Think - with -Tech: Unicast IP vs Broadcast IP vs Multicast IP vs Anycast IP

Tuesday, July 1, 2025

Unicast IP vs Broadcast IP vs Multicast IP vs Anycast IP Communition types- Overview.

Scope:

Intro:

Here’s twtech concise Overview of Unicast IP, Broadcast IP, Multicast IP, and Anycast IP communication types.
This includes what they are, how they work, and examples.

1. Unicast IP

Definition: One-to-one communication between a single sender and a single receiver.

Use case: Most internet traffic (e.g., visiting a website).
IP Range: Any standard IP address (e.g., 192.168.1.5).
Efficiency: High for personal/direct communication.
Example: twtech PC connects to www.twtechapp.com (via its unique IP).

2. Broadcast IP

Definition: One-to-all communication within a local network segment.

Use case: Used in LANs to announce presence or request information (e.g., ARP, DHCP).
IP Range: Limited to the local subnet. E.g., 192.168.1.255 for /24 subnet.
Efficiency: Not scalable; floods the entire subnet.
Example: DHCP Discover packets from a device when joining a network.

3. Multicast IP

Definition: One-to-many communication for selected recipients (group communication).

Use case: Streaming video, stock tickers, multiplayer games.
IP Range: 224.0.0.0 to 239.255.255.255 (Class D).
Efficiency: More scalable than broadcast; only interested hosts join.
Example: A server sends a live video feed to many users using a multicast group like 239.1.2.3.

4. Anycast IP

Definition: One-to-nearest (from the sender’s perspective) communication.

Use case: Load balancing and high availability (e.g., DNS, CDN).
IP Range: Regular unicast IPs configured on multiple hosts.
Efficiency: Very efficient for latency-sensitive traffic.
Example: DNS resolver like 8.8.8.8 (Google DNS) — twtechuser is routed to the nearest server.

Architecture

Quick Comparison Table

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