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I know they are address schemes used in different layers, and that IPV4 is 32 bits while MAC is 48 bits.

My questions are:

  • Why do we need two different address schemes?

  • What is the problem if we decided to use the same address for both purposes?

  • Is there a reason for the MAC address requiring more memory?

  • Has the introduction of ipv6 changed anything?

kgf3JfUtW
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LYH
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1 Answers1

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MAC addresses is a Layer 2 Address, while IP is a Layer 3 Address.

Layer 1 is phisical layer

Layer 2 is data link layer ---> MAC ADDRESS

Layer 3 is Network Layer ---> IP Address

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OSI_model

lalborno
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  • Can you tell me why different layers need different addresses? What is wrong with using the same address for both? It seems to me like they serve the same purpose. – LYH Aug 04 '14 at 05:18
  • It is like the phone number and the phisical address of a house. It doesn't serve the same purpose. Examples: The mac address is assigned to each interface (example the RJ45 Port in your PC), and it is usually set in the hardware. It doesn't have a Network structure (you cannot know where in the network is an interface looking just it's mac address). On the other hand the ip address is set by software and it is related to where in the network is the interface. Also you can have multiples IP Adress in the same interface. – lalborno Aug 04 '14 at 13:30