What type of address is designated for the ARP Reply message?

The address designated for the ARP (Address Resolution Protocol) Reply message is a unicast address. In the context of ARP, when a device wants to resolve the MAC address corresponding to a known IP address, it sends out an ARP Request as a broadcast to all devices in the local network segment. However, the ARP Reply is sent back directly to the IP address that made the original request.

This unicast nature of the ARP Reply ensures that the response is targeted specifically to the requester, allowing for efficient communication since only the intended recipient will be processing the ARP Reply. This direct addressing reduces unnecessary load on the network, as only the relevant device receives this message instead of all devices in the broadcast domain.

In summary, ARP Replies use unicast because they specifically target the device that made the ARP Request, facilitating a clear and direct response in the addressing process.