps AT&T?), that appeared to be a bit-reversal problem.

Hope this is helpful, and that you didn't get too many versions of this
message.

Tracy Mallory