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Key Differences Between MAC Address And IP Address Explained

Have you heard of MAC and IP addresses? Let's explore their meanings and understand the differences between them.

Gurpreet Saini

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Key Differences Between MAC Address And IP Address Explained

0 min read

Table of content:

What is a MAC address?
What is an IP address?
IP Address vs MAC Address
Conclusion

You must have heard of MAC and IP addresses. Laptops, PCs, and mobiles have MAC and IP addresses, but do you know the exact meaning of these terms? Who assigns these addresses? This article will provide you with all the details.

What is a MAC Address?

MAC address stands for "Media Access Control Address." It is used to ensure the physical address of the device and is a permanent address that does not change with place and time. It is provided by NIC (Network Interface Controller/Card) card manufacturers. MAC address comes along with hardware from the device manufacturer. It is a six-byte hexadecimal format address. That is a 48-Bit address. (1 Byte = 8 bits).

Example: 00:FF:FF:AB:BB:AA

The two LAN technologies - Token rings and Ethernet both use MAC addresses as physical addresses. MAC addresses can also be used to track devices.

What is an IP address?

IP address stands for Internet Protocol (IP) address. It is used to identify the network device connected to the internet. The Internet sends information using an IP address. IP address is assigned by the Internet Service Provider(ISP) or Network Administrator, which varies based on time and location.

IP addresses are of two types:

IPv4 Address: It is a 4-byte address or 32-bit address
IPv6 Address: It is a 16-byte address or 128-bit address in hexadecimal notation. Example: FFFF:F200:3204:0B00

How do IP address and MAC address work?

Difference between IP Address and MAC Address

IP Address	MAC Address
An IP address is a numerical label assigned to each device connected to a computer network that uses the Internet Protocol for communication.	A MAC address is a unique identifier assigned to network interfaces for communications on a physical network segment.
IP addresses are assigned by the Internet Service Provider (ISP) or the network administrator.	MAC addresses are assigned by the manufacturer of the network interface card (NIC).
IP addresses are used for routing and identifying devices on a network.	MAC addresses are used for identifying devices within a local network.
IP addresses are hierarchical and can be dynamic or static.	MAC addresses are flat and permanent.
IP addresses are used at the network layer (Layer 3) of the OSI model.	MAC addresses are used at the data link layer (Layer 2) of the OSI model.
IP addresses can be changed or reassigned.	MAC addresses are hard-coded into the network interface card and cannot be changed.
IP addresses are necessary for devices to communicate with each other over the internet.	MAC addresses are used for communication within a local network.
IP addresses can be spoofed or masked to hide the true identity of a device.	MAC addresses cannot be easily spoofed or masked.

Also Read: Advantages And Disadvantages Of Computer Network Explained!

Why do we need a MAC address?

The work of the link layer is to carry datagrams between the host and routers.
When the Network adapter wants to send frames to a receiver adapter the sending adapter puts the receiver adapter's MAC address into the frame and sends it into the LAN.
The receiver adapter checks the receiver MAC address in the frame, and if it matches, it extracts the datagram in it and passes the datagram up the protocol stack; otherwise, it just discards the frame.
So, we need a MAC address to communicate at the link-layer level, which establishes the basic difference between a MAC address and an IP address.

How to find the MAC address of your laptop/PC?

Open "Command prompt" by typing "cmd" in search beside the windows icon.
Then type this command "ipconfig/all" in the command prompt and press the "Enter" button.
After that, the MAC address of your network connection will be displayed with the name Physical Address.

Why do we need an IP address?

We need the IP address to uniquely identify the device or domains which is connected to the internet or available on the internet.
Many websites, domains, and electronic devices will have their IP addresses. When we send a request or query through the search engine it will give the results as URLs but when we click URLs it will be directed to a specific IP address.
By this, we can uniquely access content over the internet.
DNS (Domain Name System) will convert the domain names to IP addresses and direct your device in a specific direction.

How to find the IP address of your laptop/PC?

Open "Command prompt" by typing "cmd" in search beside the windows icon.
Then type this command "ipconfig" in the command prompt and press the "Enter" button.
After that, all your IPv4 and IPv6 addresses of your network connection will be displayed.

Conclusion

Every device will have both the MAC address and the IP address assigned by specific authorities related to it. The main objective behind these addresses is to identify them uniquely. Several techniques are used to assign these addresses. By these particular addresses, we can communicate with devices and have access to content over the internet or the web easily.

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Edited by

Gurpreet Saini

Sr. Associate Content Writer

An avid reader and an ambitious traveller, I like to curate stories. The instinctive desire to explore the unchartered territories of the unknown and unseen inspires me to find wonder in the cosmos. I find solace in the embrace of nature, and hope to create an environment of peace wherever I go.

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Computer Science