IP Addressing & Subnetting are foundational topics in computer networking, essential for managing and
organizing devices on a network. Here’s an overview of each concept:
IP Addressing
An IP address (Internet Protocol address) is a unique identifier for devices on a network. IP addresses are
used to route data between devices across networks, including the internet.
There are two versions of IP addresses:
1. IPv4:
o A 32-bit address divided into four octets, represented in decimal form (e.g.,
192.168.1.1).
o It allows approximately 4.3 billion unique addresses (2^32).
o Divided into classes (A, B, C, D, and E) based on the number of networks and hosts it can
accommodate.
2. IPv6:
o A 128-bit address, represented in hexadecimal form (e.g.,
2001:0db8:85a3:0000:0000:8a2e:0370:7334).
o It allows for a much larger address space (2^128 addresses).
o Developed to solve the IPv4 address exhaustion issue.
IPv4 Address Classes
IPv4 addresses are grouped into different classes:
• Class A: Used for large networks, range: 1.0.0.0 to 126.255.255.255
• Class B: Used for medium-sized networks, range: 128.0.0.0 to 191.255.255.255
• Class C: Used for small networks, range: 192.0.0.0 to 223.255.255.255
• Class D: Reserved for multicast, range: 224.0.0.0 to 239.255.255.255
• Class E: Reserved for experimental purposes, range: 240.0.0.0 to 255.255.255.255
Subnetting
Subnetting divides a larger network into smaller, more manageable sub-networks (subnets). This helps
improve performance, security, and IP address allocation.
Each subnet has its own subnet mask, which helps determine which portion of the IP address identifies
the network and which part identifies the host within the network.
Subnet Mask
• Subnet masks are often written in decimal (e.g., 255.255.255.0) and help divide the IP address
into the network portion and the host portion.
• CIDR Notation: Classless Inter-Domain Routing (CIDR) notation (e.g., /24) is commonly used to
specify the number of bits used for the network. /24 means the first 24 bits of the address are
reserved for the network.
Subnetting Example (IPv4):
Given an IP address 192.168.1.0/24:
• Subnet mask is 255.255.255.0 (or /24), which means 24 bits are for the network, and the
remaining 8 bits are for host addresses.
• Total hosts per subnet = 2^8 - 2 = 254 (subtracting 2 for network and broadcast addresses).
You can further subnet this into smaller subnets (e.g., /26, /27), each providing a smaller number of
hosts per network.
Subnetting Steps:
1. Determine the subnet mask based on how many subnets or hosts you need.
2. Calculate the number of subnets and hosts:
o Formula: 2^N, where N is the number of bits you borrow from the host portion for
subnetting.
3. Assign subnets based on the new subnet mask.
CIDR (Classless Inter-Domain Routing)
• CIDR allows for more flexible subnetting compared to class-based IP addressing.
• Example: Instead of being restricted to Class A, B, or C networks, you can use 192.168.1.0/22 to
create a custom subnet mask, allowing for more specific network and host configurations.
Private IP Address Ranges
Certain IP address ranges are reserved for private networks, commonly used in home and enterprise
networks:
• Class A: 10.0.0.0 to 10.255.255.255
• Class B: 172.16.0.0 to 172.31.255.255
• Class C: 192.168.0.0 to 192.168.255.255
These addresses are not routable on the internet and require Network Address Translation (NAT) for
accessing external networks.
