DUPLICATE MAC ADDRESSES/DEVICE INSTANCE NUMBERS

What would happen if you had two BACnet MSTP devices with different MAC address but the same BACnet Device ID (Node ID) on the same network and you send a Broadcast Who-is message.
This would be an illegal configuration (no two devices shall have the same Device ID) but the rules for address binding say the last one wins. If new information arrives saying "I-AM Device 7? the old information is replaced.

To understand this answer you must know a thing or two about a token ring networks.
Basically a token ring networks works by passing a token around the network, whoever has the token may send message out, and when they are done with the token they pass it on to the next person in line.

For Example:

• Device A has the MAC address of 0x03
• Device B has the MAC address of 0x04
• Device C has the MAC address of 0x05
• Device A has the token
• Device A responses to any messages it got since the last time it got the token, then sends any custom messages it may have in queue
• Device A sends the token to device B
• Device B has the token
• Device B responses to any messages it got since the last time it got the token, then sends any custom messages it may have in queue
• Device B sends the token to device C
• Device C has the token
• Device C responses to any messages it got since the last time it got the token, then sends any custom messages it may have in queue
• Device C has the token but there is no one with a higher MAC address then Device C so Device C sends it's token to Device A
• Repeat

If you have two different MSTP devices with the same MAC address your network will become unstable and unpredictable results will occur. Both devices will think that they received the token and both devices will attempt to talk at the same time. There will be collisions and you will not be able to determine what device will respond to what poll or what device has the token.

If you have two different MSTP devices with different MAC address and the same Node ID, the device next in line in the token ring will respond first to your requests. This happens because it will be the first device to be passed the token and the first device able to respond. When the token gets passed to the next device ready to respond it will also send a response. any values set by Device A will probably be over written by Device B.

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