Why Do We Need IP Address if We Have Already MAC Address?

Answer: The network allots an IP address to every connected device making sure that every device can be identified separately within the network. Each device is identified by its MAC address, which cannot be shared by two devices. The MAC address is assigned by the embedded Network Interface Card (NIC) of each device and cannot be altered once set.

Similarly every device, on the network receives an IP address for identification within the network. The MAC address, a character string serves as an identifier for each device, however there is no direct correlation between these characters to locate a particular device using its MAC address. Routing in a network involves finding a path from a source node to a destination node. Each device has its MAC address and does not share it with any other device present in the network.

Conclusion:

The Network Interface Card (NIC) present, in every device plays a role in assigning and maintaining the MAC address without any possibility of alteration once set.A devices MAC address, which is a set of characters serves as its identifier.However, these characters do not have any connection that enables us to utilize the MAC address of a device, for locating it.