Media access control layer
The primary job of the MAC layer is to provide an interface between the PHY layer and upper layer protocols. Each instance of the MAC layer in a fixed/mobile WiMAX station has a 48-bit address as defined by the IEEE Std 802. Unlike the distributed and connectionless 802.11 MAC, the WiMAX MAC is centralized and connection-oriented. A 16-bit connection identifier (CID) identifies each WiMAX connection. Each WiMAX MAC layer protocol data unit uses the CID, instead of the MAC address, to identify source and destination. WiMAX has a rich quality of service mechanism that is based on the Data Over Cable Service Interface Specifications (DOCSIS).