diff --git a/repos/os/include/nic_bridge/mac_allocator.h b/repos/os/include/nic_bridge/mac_allocator.h
deleted file mode 100644
index a2213e5670..0000000000
--- a/repos/os/include/nic_bridge/mac_allocator.h
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,85 +0,0 @@
-/*
- * \brief  MAC-address allocator
- * \author Stefan Kalkowski
- * \date   2010-08-25
- */
-
-/*
- * Copyright (C) 2010-2017 Genode Labs GmbH
- *
- * This file is part of the Genode OS framework, which is distributed
- * under the terms of the GNU Affero General Public License version 3.
- */
-
-#ifndef _MAC_ALLOCATOR_H_
-#define _MAC_ALLOCATOR_H_
-
-/* Genode includes */
-#include <base/exception.h>
-#include <net/ethernet.h>
-
-namespace Net {
-
-	/**
-	 * The MAC allocator is used to administer MAC addresses for
-	 * NIC session clients.
-	 */
-	class Mac_allocator
-	{
-		private:
-
-			/* limit available MAC addresses to one byte range */
-			enum { MSB_MAX = 0xFF };
-
-			/* signals, whether most significant byte is in use */
-			typedef struct
-			{
-					unsigned used : 1;
-			} Msb;
-
-			Msb _msbs[MSB_MAX]; /* bitfield of MSBs */
-
-		public:
-
-			class Alloc_failed : Genode::Exception {};
-
-			/**
-			 * Reference MAC address
-			 *
-			 * We take the range 02:02:02:02:02:XX for our MAC address
-			 * allocator, it's likely, that we will have no clashes here.
-			 * (e.g. Linux uses 02:00... for its tap-devices.)
-			 */
-			Mac_address mac_addr_base { Mac_address(0x02) };
-
-			Mac_allocator() { Genode::memset(&_msbs, 0, sizeof(_msbs)); }
-
-
-			/**
-			 * Allocates a new MAC address.
-			 *
-			 * \throws Alloc_failed if no more MAC addresses are available.
-			 * \return MAC address
-			 */
-			Mac_address alloc()
-			{
-				for (int i=0; i < MSB_MAX; i++) {
-					if (!_msbs[i].used) {
-						_msbs[i].used = 1;
-						Mac_address mac = mac_addr_base;
-						mac.addr[5] = i;
-						return mac;
-					}
-				}
-				throw Alloc_failed();
-			}
-
-			/**
-			 * Frees a formerly allocated MAC address.
-			 */
-			void free(Mac_address mac) {
-				_msbs[(unsigned)mac.addr[5]].used = 0; }
-	};
-}
-
-#endif /* _MAC_ALLOCATOR_H_ */
diff --git a/repos/os/recipes/src/nic_router/content.mk b/repos/os/recipes/src/nic_router/content.mk
index e8a6100630..ed5dd84422 100644
--- a/repos/os/recipes/src/nic_router/content.mk
+++ b/repos/os/recipes/src/nic_router/content.mk
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 SRC_DIR = src/server/nic_router
 include $(GENODE_DIR)/repos/base/recipes/src/content.inc
 
-MIRROR_FROM_REP_DIR := lib/mk/net.mk include/net include/nic_bridge src/lib/net
+MIRROR_FROM_REP_DIR := lib/mk/net.mk include/net src/lib/net
 
 content: $(MIRROR_FROM_REP_DIR)
 
diff --git a/repos/os/src/server/nic_bridge/component.h b/repos/os/src/server/nic_bridge/component.h
index e2905f800e..335537097d 100644
--- a/repos/os/src/server/nic_bridge/component.h
+++ b/repos/os/src/server/nic_bridge/component.h
@@ -14,18 +14,21 @@
 #ifndef _COMPONENT_H_
 #define _COMPONENT_H_
 
-/* Genode */
+/* Genode includes */
 #include <base/log.h>
 #include <base/heap.h>
 #include <nic/packet_allocator.h>
 #include <nic_session/rpc_object.h>
 #include <nic_session/connection.h>
-#include <nic_bridge/mac_allocator.h>
 #include <os/ram_session_guard.h>
 #include <os/session_policy.h>
 #include <root/component.h>
 #include <util/arg_string.h>
 
