Subnet Zero and the All−Ones Subnet

Document ID: 13711

Contents
Introduction
Prerequisites
Requirements
Components Used
Conventions
Subnet Zero
The All−Ones Subnet
Problems with Subnet Zero and the All−Ones Subnet
Subnet−Zero
The All−Ones Subnet
Using Subnet Zero and the All−Ones Subnet
Related Information
Introduction
Subnetting breaks down a given network address into smaller subnets. Coupled with other technologies like
Network Address Translation (NAT) and Port Address Translation (PAT), it allows for the more efficient use
of available IP address space, thereby alleviating the problem of address depletion to a great extent.
Subnetting has guidelines regarding the use of the first and the last subnets, known as subnet zero and the
all−ones subnet, respectively. This document discusses subnet zero and the all−ones subnet and their uses.

Prerequisites
Requirements
There are no specific requirements for this document.

Components Used
This document is not restricted to specific software and hardware versions.

Conventions
For more information on document conventions, refer to the Cisco Technical Tips Conventions.

Subnet Zero
If a network address is subnetted, the first subnet obtained after subnetting the network address is called
subnet zero.

Consider a Class B address, 172.16.0.0. By default the Class B address 172.16.0.0 has 16 bits reserved for
representing the host portion, thus allowing 65534 (216−2) valid host addresses. If network 172.16.0.0/16 is
subnetted by borrowing three bits from the host portion, eight (23) subnets are obtained. The table below is an
example showing the subnets obtained by subnetting the address 172.16.0.0, the resulting subnet mask, the
corresponding broadcast addresses, and the range of valid host addresses.
 Subnet
Address Broadcast Valid Host
Subnet Mask
Address Range
172.16.0.0 172.16.0.1 to
255.255.224.0 172.16.31.255
172.16.31.254
172.16.32.0 172.16.32.1 to
255.255.224.0 172.16.63.255
172.16.63.254
172.16.64.0 172.16.64.1 to
255.255.224.0 172.16.95.255
172.16.95.254
172.16.96.0 172.16.96.1 to
255.255.224.0 172.16.127.255
172.16.127.254
172.16.128.0 172.16.128.1 to
255.255.224.0 172.16.159.255
172.16.159.254
172.16.160.0 172.16.160.1 to
255.255.224.0 172.16.191.255
172.16.191.254
172.16.192.0 172.16.192.1 to
255.255.224.0 172.16.223.255
172.16.223.254
172.16.224.0 172.16.224.1 to
255.255.224.0 172.16.255.255
172.16.255.254

In the example above, the first subnet (subnet 172.16.0.0/19) is called subnet zero.

The class of the network subnetted and the number of subnets obtained after subnetting have no role in
determining subnet zero. It is the first subnet obtained when subnetting the network address. Also, when you
write the binary equivalent of the subnet zero address, all the subnet bits (bits 17, 18, and 19 in this case) are
zeros. Subnet zero is also known as the all−zeros subnet.

The All−Ones Subnet

When a network address is subnetted, the last subnet obtained is called the all−ones subnet.

With reference to the example above, the last subnet obtained when subnetting network 172.16.0.0 (subnet
172.16.224.0/19) is called the all−ones subnet.

The class of the network subnetted and the number of subnets obtained after subnetting have no role in
determining the all−ones subnet. Also, when you write the binary equivalent of the subnet zero address, all the
subnet bits (bits 17, 18, and 19 in this case) are ones, hence the name.

Problems with Subnet Zero and the All−Ones Subnet

Traditionally, it was strongly recommended that subnet zero and the all−ones subnet not be used for
addressing. According to RFC 950 , "It is useful to preserve and extend the interpretation of these special
(network and broadcast) addresses in subnetted networks. This means the values of all zeros and all ones in
the subnet field should not be assigned to actual (physical) subnets." This is the reason why network engineers
required to calculate the number of subnets obtained by borrowing three bits would calculate 23−2 (6) and not
23 (8). The −2 takes into account that subnet zero and the all−ones subnet are not used traditionally.
Subnet−Zero
Using subnet zero for addressing was discouraged because of the confusion inherent in having a network and
a subnet with indistinguishable addresses.

With reference to our example above, consider the IP address 172.16.1.10. If you calculate the subnet address
corresponding to this IP address, the answer you arrive at is subnet 172.16.0.0 (subnet zero). Note that this
subnet address is identical to network address 172.16.0.0, which was subnetted in the first place, so whenever
you perform subnetting, you get a network and a subnet (subnet zero) with indistinguishable addresses. This
was formerly a source of great confusion.

Prior to Cisco IOS® Software Release 12.0, Cisco routers, by default, did not allow an IP address belonging
to subnet zero to be configured on an interface. However, if a network engineer working with a Cisco IOS
software release older than 12.0 finds it safe to use subnet zero, the ip subnet−zero command in the global
configuration mode can be used to overcome this restriction. As of Cisco IOS Software Release 12.0, Cisco
routers now have ip subnet−zero enabled by default, but if the network engineer feels that it is unsafe to use
subnet zero, the no ip subnet−zero command can be used to restrict the use of subnet zero addresses.

In versions prior to Cisco IOS Software Release 8.3, the service subnet−zero command was used.

The All−Ones Subnet

Use of the all−ones subnet for addressing has been discouraged in the past because of the confusion inherent
in having a network and a subnet with identical broadcast addresses.

