A city asks why MAC addresses appear as BSSIDs and client STAs in recon output. What is the fundamentals reason?
Select an answer to reveal the explanation.
Short Explanation
Wi-Fi still uses nametags at Layer 2. The AP’s radio MAC is usually the BSSID; phones and laptops show up as station MACs in the same dump.
Full Explanation
IEEE 802.11 addressing reuses 48-bit MAC identifiers for BSS and station identification on the air. Recon suites surface those addresses so operators can bind traffic to specific radios and clients. Understanding that mapping prevents mistaking BSSID/STA columns for IP or application identifiers.