128/25, 208 PM NAT: How Network Address Translation Werks | HowStutWorks HowStufWorks / Tech | Computer | Computer Hardware / Networking NAT: How Network Address Translation Works By: Jeff Tyson | Updated: Mar 25, 2024 Network Ader Translation helps Improve secunty by reusing P ardrestes, The NAT outer translates tate coming into an leaving the private networking It you are reading this article, you are most likely connected to the internet and viewing it at the HowStuffWorks website, ‘Therefore, its very probable that you are using Network Address Translation (NAT) right now. ‘The Intemet has grown larger than anyone ever imagined it could be. Although the exact size is unknown, the current estimate is that there are more than 5.35 billion users actively on the internet. So what does the size of the internet have to do with NAT? Everything! In this article, you will earn how NAT can benefit you. But first, let's take a closer look al NAT and exactly what it can do. When the Global IP Address Pool Runs Dry For a computer to communicate with other computers and web servers on the internet, it must have an IP address. An IP address (IP stands for Internet Protocol) is a unique 32-bit number that identifies the location of your computer on a network. Basically, it works ike your street address — as a way to find out exaclly where you are and deliver information to you. ‘When IP addressing first came out, everyone thought that there were plenty of addresses to cover any need. Theoretically, you could have 4,254,967,296 unique addresses (2%2), The actual number of public IP addresses is smaller (somewhere between 3.2 and 3.3 billion) because of the way that the addresses are separated into classes, and because some addresses are set aside {or multicasting, testing, or other special uses. With the explosion of the Internet and the inerease in home networks and business networks, the number of available IP addresses is simply not enough. The obvious solution is to redesign the public IP address format to allow for more possible addresses. This is being developed (called IPv6), but will take several years to implement because it requires modification of the entire infrastructure of the internet. ‘This is where NAT (RFC 1631) comes to the rescue. Network Address Translation allows a single device, such as a router, to act as an agent between the Internet (or public network") and a local (or “private") network, This means that only a single, Unique IP address is required to represent an entire group of computers. But the shortage of public IP addresses is only one reason to use NAT hitps:feomputorhowstutworks.cominat htm sa128/25, 208 PM NAT: How Network Address Translation Werks | HowStutWorks What Does NAT Do? NAT is like the receptionist in a large office. Let's say you have left instructions with the receptionist not to forward any calls to ‘you unless you request it. Later on, you call a potential client and leave a message for that client to call you back. You tell the receptionist that you are expecting a call from this cliont and to put her through. ‘The dliont calls the m number to your office, which is the only number the client knows. When the client tells the receptionist that she is looking for you, the receptionist checks a lookup table that matches your name with your extension. The receptionist knows that you requested this call, and therefore forwards the caller to your extension. Developed by Cisco, Network Address Translation is used by a device ({irewall, router, or computer that sits between an internal network and the rest of the world). NAT has many forms and can work in several ways: Instat NAT, he computer wah the oss of 192.168.32.10 wil aay translate to 213.18123.110, + Static NAT - Mapping an unregistered IP address to a registered IP address on a one-to-one basis. Particularly useful when a device needs to be accessible from outside the network. In yamie NAT, the computer wth he IP adeross 192,168,321 wl wansate to he fest avaliable adross tho range from 219.18.128100 to 219.18.128.150. + Dynamic NAT - Maps an unregistered IP address to a registered IP address from a group of registered IP addresses. ‘+ Overloading ~A form of dynamic NAT that maps multiple unregistered IP addresses to a single registered IP address by using different ports. This is known also as PAT (Port Address Translation), single IP address NAT or port-level multiplexed NAT. ae sai Perera In ovetoading, each computor ont vata networks translate fo the sare IP agers (213.18.125.100), but wit a ferent por number assignment hitps:feomputorhowstutworks.cominat htm 21128/25, 208 PM NAT: How Network Address Translation Werks | HowStutWorks + Overlapping - When the IP addresses used on your internal network are registered IP addresses in use on another network, the router must maintain a lookup table of these addresses so that it can intercept them and replace them with registered unique IP addresses. Its important to note that the NAT router must translate the registered unique addresses as well as translate the “external” registered addresses to addresses that are unique to the private network, This can be done either through static NAT or by using DNS and implementing dynamic NAT. Pa —@ ‘The intral I rang (257. 16.32. is lo a registred ange used by another translating the addresses to avoid 2 potersial confit wih another network. vl also translate tre registered global toca P adresses when information sent othe intral network, The intemal network is usually a LAN (Local Area Network), commonly referred to as the stub domain. A stub domain is a LAN that uses IP addresses internally. Most of the network traffic in a stub domain is local, so it doesn't travel outside the internal network. An internal IP address can be either registered or unregistered, and a stub domain can include it. Of course, any computers that use unregistered IP addresses must use NAT to communicate with the rest of the world Inthe next section we'll look at the different ways NAT can be configured. Thank You Special thanks to Cisco for its suppor creating this article, NAT Configuration ant —@ IP aderesses have dent designations based on whotherthey are onthe prvate rnotwor stub domain) or onthe pubic rnotwor (tome) and whother the tae Isncomng or outgoing. NAT can be configured in various ways, In the example below, the NAT router is configured to translate unregistered (inside, local) IP addresses, that reside on the private (inside) network, to registered IP addresses. This happens whenever a device on the inside with an unregistered address needs to communicate with the public (outside) network, + An ISP assigns a range of IP addresses to your company. The assigned block of addresses are registered, unique IP addresses and are called inside global addresses. Unregistered, private IP addresses are split into two groups. One is a ‘small group (outside local addresses) that will be used by the NAT routers. The other, much larger group, known as inside hitps:feomputorhowstutworks.cominat htm