IPX defines its own internetwork and intranode (or intranetwork) addressing. For intranode addressing, IPX uses the physical address assigned to the network board. The IPX network address uniquely identifies an IPX server on an IPX network and individual processes within the server. A complete IPX network address is a 12-byte hexadecimal number comprising the following components:
A 4-byte network number (server)
A 6-byte node number (server)
A 2-byte socket number (server process)
The following is an example of a complete IPX network address:
FEDCBA98 1A2B3C5D7E9F 0453
Each number in an IPX address is contained in a field in the IPX header and represents a source or destination network, node, or socket. The network number is used only for network-layer operations, namely routing. The node number is used for local, or same-segment, packet transmission. The socket number directs a packet to a process operating within a node.