With reference to the example above, the broadcast address for the last subnet (subnet 172.16.224.0/19) is
172.16.255.255, which is identical to the broadcast address of the network 172.16.0.0, which was subnetted in
the first place, so whenever you perform subnetting you get a network and a subnet (all−ones subnet) with
identical broadcast addresses. In other words, a network engineer could configure the address 172.16.230.1/19
on a router, but if that is done, he can no longer differentiate between a local subnet broadcast
(172.16.255.255 (/19)) and the complete Class B broadcast (172.16.255.255(/16)).

Although the all−ones subnet can now be used, misconfigurations can cause problems. To give you an idea of
what can happen, consider the following:

Note: See Host and Subnet Quantities for details.

Routers 2 through 5 are access routers that each have several incoming asynchronous (or ISDN) connections.
We have decided to break up a network (195.1.1.0/24) into four pieces for these incoming users. Each piece is
given to one of the access routers. Also, the asynchronous lines are configured ip unnum e0. Router 1 has
static routes pointing at the correct access router, and each access router has a default route pointing at Router
1.

The Router 1 routing table looks like this:

C 195.1.2.0/24 E0
S 195.1.1.0/26 195.1.2.2
S 195.1.1.64/26 195.1.2.3
S 195.1.1.128/26 195.1.2.4
S 195.1.1.192/26 195.1.2.5

The access routers have the same connected route for the Ethernet, the same default route and several host
routes for their asynchronous lines (courtesy of Point−to−Point Protocol (PPP)).

Router 2 routing table: Router 3 routing table:

C 195.1.2.0/24 E0 C 195.1.2.0/24 E0
S 0.0.0.0/0 195.1.2.1 S 0.0.0.0/0 195.1.2.1
C 195.1.1.2/32 async1 C 195.1.1.65/32 async1
C 195.1.1.5/32 async2 C 195.1.1.68/32 async2
C 195.1.1.8/32 async3 C 195.1.1.74/32 async3
C 195.1.1.13/32 async4 C 195.1.1.87/32 async4
C 195.1.1.24/32 async6 C 195.1.1.88/32 async6
C 195.1.1.31/32 async8 C 195.1.1.95/32 async8
C 195.1.1.32/32 async12 C 195.1.1.104/32 async12
C 195.1.1.48/32 async15 C 195.1.1.112/32 async15
C 195.1.1.62/32 async18 C 195.1.1.126/32 async18

Router 4 routing table: Router 5 routing table:

C 195.1.2.0/24 E0 C 195.1.2.0/24 E0
S 0.0.0.0/0 195.1.2.1 S 0.0.0.0/0 195.1.2.1
C 195.1.1.129/32 async1 C 195.1.1.193/32 async1
C 195.1.1.132/32 async2 C 195.1.1.197/32 async2
C 195.1.1.136/32 async3 C 195.1.1.200/32 async3
C 195.1.1.141/32 async4 C 195.1.1.205/32 async4
C 195.1.1.152/32 async6 C 195.1.1.216/32 async6
C 195.1.1.159/32 async8 C 195.1.1.223/32 async8
C 195.1.1.160/32 async12 C 195.1.1.224/32 async12
C 195.1.1.176/32 async15 C 195.1.1.240/32 async15
C 195.1.1.190/32 async18 C 195.1.1.252/32 async18

What if we have misconfigured the hosts on the asynchronous lines to have a 255.255.255.0 mask instead of a
255.255.255.192 mask? Everything works fine.

Take a look at what happens when one of these hosts (195.1.1.24) does a local broadcast (NetBIOS, WINS).
The packet looks like this:

s: 195.1.1.24 d: 195.1.1.255

The packet is received by Router 2. Router 2 sends it to Router 1, which sends it to Router 5, which sends it to
Router 1, which sends it to Router 5, and so on, until the Time To Live (TTL) expires.

The following is another example (host 195.1.1.240):

s: 195.1.1.240 d: 195.1.1.255

This packet is received by Router 5. Router 5 sends it to Router 1, which sends it to Router 5, which sends it
to Router 1, which sends it to Router 5, and so on, until the TTL expires. If this situation occurs, you might
think you were under a packet attack. Given the load on Router 5, this would not be an unreasonable
assumption.

In this example, a routing loop has been created. Because Router 5 is handling the all−ones subnet, it gets
blasted. Routers 2 through 4 see the "broadcast" packet only once. Router 1 is hit, too, but what if it is a Cisco
7513, which can handle this situation? In that case, you need to configure your hosts with the correct
subnet−mask.

To protect against misconfigured hosts, create a loopback interface on each access router with a static route
195.1.1.255 to the loopback address. You could use the Null0 interface, but this causes the router to generate
Internet Control Message Protoco (ICMP) "unreachable" messages.

Using Subnet Zero and the All−Ones Subnet

It should be noted that even though it was discouraged, the entire address space including subnet zero and the
all−ones subnet have always been usable. The use of the all−ones subnet was explicitly allowed and the use of
subnet zero is explicitly allowed since Cisco IOS Software Release 12.0. Even prior to Cisco IOS Software
Release 12.0, subnet zero could be used by entering the ip subnet−zero global configuration command.

On the issue of using subnet zero and the all−ones subnet, RFC 1878 states, "This practice (of excluding
all−zeros and all−ones subnets) is obsolete. Modern software will be able to utilize all definable networks."
Today, the use of subnet zero and the all−ones subnet is generally accepted and most vendors support their
use. However, on certain networks, particularly the ones using legacy software, the use of subnet zero and the
all−ones subnet can lead to problems.

Related Information
• IP Subnet Calculator ( registered customers only)
• IP Routed Protocols Technical Support Page
• Technical Support − Cisco Systems

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Updated: Aug 10, 2005 Document ID: 13711