Aadressitõlkimine

Aadressitõlkimine, known in English as address translation or address resolution, refers to the process of converting a network address into a physical or hardware address. This is a fundamental concept in computer networking, enabling devices to communicate with each other.

In most local area networks (LANs), devices use logical addresses like IP addresses to identify themselves. However, for data packets to be transmitted between devices on the same network segment, a physical address, commonly known as a MAC (Media Access Control) address, is required. Aadressitõlkimine bridges this gap.

The most common protocol used for aadressitõlkimine on Ethernet networks is the Address Resolution Protocol (ARP). When a device needs to send data to another device on the local network, it first checks its ARP cache. This cache stores recently resolved IP-to-MAC address mappings. If the mapping is found, the device uses the MAC address directly. If not, it broadcasts an ARP request packet containing the destination IP address. The device with that IP address responds with an ARP reply, containing its MAC address. This mapping is then added to the sender's ARP cache.

A similar concept exists in other networking contexts, such as translating domain names (e.g., google.com) into IP addresses, which is handled by the Domain Name System (DNS). While DNS operates at a higher layer of the network stack, the underlying principle of translation remains the same. Aadressitõlkimine is essential for the seamless operation of modern computer networks, ensuring that data reaches its intended recipient efficiently.