All of us have unique identification. The most common unique identifier is our Id. Similarly, our system has unique identifiers called MAC addresses and IP addresses.
In this article, we will focus on understanding what Mac and IP addresses are and the difference between Mac address and IP address.
Key difference between MAC Address and IP Address
MAC Address and IP Address are both crucial in networking but serve different purposes. A MAC Address, also known as a hardware address, is a unique identifier assigned to a network interface card by its manufacturer. It operates at the data link layer and facilitates communication within a local network.
On the other hand, an IP Address is a numeric label assigned to each device on a network, enabling it to communicate across different networks using the Internet Protocol. IP Addresses work at the network layer and allow devices to be located and connected on a global scale. In essence, MAC Addresses identify devices within a local network, while IP Addresses enable communication across interconnected networks.
What is a MAC Address?
A Media Access Control address, also known as a hardware address, is a unique identifier assigned to a network interface controller (NIC) by the manufacturer. It's a 48-bit number (sometimes represented as a string of six pairs of hexadecimal digits) used to identify network devices. Every device that connects to a network has a unique MAC address, which enables the network to differentiate between devices and direct data to the correct destination. MAC addresses are used in both wired and wireless networks and play an essential role in ensuring network traffic flows efficiently and securely.
What is an IP Address?
An IP (Internet Protocol) address is a numerical identifier assigned to each device connected to a computer network that uses the Internet Protocol for communication. It serves two principal functions:
Host Identification: It is a device on a network, and network interface identification identifies a specific connection point on that device.
Network Interface Identification: It identifies a specific connection point on that device.
Location Addressing: It is used to uniquely identify a network address and ensure that data is routed to the correct destination.
An IP address consists of a series of four numbers separated by dots, with each number ranging from 0 to 255. This format is known as IPv4. For example, an IP address might be represented as 192.168.0.1.
Difference between MAC address and IP Address
The difference between MAC address and IP address:
Properties
MAC Address
IP Address
Uniqueness
MAC address is unique per device
An Ip address is unique per device on a network.
Format
It consists of 48-bit(hexadecimal)
It consists of 32-bit(IPv4) or 128-bit(IPv6) (decimal)
Device Identification
It is used to identify the device
It is used to determine the network and device on the network.
Link-local Scope
MAC address is used for communication on a single physical network.
IP address is used to communication across multiple networks
Layer
It has a data Link layer(Layer 2)
It has an Internet Layer(Layer 3)
Manufacturer Identification
The first three bytes identify the device manufacturer.
It is not used for detrrmining the device manufacturer
Permanent address
The address is assigned by the manufacture and intended to be permanent(although it can be changed)
The address is assigned by the network administrator and can be dynamic or static.
Function
MAC address is used for communication within a network
IP address is used for communication across networks.
Hierarchical Structure
MAC structure is not hierarchical.
IP address structure is heirarchical.
Network mask
It is not used for determining network and host portions of the address
It is used for determining network and host portions of the address.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the 3 types of MAC address?
MAC addresses come in three types: Unicast, Multicast, and Broadcast.
What is the purpose of a MAC address?
The purpose of a MAC address is to uniquely identify network devices at the data link layer in a local network, facilitating data transmission and enabling communication between devices within the same network segment.
Why do we use IP address and not MAC address?
IP addresses are used instead of MAC addresses because they provide a hierarchical addressing scheme that allows devices to communicate across different networks using the Internet Protocol. IP addresses enable global communication and routing, while MAC addresses are limited to local network segments.
What is a MAC address example?
A MAC address example is: 00:1A:2B:3C:4D:5E. It consists of six pairs of hexadecimal digits, where each pair represents a byte.
What is an IP address with an example?
An IP address is a numerical label assigned to devices on a network to facilitate communication. For example, an IP address could be 192.168.1.1 for a local network device or 203.0.113.45 for a device on the wider internet.
Can a MAC address be changed?
While MAC addresses are typically hard-coded into network hardware by manufacturers, they can be changed using specialized tools or software. However, changing a MAC address is usually not a common practice and may have legal or security implications.
Conclusion
In this article, we understood about MAC and IP address and the difference between MAC address and IP address. We hope that you found this article interesting and informative in this domain. If you enjoyed this article, give it a thumbs up, encouraging us to produce more articles like this. Recommended Articles -
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