Step 1: Understand that computers on a local network communicate using two types of addresses: IP addresses and MAC addresses.
Step 2: Know that an IP address is like a home address for a computer on the internet, while a MAC address is like a unique ID for a network interface card in a computer.
Step 3: Realize that when a computer wants to send data to another computer, it needs to know the MAC address of the destination computer if it only has the IP address.
Step 4: Learn that the ARP protocol helps find the MAC address that corresponds to a given IP address within the same local network.
Step 5: Understand that ARP sends a request to all devices on the local network asking, 'Who has this IP address? Please send me your MAC address.'
Step 6: Know that the device with the matching IP address responds with its MAC address, allowing the sending computer to communicate with it.
