Table of contents:

2.3 – Requirements for connecting to a network, including the internet

There are requirements for devices to connect to a network so that they can abide by the protocols.

Devices are identified on a network by either one of the following:

1. IP Address

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Can be assigned by an administrator or by a DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol) IP addresses are not fixed and depend on the network you are on.

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There are currently two types of IP Addresses:

• IPV4 – Uses 8 numbers only. They are separated by dots.
• IPV6 – This is the newer one. It is made up of 8 groups of 4 hexadecimals. They are separated by ****

Hexadecimal – A base-16 number that uses numbers 0 – 9 and letters A - F

IPV6 was developed because the number of devices was growing faster than the number of physical users.

2. MAC Address

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A MAC address is fixed, unlike and IP Address.

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A MAC address is made up of 6 pairs of numbers/letters.

The first three pairs – Unique to the manufacturer of the device.  E.g. – All Lenovo devices have the same first three pairs.

The second three pairs – Unique to the device and its NIC

E.g. – Every individual Lenovo device has a different second three pairs.