Ethernet Protocol: Purpose of Physical Addresses

Physical Addresses in Ethernet Protocol

Q: For what two purposes does the Ethernet protocol use physical addresses?

to uniquely identify devices at Layer 2to allow communication between different devices on the same network

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Question

For what two purposes does the Ethernet protocol use physical addresses?

Answers

A. to uniquely identify devices at Layer 2

B. to allow communication with devices on a different network

C. to differentiate a Layer 2 frame from a Layer 3 packet

D. to establish a priority system to determine which device gets to transmit first

E. to allow communication between different devices on the same network

F. to allow detection of a remote device when its physical address is unknown.

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Explanations

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A. B. C. D. E. F.

AE.

Ethernet protocol is a data link layer protocol that is used to connect devices on the same network. It uses physical addresses, also known as MAC addresses, to uniquely identify devices at Layer 2. MAC addresses are unique identifiers that are assigned to network interfaces by the device manufacturer, and they are used to facilitate communication between devices on the same network.

The Ethernet protocol uses physical addresses for two main purposes:

To allow communication between different devices on the same network: When a device wants to send data to another device on the same network, it uses the MAC address of the destination device to address the data packet. The Ethernet protocol then uses the MAC address to deliver the data packet to the correct device on the same network.
To differentiate a Layer 2 frame from a Layer 3 packet: Ethernet protocol operates at Layer 2 of the OSI model, whereas IP protocol operates at Layer 3. Ethernet frames have MAC addresses in their headers, whereas IP packets have IP addresses in their headers. The Ethernet protocol uses the MAC address to distinguish between a Layer 2 frame and a Layer 3 packet.

In summary, the Ethernet protocol uses physical addresses to uniquely identify devices at Layer 2, to allow communication between different devices on the same network, and to differentiate a Layer 2 frame from a Layer 3 packet.

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