M2Q7: Address Resolution Protocol (ARP)

Question 1

Computers need to know only the IP address of a destination computer in order to communicate with it across a network.

A. True
B. False

Answer 1

B. False

Explanation: Computers must know both the IP address and MAC address in order to communicate across a network.

Question 2

The acronym ARP means ____________________________.

A. Address Reservation Protocol
B. Abbreviated Routing Protocol
C. Addressable Routed Packet
D. Address Resolution Protocol

Answer 2

D. Address Resolution Protocol

Explanation: ARP is the Address Resolution Protocol.

Question 3

ARP is used to find the MAC address of a host when the IP address is known.

A. True
B. False

Answer 3

A. True

Explanation: ARP is used to find the MAC address of a host when the IP address is known. Another way to say this is that ARP is used to resolve IP Addresses into MAC addresses.

Question 4

An ARP table (or ARP cache) contains a list of known IP address and MAC address relationships.

A. True
B. False

Answer 4

A. True

Explanation: The ARP cache is a table that is kept on computers which contains all the IP address and MAC address relationships that the computer has learned about. This way if the computer needs to communicate with a specific IP address it is able to build a Frame with the associated MAC address as it communicates out onto the network. Otherwise, the computer must first send out an ARP request to learn the MAC address which it will then place into the ARP cache.