LAB: How Address Resolution Protocol (ARP) works in LAN

with simulation?

As we know, communication in local area network (LAN based Network) is always based on
MAC Address.

IP Address MAC Address

ARP

How ARP works?

Connect Two PC’s, say PC-1 and PC-2 having IP address 10.1.1.1 & 10.1.1.2 respectively.
MAC Address of PC-1 and PC-2 is 00:50:79:66:68:00 & 00:50:79:66:68:01 respectively.

Initially when you see the arp table there would be no entry in arp table because the reason is
they never communicate before.
PC-1:

PC-2:
 So, in this case PC-1 can’t be communicate with PC-2 and vice versa.

To see arp table the command can be different in different operating system.
For example: To show arp table in windows operating system the command is “arp -a”

Now PC-1 wants to communicate with PC-2 and we know there is no entry in arp table and
communication in LAN always based on MAC Address

PC-1 to PC-2:

Source MAC Source IP Destination IP Destination MAC ARP message Type:

00:50:79:66:68:00 10.1.1.1 10.1.1.2 FF:FF:FF:FF:FF:FF ARP Request

Source IP Address: 10.1.1.1

Source MAC Address: 00:50:79:66:68:00
Message: If your IP address is 10.1.1.2, send me your mac address

PC-2 to PC-1:

Hello, 10.1.1.1 (00:50:79:66:68:00)

I’m 10.1.1.2 and my mac address is: 00:50:79:66:68:01

ARP Request :
ARP Reply:

Now if we check the arp entry in the arp table of PC-1:

Now PC-1 knows there is a MAC Address (00:50:79:66:68:01) against the IP Address 10.1.1.2
Now PC-1 can easily communicate with PC-2.
For PC-2 same above as PC-1: