Techniques are presented to enable a network element in a network to receive a request from an application on a device, the request being encapsulated in a packet that includes a header that contains a physical layer identifier of the device to which the application does not have access. The physical layer identifier at the network element may be obtained. A response may be sent to the application on the device, the response containing at least one of the physical layer identifier of the device and location information of the device.