What is a NIC?
- A component that enables a computer to connect to a network
- It is assigned a MAC address at the point of manufacture
What is a Router?
- A device that forwards packets to their correct destinations in a network
What is the role of a router?
- Receives packets from devices
- Finds the destination of packets using the IP address
- Forwards packets to the correct destination
- Assigns private IP addresses to devices on LAN
- Finds the most efficient path to destination
- Maintains a table of MAC and IP addresses
- Can connect a LAN to an external network eg. internet
- Provides the LAN with a public IP address
MAC Address
- Made up of 48 bits
- Shown as 6 groups of two hexadecimal digits
- First half represents Manufacturer
- Second half represents Serial number
- Uniquely identifies a device on the network
- eg. 11:11:11:11:11:11
- MEDIA ACCESS CONTROL (only use if not referred to by the question!)
IP Address
- Consists of values between 0–255 / 0–FFF
- Values are separated by full stops/colons
- It is a unique address
- Can be static or dynamic
- Can be public or private
- Can be IPv4 / have four groups of digits
- Can be IPv6 / have eight groups of digits
- In IPv6 :: can replace groups of zeros
Static vs Dynamic IP
Static IP
- When a computer disconnects and rejoins a network
- …the address does not change
- Address is assigned by the server/ISP
- A static public IP address is used primarily for hosting web pages or services on the internet
Dynamic IP
- Each time the computer rejoins a network
- …the address changes
- Address is assigned by the network OS
- A dynamic public IP address is chosen from a pool of available addresses