Broadcast vs Multicast

What this networking fundamentals question tests

This is a foundational networking question that probes whether you understand the scope and delivery semantics of two key communication patterns in TCP/IP. It appears regularly in systems and infrastructure roles where candidates need to reason about how packets reach their intended audience.

The question requires you to articulate the distinction between one-to-many delivery mechanisms—specifically, how the sender's intent, the set of intended recipients, and the network's handling of the transmission differ between the two approaches. Clear answers distinguish the scope of reach, the role of group membership, and typical use cases.

• Address scope and network boundaries
• Group membership and subscription models
• Layer 2 vs. Layer 3 delivery mechanisms
• Bandwidth efficiency and scalability trade-offs