+/* NIC router includes */
+#include <mac_allocator.h>
+
+/* local includes */
 #include <address_node.h>
 #include <nic.h>
 #include <packet_handler.h>
@@ -187,7 +190,9 @@ class Net::Root : public Genode::Root_component<Net::Session_component>
 {
 	private:
 
-		Mac_allocator     _mac_alloc { };
+		enum { DEFAULT_MAC = 0x02 };
+
+		Mac_allocator     _mac_alloc;
 		Genode::Env      &_env;
 		Net::Nic         &_nic;
 		Genode::Xml_node  _config;
@@ -242,9 +247,8 @@ class Net::Root : public Genode::Root_component<Net::Session_component>
 		Root(Genode::Env &env, Net::Nic &nic, Genode::Allocator &md_alloc,
 		     Genode::Xml_node config)
 		: Genode::Root_component<Session_component>(env.ep(), md_alloc),
+		  _mac_alloc(Mac_address(config.attribute_value("mac", (Genode::uint8_t)DEFAULT_MAC))),
 		  _env(env), _nic(nic), _config(config) { }
-
-		Mac_address &mac_addr_base() { return _mac_alloc.mac_addr_base; }
 };
 
 #endif /* _COMPONENT_H_ */
diff --git a/repos/os/src/server/nic_bridge/mac_allocator.h b/repos/os/src/server/nic_bridge/mac_allocator.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..69892b399c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/repos/os/src/server/nic_bridge/mac_allocator.h
@@ -0,0 +1,57 @@
+/*
+ * \brief  MAC-address allocator
+ * \author Stefan Kalkowski
+ * \date   2010-08-25
+ */
+
+/*
+ * Copyright (C) 2010-2017 Genode Labs GmbH
+ *
+ * This file is part of the Genode OS framework, which is distributed
+ * under the terms of the GNU Affero General Public License version 3.
+ */
+
+#ifndef _MAC_ALLOCATOR_H_
+#define _MAC_ALLOCATOR_H_
+
+/* Genode includes */
+#include <base/exception.h>
+#include <net/mac_address.h>
+
+namespace Net { class Mac_allocator; }
+
+
+class Net::Mac_allocator
+{
+	private:
+
+		Mac_address const _base;
+		bool              _free[sizeof(_base.addr[0]) << 8];
+
+	public:
+
+		struct Alloc_failed : Genode::Exception {};
+
+		Mac_allocator(Mac_address base) : _base(base)
+		{
+			Genode::memset(&_free, true, sizeof(_free));
+		}
+
+		Mac_address alloc()
+		{
+			for (unsigned id = 0; id < sizeof(_free) / sizeof(_free[0]); id++) {
+				if (!_free[id]) {
+					continue; }
+
+				_free[id] = false;
+				Mac_address mac = _base;
+				mac.addr[5] = id;
+				return mac;
+			}
+			throw Alloc_failed();
+		}
+
+		void free(Mac_address mac) { _free[mac.addr[5]] = true; }
+};
+
+#endif /* _MAC_ALLOCATOR_H_ */
diff --git a/repos/os/src/server/nic_bridge/main.cc b/repos/os/src/server/nic_bridge/main.cc
index e622141312..5f9fc9155d 100644
--- a/repos/os/src/server/nic_bridge/main.cc
+++ b/repos/os/src/server/nic_bridge/main.cc
@@ -35,23 +35,9 @@ struct Main
 	Net::Nic                        nic    { env, heap, vlan };
 	Net::Root                       root   { env, nic, heap, config.xml() };
 
