What address is typically hard coded onto a device and remains unchanged?

The MAC address is typically hard coded onto a device and remains unchanged throughout its life. It is a unique identifier assigned to network interfaces for communications on the physical network segment. Each network device is programmed with a MAC address at the factory, which is generally associated with the hardware itself, making it constant and unique for each device.

Other addresses such as the IP address are assigned after the device has been set up on a network and can change over time depending on the network configuration (like DHCP assignments). A DNS address, which is used for resolving domain names, can also change based on network settings and does not have a static nature. The term "static address" refers to a type of IP configuration but does not specifically imply anything that is hard coded like the MAC address. Thus, the MAC address stands out as the correct answer due to its fixed nature as part of a device's hardware.