Both concepts are identifiers of devices connected to the network and are made up of various numbers and letters. It is quite common for many users to confuse them or not really realize what each of these addresses is for. That is why we are going to explain what they consist of and the usefulness of IP and Mac addresses, as well as the differences between the two.
What is an IP address
All devices connected to the network have an IP address with which they are identifiable. Normally, it is automatically assigned when we connect to the Internet, but there are also cases in which we can choose it. We could say that it is a kind of license plate that identifies us when we are connected to the network and is made up exclusively of numbers.
As for the typology, there are two types of IP addresses: public IPs and private IPs. Of course, each of them has different objectives. On the one hand, a public IP is assigned to us by our Internet operator and it serves precisely that, to identify us on the Internet. They are not stable and it is normal for them to vary from time to time. When we refer to our IP, we usually refer to the public one. IP addresses cannot be repeated and each user has one that is unique.
On the other hand, the private IP address is the one assigned to devices such as a router, printer, tablet, mobile or computer within the scope of a private home network. So that there are no conflicts, each device will have a different one and they are not repeated within the same network. However, one of the devices that I have in my home can have the same private IP address as one that is in your house, since we are talking about an internal network scope.
IP addresses are made up of four numbers of up to 3 digits separated by periods. Number values ​​can range from 0 to 255. Also, addresses 10.0.0.0 to 10.255.255.255, 172.16.0.0 to 172.31.255.255, and 192.168.0.0 to 192.168.255.255 are reserved for private IPs.
IP addresses
What in a MAC address
Before putting the differences between the two on the table, let’s see what a MAC address consists of. It is a unique identifier that each manufacturer assigns to the network card of a device and is invariable. Let’s say it’s like the DNI. Devices such as computers, printers, routers, Chromecast etc. They have one and its acronym comes from the English Media Access Control. Keep in mind that some devices have different network cards. In these cases, the MAC address will depend on where they are connected.
When we connect to a network we are giving our MAC address, that is, our “DNI”, to the router and the administrator in order to have access to it. As it is a unique identifier, we have to be careful with the Internet sites where we connect.
MAC address
Differences between IP address and MAC address
Once their functions and characteristics have been explained, we will see how they differ. At first glance we can already see a fairly clear. Its composition is totally different. While IP addresses are made up of numbers only: four numbers of up to three figures separated by periods, for example, 192.228.17.57. MAC addresses are made up of twelve digits grouped into six pairs and separated by colons, for example, 00:1B:44:11:3A:B7. As you may have already noticed, they can also contain letters. Half of the pairs identify the manufacturer and the other half the device model.
The following difference refers to the fact that they are used for different things. The MAC address identifies the network card of a device and is not variable. While the IP address does vary and its function is to identify a device within a specific network. If we refer to a home network it will be a private IP and if it is the Internet in general it will be a public IP.
Regarding its composition, another difference should be noted. The MAC address is hexadecimal 48 bits (6 bytes) and there are two versions of IP addresses: IPv4 32 bits (4 bytes) and IPv6 128 bits (16 bytes). As they are different addresses, their recovery protocol is also different. The ARP protocol can retrieve a MAC address and the RARP protocol retrieves the IP address of a device.
However, not everything was going to be differences. There is a similarity between the two in terms of their usefulness. Both are used to identify a device within a network with the difference that the MAC does it within any network and is assigned by the manufacturer of the interface hardware, while the private IP is assigned by the router of each device.
The truth is that both are necessary when a device wants to communicate with another in a network.
