What is the purpose of IP addressing?

• A. IP addressing uniquely identifies devices on a network to enable routing of data packets.
• B. IP addressing is used to label software licenses.
• C. IP addressing is only for the internet, not local networks.
• D. IP addressing is the same as MAC addressing.

Answer: (A)

IP addressing provides a unique logical address for every device on a network, which makes routable delivery possible. When a device sends data, the destination IP is placed in the packet header, and routers read that address to forward the packet toward the correct network and ultimately to the specific device. This hierarchical structure (network prefix plus host identifier) supports scalable routing and subnetting, allowing communication across multiple networks, not just within a single local network. IP addresses are distinct from MAC addresses, which are hardware identifiers used only inside a single local network and aren’t routable across networks. The other statements don’t describe the purpose of IP addressing—for example, IP addresses aren’t used to label software licenses, and IP addressing is not limited to the internet or identical to MAC addressing.