DICT Proficiency Diagnostic Practice Exam

The identification of a device's location on a network is specifically accomplished by the IP address. An IP address is a unique identifier assigned to each device on a network, allowing it to communicate with other devices. It serves as the address that data packets are sent to and from, enabling proper routing of information across the network.

An IP address provides context for network hierarchy and can indicate the network segment to which a device belongs. This is critical for ensuring that data is sent to the correct destination.

In contrast, while a MAC address, which identifies the hardware interface of a device, is essential for local network communication, it does not indicate a device's location within a broader network. The subnet mask defines the portion of the IP address that represents the network and the portion that identifies the host, but it doesn't specify a device's address on its own. The gateway acts as an access point from one network to another but does not identify individual devices. Therefore, the IP address is the key element that explicitly locates a device on a network.