-	void handle_config()
-	{
-		/* read MAC address prefix from config file */
-		try {
-			Nic::Mac_address mac;
-			config.xml().attribute("mac").value(&mac);
-			Genode::memcpy(&root.mac_addr_base(), &mac,
-			               sizeof(Net::Mac_allocator::mac_addr_base));
-		} catch(...) {}
-	}
-
 	Main(Genode::Env &e) : env(e)
 	{
 		try {
-			/* read configuration file */
-			handle_config();
-
 			/* show MAC address to use */
 			Net::Mac_address mac(nic.mac());
 			Genode::log("--- NIC bridge started (mac=", mac, ") ---");
diff --git a/repos/os/src/server/nic_router/component.cc b/repos/os/src/server/nic_router/component.cc
index 8b4fa3e84f..f86cac3a3f 100644
--- a/repos/os/src/server/nic_router/component.cc
+++ b/repos/os/src/server/nic_router/component.cc
@@ -122,11 +122,10 @@ Net::Root::Root(Entrypoint        &ep,
                 Region_map        &region_map)
 :
 	Root_component<Session_component>(&ep.rpc_ep(), &alloc), _timer(timer),
-	_ep(ep), _router_mac(router_mac), _config(config), _buf_ram(buf_ram),
-	_region_map(region_map), _interfaces(interfaces)
-{
-	_mac_alloc.mac_addr_base = config.mac_first();
-}
+	_mac_alloc(config.mac_first()), _ep(ep), _router_mac(router_mac),
+	_config(config), _buf_ram(buf_ram), _region_map(region_map),
+	_interfaces(interfaces)
+{ }
 
 
 Session_component *Net::Root::_create_session(char const *args)
diff --git a/repos/os/src/server/nic_router/component.h b/repos/os/src/server/nic_router/component.h
index 90545d785f..06cf99ea17 100644
--- a/repos/os/src/server/nic_router/component.h
+++ b/repos/os/src/server/nic_router/component.h
@@ -19,9 +19,9 @@
 #include <root/component.h>
 #include <nic/packet_allocator.h>
 #include <nic_session/rpc_object.h>
-#include <nic_bridge/mac_allocator.h>
 
 /* local includes */
+#include <mac_allocator.h>
 #include <interface.h>
 #include <reference.h>
 
@@ -137,7 +137,7 @@ class Net::Root : public Genode::Root_component<Session_component>
 	private:
 
 		Timer::Connection        &_timer;
-		Mac_allocator             _mac_alloc { };
+		Mac_allocator             _mac_alloc;
 		Genode::Entrypoint       &_ep;
 		Mac_address const         _router_mac;
 		Reference<Configuration>  _config;
diff --git a/repos/os/src/server/nic_router/mac_allocator.h b/repos/os/src/server/nic_router/mac_allocator.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..69892b399c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/repos/os/src/server/nic_router/mac_allocator.h
@@ -0,0 +1,57 @@
+/*
+ * \brief  MAC-address allocator
+ * \author Stefan Kalkowski
+ * \date   2010-08-25
+ */
+
+/*
+ * Copyright (C) 2010-2017 Genode Labs GmbH
+ *
+ * This file is part of the Genode OS framework, which is distributed
+ * under the terms of the GNU Affero General Public License version 3.
+ */
+
+#ifndef _MAC_ALLOCATOR_H_
+#define _MAC_ALLOCATOR_H_
+
+/* Genode includes */
+#include <base/exception.h>
+#include <net/mac_address.h>
+
+namespace Net { class Mac_allocator; }
+
+
+class Net::Mac_allocator
+{
+	private:
+
+		Mac_address const _base;
+		bool              _free[sizeof(_base.addr[0]) << 8];
+
+	public:
+
+		struct Alloc_failed : Genode::Exception {};
+
+		Mac_allocator(Mac_address base) : _base(base)
+		{
+			Genode::memset(&_free, true, sizeof(_free));
+		}
+
+		Mac_address alloc()
+		{
+			for (unsigned id = 0; id < sizeof(_free) / sizeof(_free[0]); id++) {
+				if (!_free[id]) {
+					continue; }
+
+				_free[id] = false;
+				Mac_address mac = _base;
+				mac.addr[5] = id;
+				return mac;
+			}
+			throw Alloc_failed();
+		}
+
+		void free(Mac_address mac) { _free[mac.addr[5]] = true; }
+};
+
+#endif /* _MAC_ALLOCATOR_H_ */