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Unicast, Multicast, Broadcast Routing

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57 views2 pages

Unicast, Multicast, Broadcast Routing

Uploaded by

2648manna
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Difference between Unicast, Broadcast and Multicast in Computer Network


The cast term here signifies some data(stream of packets) is being transmitted to the recipient(s) from the
client(s) side over the communication channel that helps them to communicate.

What is Unicast?
This type of information transfer is useful when there is a participation of a single sender and a single recipient.
So, in short, you can term it a one-to-one transmission. For example, if a device having IP address 10.1.2.0 in
a network wants to send the traffic stream(data packets) to the device with IP address 20.12.4.2 in the other
network, then unicast comes into the picture. This is the most common form of data transfer over networks.

What is Broadcast?
Broadcasting transfer (one-to-all) techniques can be classified into two types:
Limited Broadcasting: Suppose you have to send a stream of packets to all the devices over the network that
your reside, this broadcasting comes in handy. For this to achieve, it will append 255.255.255.255 (all the 32
bits of IP address set to 1) called Limited Broadcast Address in the destination address of the datagram
(packet) header which is reserved for information transfer to all the recipients from a single client (sender)
over the network.

Direct Broadcasting: This is useful when a device in one network wants to transfer packet stream to all the
devices over the other network. This is achieved by translating all the Host ID part bits of the destination
address to 1, referred to as Direct Broadcast Address in the datagram header for information transfer.

This mode is mainly utilized by television networks for video and audio distribution. One important protocol
of this class in Computer Networks is Address Resolution Protocol (ARP) which is used for resolving an IP
address into a physical address which is necessary for underlying communication.
What is Multicast?
In multicasting, one/more senders and one/more recipients participate in data transfer traffic. In this method
traffic recline between the boundaries of unicast (one-to-one) and broadcast (one-to-all). Multicast lets servers
direct single copies of data streams that are then simulated and routed to hosts that request it. IP multicast
requires the support of some other protocols like IGMP (Internet Group Management Protocol), Multicast
routing for its work. Also in Classful IP addressing Class D is reserved for multicast groups.
Questions Corner
Practicing the following questions will help you test your knowledge. It is highly recommended that you
practice them.
1. Direct Broadcast Address
2. Direct Broadcast Address
3. Direct Broadcast Address

In networking, unicast, broadcast, and multicast define different modes of data transmission. These
modes have various applications depending on the network type and scale.

Feature Unicast Broadcast Multicast

A communication where a
A communication where a A communication where a
message is sent from one
message is sent from one message is sent from one
sender to a group of
sender to one receiver. sender to all receivers.
Definition receivers

Data is sent to a single Data is sent to all recipients in Data is sent to a group of
Transmission recipient a network recipients

Uses a unique destination Uses a special broadcast Uses a special multicast


Addressing address address address

Not all devices may be Not all devices may be


Guaranteed delivery
Delivery interested in the data interested in the data

Network Generates the least amount of Generates the most amount of Generates moderate
Traffic network traffic network traffic network traffic

Less secure because data is Moderately secure because


More secure because data is
sent to all devices in the data is sent to a specific
sent to a specific recipient
Security network group of devices

Video streaming, online


Email, file transfer DHCP requests, ARP requests
Examples gaming

Destination Single receiver All receivers Group of receivers

Bandwidth
Moderate High Moderate
usage

Latency Low High Moderate

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