What is network addressing in networking - What is Computer Network Address - What is IP address and Mac address

 What is network addressing in networking :

In networking, network addressing refers to the process of assigning unique identifiers, called addresses, to devices that are connected to a network. Network addresses are used to identify and locate devices on a network and to facilitate communication between them.

There are different types of network addressing, depending on the layer of the network protocol stack at which the addressing is performed. For example, at the physical layer, network addressing is accomplished through the use of MAC addresses, which are unique identifiers assigned to network interface cards (NICs) by the manufacturer. At the network layer, IP addresses are used to identify devices on a network, and routing protocols are used to route packets between them.

In addition to MAC and IP addresses, there are other types of network addresses, such as port numbers, which are used to identify specific applications or services running on a device, and domain names, which are used to identify resources on the internet. Effective network addressing is essential for enabling communication between devices on a network and for ensuring that network traffic is routed efficiently and securely.

Type Of Network Address (One Mark) :

There are several types of network addressing in networking, including:

1. MAC Address: The Media Access Control (MAC) address is a unique identifier assigned to the network interface controller (NIC) of a device. It is used to identify devices at the physical layer of the network protocol stack.

2. IP Address: The Internet Protocol (IP) address is a unique numerical identifier assigned to each device on a network. It is used to identify devices at the network layer of the protocol stack and to facilitate communication between them.

3. Subnet Mask: The subnet mask is a 32-bit number that is used to determine which part of an IP address represents the network ID and which part represents the host ID.

4. Default Gateway: The default gateway is the IP address of the router that connects a local network to the internet or another external network. It is used to forward traffic between the local network and external networks.

5. DNS Server: The Domain Name System (DNS) server is a network server that resolves domain names to IP addresses. It is used to translate human-readable domain names into machine-readable IP addresses.

6. Port Number: A port number is a 16-bit number that is used to identify a specific application or service running on a device. It is used in conjunction with an IP address to facilitate communication between devices.

Effective network addressing is essential for enabling communication between devices on a network and for ensuring that network traffic is routed efficiently and securely.

Types Of Network Address With Examples (Long Type) :

1. MAC Address :

What is Mac address with example -

A Media Access Control (MAC) address is a unique identifier assigned to a network interface controller (NIC) of a device, such as a computer, smartphone, or printer. It is a 48-bit address, usually expressed in hexadecimal notation, and is assigned by the manufacturer of the NIC.

Here is an example of a MAC address:

00:11:22:33:44:55

In this example, the MAC address is made up of six pairs of hexadecimal digits, separated by colons. Each pair represents eight bits, so the entire MAC address represents 48 bits. The first three pairs of digits are the organizationally unique identifier (OUI), which is assigned by the IEEE to identify the manufacturer of the NIC, and the last three pairs are the device identifier, which is assigned by the manufacturer.

MAC addresses are used at the physical layer of the network protocol stack to uniquely identify devices on a network. They are used by network switches to forward network traffic to the correct device and are also used for security purposes, such as restricting access to a network based on the MAC address of a device.

2. IP Address :

What is IP address with example -

An IP address is a unique numerical identifier assigned to each device on a network, which enables communication between devices. It is a 32-bit or 128-bit number, usually expressed in decimal notation, and is assigned by the network administrator or Internet Service Provider (ISP). There are two versions of IP addresses in use today: IP version 4 (IPv4) and IP version 6 (IPv6).

Here is an example of an IPv4 address:

192.168.1.100

In this example, the IP address is made up of four octets, separated by periods. Each octet represents 8 bits, so the entire IPv4 address represents 32 bits. The first three octets (192.168.1) represent the network ID, and the last octet (100) represents the host ID.

Here is an example of an IPv6 address:

2001:0db8:85a3:0000:0000:8a2e:0370:7334

In this example, the IPv6 address is made up of eight groups of four hexadecimal digits, separated by colons. Each group represents 16 bits, so the entire IPv6 address represents 128 bits.

