What is an IP Address?

An IP address is an identifier for a computer or device on a TCP/IP network. Networks

using the TCP/IP protocol route messages based on the IP address of the destination.

An IP address consists of 32 bits, often shown as 4 octets of numbers from 0-255

represented in decimal form instead of binary form. For example, the IP address:
168.212.226.204 in binary form is 10101000.11010100.11100010.11001100.

But it is easier for us to remember decimals than it is to remember binary numbers, so we

use decimals to represent the IP addresses when describing them. However, the binary
number is important because that will determine which class of network the IP address
belongs to.

The Two Parts of an IP Address

An IP address consists of two parts, one identifying the network and one identifying the
node, or host.

The Class of the address determines which part belongs to the network address and
which part belongs to the node address. All nodes on a given network share the same
network prefix but must have a unique host number.

Class A Network

In a Class A Network binary address start with 0, therefore the decimal number can be
anywhere from 1 to 126. The first 8 bits (the first octet) identify the network and the
remaining 24 bits indicate the host within the network. An example of a Class A IP
address is 102.168.212.226, where "102" identifies the network and "168.212.226"
identifies the host on that network.

Class B Network

In a Class B Network, binary addresses start with 10, therefore the decimal number can
be anywhere from 128 to 191. The number 127 is reserved for loopback and is used for
internal testing on the local machine. The first 16 bits (the first two octets) identify the
network and the remaining 16 bits indicate the host within the network. An example of a
Class B IP address is 168.212.226.204 where "168.212" identifies the network and
"226.204" identifies the host on that network.

Class C Network

Binary addresses start with 110, therefore the decimal number can be anywhere from 192
to 223. The first 24 bits (the first three octets) identify the network and the remaining 8
bits indicate the host within the network. An example of a Class C IP address is
200.168.212.226 where "200.168.212" identifies the network and "226" identifies the
host on that network.

Class D Network

In a Class D Network, binary addresses start with 1110, therefore the decimal number can
be anywhere from 224 to 239. Class D networks are used to support multicasting.

Class E Network

In a Class E Network, binary addresses start with 1111, therefore the decimal number can
be anywhere from 240 to 255. Class E networks are used for experimentation. They have
never been documented or utilized in a standard way.

No of machines to be connected Class of network Network addresses

254 or less C 192.168.0.0 to 192.168.255.0
255 to 65,534 B 172.16.0.0 to 172.31.0.0
65,535 to 16,777,214 A 10.0.0.0

Thus, if you are having a class C network that is not permanently connected to the
Internet, your network address can be any one from 192.168.1.0 to 192.168.255.0, and
without subneting, you can have 254 hosts having addresses 192.168.1.1 to
192.168.1.254, if you have selected 192.168.1.0 as your network address; 192.168.1.255
is the broadcast address.

Network Masks

A network mask helps you know which portion of the address identifies the network
and which portion of the address identifies the node. Class A, B, and C networks have
default masks, also known as natural masks, as shown here:

Class A: 255.0.0.0
Class B: 255.255.0.0
Class C: 255.255.255.0

An IP address on a Class A network that has not been subnetted would have an
address/mask pair similar to: 8.20.15.1 255.0.0.0. To see how the mask helps you
identify the network and node parts of the address, convert the address and mask to
binary numbers.

8.20.15.1 = 00001000.00010100.00001111.00000001
 255.0.0.0 = 11111111.00000000.00000000.00000000

Once you have the address and the mask represented in binary, then identifying the
network and host ID is easier. Any address bits which have corresponding mask bits
set to 1 represent the network ID. Any address bits that have corresponding mask bits
set to 0 represent the node ID.

8.20.15.1 = 00001000.00010100.00001111.00000001
255.0.0.0 = 11111111.00000000.00000000.00000000
-----------------------------------
net id | host id

netid = 00001000 = 8
hostid = 00010100.00001111.00000001 = 20.15.1

Public Addresses

Public addresses are assigned by InterNIC and consist of class-based network IDs or
blocks of CIDR-based addresses (called CIDR blocks) that are guaranteed to be globally
unique to the Internet.

When the public addresses are assigned, routes are programmed into the routers of the
Internet so that traffic to the assigned public addresses can reach their locations. Traffic
to destination public addresses are reachable on the Internet.

For example, when an organization is assigned a CIDR block in the form of a network ID
and subnet mask, that [network ID, subnet mask] pair also exists as a route in the routers
of the Internet. IP packets destined to an address within the CIDR block are routed to the
proper destination

Private Addresses

Each IP node requires an IP address that is globally unique to the IP internetwork. In the
case of the Internet, each IP node on a network connected to the Internet requires an IP
address that is globally unique to the Internet. As the Internet grew, organizations
connecting to the Internet required a public address for each node on their intranets. This
requirement placed a huge demand on the pool of available public addresses.

When analyzing the addressing needs of organizations, the designers of the Internet noted
that for many organizations, most of the hosts on the organization's intranet did not
require direct connectivity to Internet hosts. Those hosts that did require a specific set of
Internet services, such as the World Wide Web access and e-mail, typically access the
Internet services through Application layer gateways such as proxy servers and e-mail
servers. The result is that most organizations only required a small amount of public
addresses for those nodes (such as proxies, routers, firewalls, and translators) that were
directly connected to the Internet.

For the hosts within the organization that do not require direct access to the Internet, IP
addresses that do not duplicate already-assigned public addresses are required. To solve
this addressing problem, the Internet designers reserved a portion of the IP address space
and named this space the private address space. An IP address in the private address
space is never assigned as a public address. IP addresses within the private address space
are known as private addresses. Because the public and private address spaces do not
overlap, private addresses never duplicate public addresses.

Private IP address range

□ 10.0.0.1 to 10.255.255.254
□ 172.16.0.1 to 172.31.255.254
□ 192.168.0.1 to 192.168.255.254

Loopback Address: Network 127 is called loopback address. Though it’s an A class
address but we can’t provide this address to any host. Because Every host is part of this
network. 127.0.0.0 network is called Local Network. If you install TCP/IP in your
computer, then that computer will take an IP address like 127.0.0.1 for checking that
computer’s configuration. Just go to command prompt and type ping localhost, you will
get the answer from 127.0.0.1. If you get the answer that means your TCP/IP insatll
properly.

So far, we learn,

Class Range Left bit Bits for No of Bits for No of

NetworkID Network HostID host
A 1-127 0 8 2^7-2=126 24 2^24-2
B 128-191 10 16 2^14=16,384 16 2^16-2

C 192-223 110 24 8 2^8-2

2^21=2097152
D 224-239 1110
E 240-255 1111

Network addressing guideline:

1. Every networking network ID has to be different. Same network ID, you can’t
make two networks.
2. Network ID can’t start by 127 because it is reserve for loopback IP.
 3. 255 it is called broadcast IP like 172.16.1.255 (Directed broadcast),
255.255.255.255 (Local network broadcast)

Host addressing Guideline:

1. In the same network every host has to be unique.

2. Every bit can’t not be 1 in the hostID. Because that address is broadcast address
for that network
3. you can’t make 0 for host ID

Default Subnet Mask:

For Class A------------ 255.0.0.0

Class B------------ 255.255.0.0
Class C------------- 255.255.255.0