Every network device has two types of addresses, one called the logical address -- in most cases this is the IP address -- and the other one being the physical address -- also known as the MAC address.
The IP address is an address bound to the network device, i.e., computer, via software. In a Windows-powered computer, the Windows operating system allows the user to configure the IP address the specific workstation will have. This IP address is used to allow all network aware programs, i.e., Internet Explorer, Netscape, Outlook, etc. to use this address when communicating with other hosts. The seventh layer in the OSI model has the IP addresses.
The MAC address is a hardware address, which means it is unique to the network card installed on your PC. No two devices on a local network should ever have the same MAC address. In the unlikely event this occurs, the two devices will have major communication problems. During the manufacturing process, the vendor "burns" a specific MAC address into each network card's ROM. When the serial numbers have all been used, they start from the beginning, as it's very unlikely anyone would buy two network cards from the same vendor, and they will contain the same MAC address.
So, to sum all that up, you should remember that a IP address is a logical address which is configured via the operating system, while the MAC address is a hardware address, burnt into the network card's ROM during the manufacturing process.
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Mac and IP
IP address is a unique number that devices use in order to identify and communicate with each other on a computer network utilizing the Internet Protocol standard
MAC address is your network equipment's unique id. They use a hexadecimal format like 02:7b:ac:96:f3:4d
MAC address is your network equipment's unique id. They use a hexadecimal format like 02:7b:ac:96:f3:4d
Differents betwwen mac and ip
An IP address is the location of a given computer or other network device on an IP network. It tells other devices where to go to "talk" to that computer/device. Think of it like a phone number.
A MAC address is kind of a serial number for network devices like ethernet cards - the first half of the MAC address tells what brand/model the card is, and the second half is a unique identifier specific to that card. Think of it like the VIN (Vehicle Identification Number) on your car.
A MAC address is kind of a serial number for network devices like ethernet cards - the first half of the MAC address tells what brand/model the card is, and the second half is a unique identifier specific to that card. Think of it like the VIN (Vehicle Identification Number) on your car.
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