Why NetworkInterface's methods throw SocketException

Question

For example - public byte[] getHardwareAddress() throws SocketException. The method returns the mac address of a network interface, but how is it related to sockets and ends up throwing SocketException?

Because that's the any they designed it. – user207421 Oct 29 '14 at 20:48 — user207421, Oct 29 '14 at 20:48

score 2 · Accepted Answer · edited May 23 '17 at 12:05

2

On Linux getHardwareAddress() is implemented using SIOCGIFHWADDR ioctl request on a temporarily created datagram socket. Something like this.

Both socket and ioctl system calls may fail. The error will be translated to SocketException.

edited May 23 '17 at 12:05

Community

answered Oct 29 '14 at 19:16

apangin

1 Answers1