IP Addressing and Subnetting Including IPv6
A clear, comprehensive guide to IP addressing, including technical details on IP message formats and standards.
TABLE OF CONTENTS IP Addressing and Subnetting Including IPv6
Chapter 1: Addressing and Subnetting Basics
IP Address Basics
IPv4 addressing is used to assign a logical address to a physical device. That sounds like a lot to think about, but actually it is very simple. Two devices in an Ethernet network can exchange information because each of them has a network interface card with a unique Ethernet address that exists in the physical Ethernet network. If device A wants to send information to device B, device A will need to know the Ethernet address of device B. Protocols like Microsoft NetBIOS require that each device broadcast its address so that the other devices may learn it. IP uses a process called the Address Resolution Protocol. In either case, the addresses are hardware addresses and can be used on the local physical network.
For IT Professionals: RFC
In this chapter you will see references to the term RFC. An RFC, Request For Comment, is a document created by the Internet community to define processes, procedures, and standards that control how the Internet and associated protocols work. Each RFC is assigned a number and a title that describes the contents. As an example, RFC791 is entitled "Internet Protocol" and is the standard that defines the features, functions, and processes of the IP protocol. RFCs are free and the whole text of any RFC can be downloaded from the Internet. You can find them at the following URL: http://www.isi.edu/innotes.
As an IT Professional, you may often ask, "Why did they do that?" Since the RFC is the official...
Copyright Syngress Media, Inc. 2000 under license agreement with Books24x7
