👉 Addressing in computing, particularly network addressing, involves assigning unique identifiers to devices or segments of a network to facilitate communication and data exchange. The most common form is IP (Internet Protocol) addressing, where each device on a network is assigned a unique IP address, typically in the format of four numbers separated by dots (e.g., 192.168.1.1). These addresses can be static, meaning they remain constant over time, or dynamic, changing periodically through protocols like DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol). Additionally, network addressing includes subnetting, where a larger network is divided into smaller, manageable segments, each with its own IP address range. This helps optimize network performance and security by limiting broadcast traffic and controlling access between different parts of the network. Other addressing schemes, like MAC (Media Access Control) addresses, are used at the local level to uniquely identify network interface controllers (NICs) within a physical network segment, usually assigned by the hardware manufacturer.
