Logical Addressing in Computer Networks
IP Addressing
IP (Internet Protocol) addressing is fundamental to modern computer networks:
- IPv4: 32-bit addresses (e.g., 192.168.0.1)
- IPv6: 128-bit addresses (e.g., 2001:0db8:85a3:0000:0000:8a2e:0370:7334)
- Hierarchical structure for efficient routing and network segmentation
Subnet Masking
Subnet masks divide networks into smaller subnets:
- Define network and host portions of IP addresses
- Enable efficient use of IP address space
Network Address Translation (NAT)
NAT conserves IP addresses by sharing a single public IP address:
- Allows multiple devices within a private network to communicate externally
- Translates private IP addresses to a public IP address and vice versa
Port Addressing
Port numbers identify specific applications or services:
- Range from 0 to 65535
- Well-known ports for standard services (e.g., HTTP: 80, HTTPS: 443)
MAC Addressing
MAC addresses are essential for physical addressing:
- Unique identifiers assigned to network interface cards (NICs)
- Used for communication within a local area network (LAN)
Hierarchical Addressing
Logical addressing follows a hierarchical structure:
- Divides addresses into network and host portions
- Subdivides network addresses into smaller subnets
Logical addressing is crucial for communication, routing, and efficient address management in modern computer networks.