Meanwhile, an IP address operates in the network layer (Layer 3) of the model. (The OSI model is a conceptual framework that uses seven abstraction layers to describe all the functions of a telecommunication system.) In the OSI model, the MAC sublayer of the data-link layer (Layer 2) implements MAC addresses. Residing in different layers in the OSI modelĪ MAC address and IP address also sit in different layers of the Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) model. For example, 192.0.2.146 is a valid IPv4 address. The more common format, known as dotted quad or dotted decimal, is x.x.x.x, where each x can be any value between 0 and 255. Meanwhile, an IPv4 address is a 32-bit integer expressed in hexadecimal notation. The IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) administers manufacturers’ OUIs. The OUI is usually the first three bytes of digits or characters. This is called an organizationally unique identifier (OUI). Many network card and other hardware manufacturers use a unique sequence at the beginning of their products’ MAC addresses. An example MAC address would be 00:00:5e:00:53:af. It’s usually six sets of two digits or characters, separated by colons. Unique address structuresĪ MAC address is a 48-bit hexadecimal address. (But many network interfaces support MAC address changes.) On the other hand, many IP addresses are dynamic, changing periodically based on time or the particulars of a networking setup. MAC address vs IP address: key differences One is permanent, the other dynamicīecause they are assigned to NICs or other hardware, MAC addresses never change on their own. Finally, it will touch on how BlueCat can help with more efficient MAC and IP address management. Further, it will delve into how the two address types work together and how they’re used in the enterprise context. This post will explore the key differences between a MAC address vs IP address. Associated with the TCP/IP protocol, an IP address helps identify a device connected to a network. Meanwhile, an internet service provider (ISP) or network administrator assigns an Internet Protocol address (IP address). A MAC address can also be referred to as a burned-in address, Ethernet hardware address, hardware address, or physical address. They are often found on a device’s network interface controller (NIC) card. They both relate to networking and they both have the word “address” in their names.īut they are, in fact, two different things.Ī Media Access Control address (MAC address) is a hardware identifier that uniquely identifies each device on a network.
Sorting through the definition of MAC address vs IP address can get a little confusing.
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