ARP vs RARP: Know the Difference between ARP and RARP
These are both protocols of the network layer. When an IP datagram needs to be sent between one host to another, the sender would require the receiver’s physical address as well as its logical address. Here, with dynamic mapping, we get two protocols, namely, ARP and RARP. But there is a significant difference between ARP and RARP.
The difference is that when we provide ARP with the receiver’s logical address, it would obtain that receiver’s physical address. On the other hand, when we provide RARP with the host’s physical address, then it would obtain the host’s logical address from the available server.
What is ARP?
The term ARP is an abbreviation for Address Resolution Protocol. It is a protocol of the network layer. Since it is a dynamic type of mapping protocol, every host available in the network would be aware of another host’s logical address. Now, let us suppose that the host has to send another host an IP datagram. Here, the IP datagram needs to be encapsulated into a frame. It needs to be done so that the datagram can easily pass via the physical network available between the receiver and the sender.
What is RARP?
The term RARP is an abbreviation for Reverse ARP. The RARP is also a protocol of the network layer. It’s a TCP/IP protocol, allowing any of the hosts to obtain its actual IP address from our network server. As the name already suggests, the RARP is an adaptation of the ARP protocol. It is basically the reverse of the ARP protocol.
Difference between ARP and RARP
Let us talk about the difference between ARP and RARP. To make this topic more understandable and clear, we are comparing both of the terms based on their individual characteristics in a table.
| Parameters | ARP | RARP |
| Full Form | The term ARP is an abbreviation for Address resolution protocol. | The term RARP is an abbreviation for Reverse Address Resolution Protocol. |
| Basics | The ARP retrieves the receiver’s physical address in a network. | The RARP retrieves a computer’s logical address from its available server. |
| Broadcast Address | The nodes use ARP broadcasts in the LAN with the help of the MAC address. | The RARP utilises IP addresses for broadcasting. |
| Table Maintained By | The ARP table is maintained by the Local Host. | The RARP table is maintained by the RARP Server. |
| Usage | The router or the host uses ARP to find another router/host’s address (physical address) in LAN. | RARP is used by thin clients that have limited facilities. |
| Reply Information | The primary use of the ARP reply is to update the ARP table. | The primary use of the RARP reply is to configure the local host’s IP address. |
| Mapping | The ARP maps the node’s IP address (32-bit logical address) to the MAC address/physical address (48-bit address). | The RARP maps the 48-bit address (MAC address/physical address) to the logical IP address (32-bit). |
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