# Network Layer: Interface or Node Addresses

DevFeed: [Network Layer: Interface or Node Addresses](<https://devfeed.tech/articles/network-layer-interface-or-node-addresses-10948.md>)

Original publisher: [Read original article](<https://blog.ipspace.net/2024/02/interface-node-addresses/>)

Published: 2024-02-19T10:22:00Z

Content type: article

Language: en

Sources: [ipSpace.net blog](<https://devfeed.tech/sources/ipspace-net-blog.md>)

Topics: [networking](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/networking.md>), [Protocol (disambiguation)](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/protocol.md>)

Tags: [interface](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/interface.md>), [interfaces](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/interfaces.md>), [network](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/network.md>), [networking-fundamentals](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/networking-fundamentals.md>), [protocol](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/protocol.md>)

## AI overview

This article examines whether network-layer addresses should identify entire nodes or individual interfaces. It contrasts IP's subnet-based interface addressing with CLNP's node-based addressing and introduces a broader comparison of the trade-offs between the two models.

## Source excerpt

The fun question about network layer addresses is: are we addressing nodes or individual node interfaces? On the data link layer, we never had this issue because it was obvious that a data link layer endpoint is an interface, so each interface should have a unique data link layer address. Interestingly, that's not the case on transparent bridges. Even though they have multiple interfaces, the whole bridge has a single MAC address, so one could claim we're addressing nodes connected to a single data link layer. The IEEE standard is unambiguous: in every relevant diagram, the MAC address sits on top of multiple interfaces because the MAC address belongs to the control plane. Read more ...