What is the difference between IP and MAC address?
IP address is used by Internet protocols while MAC address is used by Ethernet protocols, and there is no necessary relevance between each other. MAC address is 48 bits, which attached with Ethernet NIC (network interface card). Every Ethernet NIC producer must apply a series of MAC addresses for IEEEE organization and program it in EEPROM on NIC when producing NIC. The MAC address of any two NIC should be different, whatever producer it is from. MAC address is in every Ethernet packet as a part of Ethernet header and packets can be exchanged and transferred by Ethernet repeater according as the MAC source and destination address in Ethernet packet header. Every Internet packet must have IP address which is distributed by Internet service providers (ISP). IP address usually works on WAN while MAC address on LAN. Most interlinks of LAN are achieved by current public web or leased line which require conversion of protocols, and although IP information can be transmitted on Ethernet, it s
