ARP and RARP Protocol Overview
📌 The Address Resolution Protocol (ARP) is a crucial protocol in the OSI model used to find the MAC address associated with a known IP address.
📌 Reverse Address Resolution Protocol (RARP) is used when the IP address is unknown, and the device needs to discover its own IP address using its hardware address.

Cisco Packet Tracer Simulation Setup
💻 The demonstration involves setting up a network simulation using Cisco Packet Tracer with three PCs (PC 0, PC 1, PC 2) and one Server.
🔌 A 2950-24 switch is used to connect all devices via copper straight-through wires.
🌐 IP configurations assigned were: PC 0 ($192.168.1.1$), PC 1 ($192.168.1.2$), PC 2 ($192.168.1.3$), and Server ($192.168.1.4$).

ARP Simulation Process
📡 The simulation begins by pinging the server ($192.168.1.4$) from PC 0.
📢 During the ping, two packets are generated, allowing inspection of the PDU table showing the target IP and corresponding MAC address.
⏪ The ARP request packet is broadcasted by the switch to all connected devices, and only the intended server replies, demonstrating the ARP broadcast mechanism.

Key Points & Insights
➡️ Understand that ARP facilitates hardware address (MAC) resolution based on logical addresses (IPs) within a local network segment.
➡️ The simulation clearly shows the difference: ARP goes from IP to MAC, while the server's reply mechanism to PC 0 (implied RARP behavior in this context, or simply the ARP reply) verifies the process.
➡️ Observe the network traffic flow in the simulation: the ARP request floods the network segment, and only the correct destination responds to finalize the communication mapping.

📸 Video summarized with SummaryTube.com on Nov 18, 2025, 20:21 UTC