Which addressing method is used at the data link layer as opposed to the IP addressing method?

At the data link layer of the OSI model, hardware addressing, specifically known as MAC (Media Access Control) addressing, is used. This addressing method is critical for local network communications, where devices on the same network segment must identify and communicate with each other. Each network interface card (NIC) is assigned a unique MAC address by the manufacturer, which is used to ensure data packets are delivered to the correct device on a local network.

Unlike IP addressing, which operates at the network layer and is logical and hierarchical, MAC addressing is a flat addressing scheme. The MAC address typically consists of 48 bits and is represented in hexadecimal format. It does not change as the device moves to different networks, whereas IP addresses can change depending on the network location and configuration.

URL addressing refers to the method of locating resources on the internet and does not directly relate to network addressing at the data link layer. Logical addressing is associated with higher layers, specifically the network layer, and dynamic addressing pertains to the assignment of IP addresses through protocols such as DHCP, which is also not relevant at the data link layer.