All devices that are connected to the network have identifiers. This will allow them to connect to the router or browse the Internet and there are no conflicts. Two of the most common and important identifiers are the IP address and the MAC address . Sometimes they can be confused, but they have clear differences. In this article we are going to explain what each one of them is, what their differences are and why they are necessary in our day to day life. Sometimes it is necessary to know these parameters to be able to configure equipment on the network.
What is IP address
First of all let’s talk about the IP address. Each of the devices connected to the network will have an IP that identifies them. This is necessary so that they can exchange information correctly. Basically it is as if it were the address of our home where we want to receive letters. Without that address we could not receive anything.
Thanks to that IP address we are going to show on the Internet what device we are. It is like a DNI or license plate that will identify each computer, mobile, television or any device connected to the network. IP stands for Internet Protocol and is essential for our day to day, to be able to surf the net.
The IP addresses will verify who is each computer that connects. It is something similar to phone calls. When we call a telephone, that number will serve to identify us, to verify that we are really establishing communication with the corresponding device. Something similar happens with the IP and it is also a unique numbering.
Precisely the numbering will change depending on whether we are dealing with IPv4 or IPv6 . The first is the most used today and for decades. They are four numbers separated by a period and each of them can go from 1 to 255. For example, an example would be 129,214,121,187. But of course, over time we have more and more devices connected to the network. Think of the Internet of Things, which is any device you have at home with Internet access. This means that little by little the addresses are exhausted and that is where IPv6 emerged, which are eight groups of four hexadecimal digits. They are practically infinite, so we will not have problems at least for a long time.
Differences between public and private IP
But within the IP addresses we will find differences between whether they are public or private. Each one of them has its function and both are necessary to be able to connect to the Internet and have access to the network without problems. We are going to explain what each one consists of and what exactly its function is.
- The public IP address is the one assigned to us by the Internet operator that we have contracted. It is the one that will allow us to identify ourselves when we go online. It is common for this number to change from time to time and not always be the same, although it could also be fixed (usually paying) and in this case it is used for servers, for example.
- Regarding the private IP address , it is the address assigned to us by the router. This device will assign a different one to each device that is connected. For example, if you have two mobile phones, a computer and a television connected to the router, each of them will have a different private IP. If there were two with the same IP there would be a conflict and they would not be able to connect. This is assigned automatically by the router and there are no problems.
What is the MAC address
On the other hand, another term that we can see frequently is that of MAC address. Sometimes it can be confused with the IP, but as you will see it is different. It is something that is present in each of the devices that we use on the Internet. It is linked to the network card. Therefore, the mobile, computer, tablet, surveillance camera… Any device will have a different MAC .
We can say that it is a unique identifier . It is a number assigned by the manufacturer for each device. At least each device connected to the Internet will have a MAC address. And we say minimum since a computer, for example, can have two network cards and, therefore, two different MAC addresses.
Each MAC address is made up of six blocks or groups of two characters each. It can contain both letters and numbers. For example 3d:2u:1j:4y:k8:26. Some of these characters (the first six) are going to be fixed for each manufacturer, who is the one who assigns the complete numbering. This will ensure that each device has a different numbering from the others and there will never be any conflicts.
The MAC address is used by the router to identify devices . There is an option to block a device’s Internet access through its MAC. It is an option that routers have, although this is not really going to be a security measure that we must take into account beyond basic situations in which we do not want our device to connect to the router.
MAC does not vary
Keep in mind that the MAC address, unlike the IP, will always be the same . They are issued by the IEEE, which stands for the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers. They are fixed precisely to avoid conflicts between devices and that two devices may have the same one.
However, there are programs with which we are going to be able to change, albeit virtually, the MAC address of the device. An example is with Technitium MAC Address Changer. It is a program for Windows that allows us to appear on the Internet with a different MAC and thus be able to improve privacy.
How to see the IP and MAC in Windows
After explaining what the IP address is and what the MAC consists of, we are going to explain what you must do to find out which one corresponds to your devices. It is information that you will be able to see in a simple way in Windows. This data can be useful to carry out some configurations, for example.
In the case of the public IP address , to know what it is in Windows you will have to access online services such as What is my IP . There you will see, automatically, which corresponds to your connection. Now, you will be able to hide this data if you use an IP address or connect through a proxy server.
If you need to find out what private IP you use in Windows, the process is even easier. In this case you have to go to Start, enter Settings, go to Network and Internet, More network adapter options, select the corresponding card (either Wi-Fi or Ethernet) and click the second mouse button and You go into Properties. There you have to click on Internet Protocol version 4, Properties again and it will show you what the private IP is.
To find out what the MAC address is you have to go to Start, enter the Terminal or Command Prompt and execute the command ipconfig /all. There you will have to identify the corresponding card, which can be Wi-Fi or Ethernet, and see the information that appears next to Physical address.
Conclusions
In short, as you have seen, there are differences between IP address and MAC address. The first difference is that they are different in terms of numbering. One of them will have 16 digits spread over six blocks, while the other will have four blocks numbered between 1 and 255.
Another difference is that the MAC address is fixed, it does not vary, and it is used to identify the network card of each device. Instead, the IP address can be different and serves to identify devices within the network, so that the router can identify it, as well as the public address with which we go out to the network.
