MAC Addresses and IP Addresses both identify devices on the Internet. The NIC card manufacturer provides MAC Address. Whereas, the Internet Service Provider provides the IP Address.
The main difference between them is that MAC Address is used for physical location to identify it on a network. Whereas, IP Addresses is used to indentify device on the Internet logically.
Difference between MAC Address and IP Address:
S.No | Aspect | MAC Address | IP Address |
---|---|---|---|
1. | Abbreviation | Stands for Media Access Control Address | Stands for Internet Protocol Address |
2. | Address Format | Six-byte hexadecimal | Four-byte (IPv4) or sixteen-byte (IPv6) |
3. | Device Retrieval Protocol | ARP (Address Resolution Protocol) | RARP (Reverse ARP) |
4. | Provider | NIC Card’s Manufacturer | Internet Service Provider |
5. | Purpose | Ensures the physical address | Logical address of the computer |
6. | OSI Layer | Data link layer | Network layer |
7. | Identifying Devices | Simply identifies the device | Identifies the connection on the network |
8. | Change Over Time | Cannot be changed with time and environment | Modifies with time and environment |
9. | Privacy | Can’t be found easily by a third party | Can be found by a third party |
10. | Address Format Example | 48-bit, six groups of 2 hexadecimal digits, separated by hyphens or colons | 32-bit (IPv4) or 128-bit (IPv6) |
11. | Address Classes | No classes used | Uses A, B, C, D, and E classes (IPv4) |
12. | Sharing of Addresses | Not allowed | Multiple client devices can share |
13. | Problem Solving | Helps solve IP address issues | Cannot solve MAC address issues |
14. | Broadcasting/Multicasting | Used for broadcasting | Used for broadcasting or multicasting |
15. | Hardware vs. Software Orientation | Hardware-oriented | Software-oriented |
16. | Device Forwarding in Communication | Switch needs MAC address | Router needs IP address |
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