Internet Protocols Questions
Unicast, multicast, and broadcast addresses are all used in Internet Protocols to send data to multiple recipients, but they differ in their scope and target recipients.
1. Unicast Address: A unicast address is used to send data to a single recipient. It is a one-to-one communication method where the data is sent from a source to a specific destination IP address. The data is not replicated or shared with any other devices on the network.
2. Multicast Address: A multicast address is used to send data to a specific group of recipients. It is a one-to-many communication method where the data is sent from a source to a group of devices that have joined a specific multicast group. The data is replicated and shared with all the devices in the multicast group.
3. Broadcast Address: A broadcast address is used to send data to all devices on a network. It is a one-to-all communication method where the data is sent from a source to all devices within the network. The data is replicated and shared with all devices on the network, regardless of whether they are part of a specific group or not.
In summary, the main difference between unicast, multicast, and broadcast addresses lies in the number of recipients and the scope of the communication. Unicast is for one-to-one communication, multicast is for one-to-many communication within a specific group, and broadcast is for one-to-all communication within a network.