Address Resolution Protocol


 * This is a computer protocol used in computer networks. It's purpose is to find the MAC address of a node connected to the network when it's IP address is known to us.

Working :  The node which need the MAC address is known as the source. This node broadcasts a message to all the nodes on the network. This message contains the IP and MAC addresses of the source node. It also contains the IP address whose corresponding MAC address it wants to find. When an node on the network receives this message, it compares the IP sent with it's own IP. If they don't match, no further action takes place. If the IPs match, the node then replies back it's MAC address to the source node.

Thus a computer can determine the MAC address of a node on the network whose IP address is known.