Employing socket ranges to ascertain layer 2 addresses

Computer systems, computer-readable media, and computerized methods for determining a media access (MAC) address that corresponds with a network identifier in a wireless or wired network are provided. A dynamic host configuration protocol (DHCP) server is employed to allocate a set of socket IP addresses that include a common IPv4 address paired with a selected group of ports, where none of the ports in the selected groups overlap. When assigned to a client device, the socket IP address uniquely identifies the client device within the network. A host device within the network is configured to broadcast an address resolution protocol (ARP) request to other devices within the network, such as the DHCP server, where the ARP request includes a socket IP address associated with recipient(s) of communications from the host device. In response to the ARP request, the appropriate device or DHCP server returns a MAC address of the recipient.