Why ethernet protocol uses physical addresses
Ethernet protocol uses physical addresses, also known as MAC (Media Access Control) addresses, because they uniquely identify each device connected to the network.
1. Uniqueness: MAC addresses are globally unique, which means no two devices can have the same MAC address. This allows for precise identification and differentiation of devices on the network.
2. Local addressing: Since MAC addresses are assigned by the device manufacturer, they provide a local addressing scheme. This means that devices can communicate directly with each other on a local network without needing any intermediary devices, such as routers.
3. Efficient data transmission: Ethernet protocol uses MAC addresses to efficiently route data packets to the intended recipient. The source and destination MAC addresses are used to encapsulate and direct the packets between devices on the network.
4. Switching technology: Ethernet switches use MAC addresses to build and update a forwarding table, also known as a MAC address table. This table maps MAC addresses to specific switch ports, allowing the switch to efficiently forward packets only to the destination device instead of broadcasting them to all devices on the network.
Overall, the use of physical addresses in Ethernet protocol enables efficient and reliable communication between devices on the network.