IP addresses are used at the network layer of the network protocol stack to identify devices on a network and to facilitate communication between them. They are used by routers to forward network traffic to the correct destination and are also used for security purposes, such as restricting access to a network based on the IP address of a device.

3. Subnet Mask :

What is subnet mask address with example -

A subnet mask is a 32-bit number that is used to determine which part of an IP address represents the network ID and which part represents the host ID. It is used in conjunction with an IP address to divide a network into smaller subnetworks, or subnets.

Here is an example of a subnet mask:

255.255.255.0

In this example, the subnet mask is made up of four octets, separated by periods. Each octet represents 8 bits, so the entire subnet mask represents 32 bits. The subnet mask consists of a series of consecutive 1s, followed by a series of consecutive 0s. In this case, the first three octets (255.255.255) consist of consecutive 1s, while the last octet (0) consists of consecutive 0s.

When combined with an IP address, the subnet mask is used to identify the network ID and host ID of the IP address. For example, if the IP address is 192.168.1.100 and the subnet mask is 255.255.255.0, the first three octets (192.168.1) represent the network ID, and the last octet (100) represents the host ID.

Subnet masks are used to divide a network into smaller subnets, which can help to improve network performance and security. By dividing a network into subnets, network administrators can reduce the amount of broadcast traffic on the network and can also implement more granular security policies.

4. Default Gateway :

What is Default gateway address with example -

A default gateway is the IP address of the router or gateway device that connects a local network to the internet or another network. It is used by devices on the local network to send data to destinations outside of the local network.

Here is an example of a default gateway address:

192.168.1.1

In this example, the default gateway address is an IPv4 address made up of four octets, separated by periods. The default gateway address is typically assigned to the router or gateway device on the local network that connects to the internet or another network.

When a device on the local network needs to send data to a destination outside of the local network, it sends the data to the default gateway address. The default gateway then forwards the data to the appropriate destination on the internet or another network.

Default gateway addresses are an important part of network configuration, as they enable devices on the local network to access resources outside of the local network. They are typically assigned by the network administrator or Internet Service Provider (ISP) and can be configured on each device manually or via DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol) configuration.

5. DNS Server :

What is DNS Server address with example -

A Domain Name System (DNS) server is a server that translates human-readable domain names, such as www.example.com, into the IP addresses that computers use to identify each other on the internet. DNS servers are used to resolve domain names to IP addresses so that computers can access the resources associated with the domain names.

Here is an example of a DNS server address:

8.8.8.8

In this example, the DNS server address is an IPv4 address made up of four octets, separated by periods. The DNS server address is the address of a Google Public DNS server. Google Public DNS is a free, global DNS resolution service that can be used by anyone.

When a device needs to resolve a domain name to an IP address, it sends a DNS query to a DNS server. The DNS server then responds with the IP address associated with the domain name. If the DNS server does not have the IP address associated with the domain name in its cache, it will query other DNS servers until it finds the correct IP address.

DNS server addresses are an important part of network configuration, as they enable devices on the local network to resolve domain names to IP addresses. They are typically assigned by the network administrator or Internet Service Provider (ISP) and can be configured on each device manually or via DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol) configuration.

6. Port Number :

What is Port Number address with example -

In computer networking, a port number is a 16-bit unsigned integer that identifies a specific process to which a message is directed. Port numbers are used to distinguish between multiple network services running on a single host, or to identify a specific service running on a remote host.

Here is an example of a port number address:

80

In this example, the port number is the well-known port number for the HTTP protocol. HTTP, or Hypertext Transfer Protocol, is the protocol used to transfer data over the World Wide Web.

When a device sends a message to another device, it includes both the IP address of the target device and the port number of the specific process on that device that should receive the message. For example, when a web browser requests a web page from a web server, it sends a message to the web server's IP address on port 80.

Port numbers are an important part of network communication, as they enable multiple processes to run on a single device and enable multiple services to run on a remote host. Port numbers are typically assigned to specific services by the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA) and can be used by any device on the internet. However, port numbers below 1024 are considered well-known ports and are reserved for specific services, while port numbers above 1024 are considered dynamic ports and can be used by any service.