sat128/25, 208 PM NAT: How Network Address Translation Werks | HowStutWorks local IP addresses, will be used on the stub domain, The outside local addresses are used to translate the unique IP addresses, known as outside global addresses, of devices on the public network. + Most computers on the stub domain communicate with each other using the inside local addresses, + Some computers on the stub domain communicate a lot outside the network. These computers have in: addresses, which means that they do not require translation. le global + When a computer on the stub domain that has an inside local address wants to communicate outside the network, the packet goes to one of the NAT routers, + The NAT router checks the routing table to see if has an entry for the destination address. Ift does, the NAT device then translates the packet and creates an entry for tin the address translation table. If the destination address is not in the routing table, the packet is dropped. + Using an inside global address, the router sends the packet on to its destination + Acomputer on the public network sends a packet to the private network. The source address on the packet is an outside global address. The destination address is an inside global address. +The NAT router looks at the address translation table and determines that the destination IP address is in there, mapped to a computer on the stub domain. + The NAT router translates the inside global address of the packat to the inside local address, and sends it to the destination computer. The Connections of a NAT Overload NAT overloading utilizes a feature of the TCP/IP protocol stack, multiplexing, that allows a computer to maintain several concurrent connections with a remote computer (or computers) using different TOP or UDP ports. An IP packet has a header that contains the following information: + Source Address - The IP address ofthe originating computer, such as 201.3.83.132 + Source Port- The TCP or UDP port number assigned by the originating computer for this packet, such as Port 1080 + Destination Address - The IP address of the racelving computer, such as 145.51.18.223 + Destination Port - The TCP or UDP port number that the originating computer is asking the receiving computer to open, such as Port 3021 The addresses specify the two machines at each end, while the port numbers ensure that the connection between the two computers has a unique identifier. The combination of these four port numbers defines a single TCP/IP connection. Each port umber uses 16 bits, which means that there are a possible 65,536 (2"°) values. Realistically, since different manufacturers map the ports in slightly different ways, you can expect to have about 4,000 ports available. Dynamic Network Address Translation Here's how dynamic NAT works: + An intemal network (stub domain) has been set up with IP addresses that were not specifically allocated to that company by IANA (Iniemet Assigned Numbers Authority), the global authority that hands out IP addresses. These addresses should be considered non-routable since they are not unique. + The company sets up a NAT-enabled router. The router has a range of unique IP addresses given to the company by IANA. + Acomputer on the stub domain attempts to connect to a computer outside the network, such as a web server. + The router receives the packet from the computer on the stub domain, hitps:feomputorhowstutworks.cominat htm 421128/25, 208 PM NAT: How Network Address Translation Werks | HowStutWorks + The router saves the computer's non-routable IP address to an address translation table. The router replaces the sending ‘computer's non-routable IP address with the frst avallable IP address out of the range of unique IP addresses. The translation table now has a mapping of the computer's non-routable IP address matched with the one of the unique IP addresses. + When a packet comes back from the destination computer, the router checks the destination address on the packet. It then looks in the address translation table to see which computer on the stub domain the packet belongs to. It changes the destination address to the one saved in the address translation table and sends it to that computer. It doesn't find a match in the table, it drops the packet. + The computer receives the packet from the router, The process repeats as long as the computer is communicating with the external system How NAT Overloading Works Here's how overloading works: + An intemal network (stu domain) has been set up with non-routable IP addresses that were not specifically allocated to that company by IANA. + The company sets up a NAT-enabled router. The rauter has a unique IP address given to the company by IANA. + Acomputer on the stub domain attempts to connect to a computer outside the network, such as a Web server. +The router receives the packet from the computer on the stub domain. + The router saves ‘computer's non-routable IP address and port number to an address translation table. The router replaces the sending computer's non-routable IP address with the router's IP address. The router replaces the sending ‘computer's source port with the port number that matches where the router saved the sending computer's address information in the address translation table. The translation table now has a mapping of the computer's non-routable IP address and port number along with the router's IP address. + When a packet comes back from the destination computer, the router checks the destination port on the packet. It then looks in the address translation table to see which computer on the stub domain the packet belongs to. It changes the destination address and destination port to the ones saved in the address translation table and sends it to that computer. + The computer receives the packet from the router. The process repeats as long as the computer is communicating with the external system + Since the NAT router now has the computer's source address and source port saved to the address translation table, it will continue to use that same port number for the duration of the connection. A timer is reset each time the router accesses an entry in the table, Ifthe entry is not accessed again before the timer expires, the entry is removed from the table. In the next section we'll look at the organization of stub domains. Stub Domains Look below to see how the computers on a stub domain might appear to external networks. Source Computer A IP Address: 192.168.32.10 Computer Port: 400 NAT Router IP Address: 215.37.32,203 NAT Router Assigned Port Number: 1 hitps:feomputorhowstutworks.cominat htm 521128/25, 208 PM NAT: How Network Address Translation Werks | HowStutWorks Source Computer B IP Address: 192.168.3213 Computer Port: 50, NAT Router IP Address: 215.37.32.203 NAT Router Assigned Port Number: 2 Source Computer C IP Address: 192.168.32.15 Computer Port: 3750 NAT Router IP Address: 215.37.32.203 NAT Router Assigned Port Number: 3 Source Computer D IP Address: 192.168.32.18 Computer Port: 206 NAT Router IP Address: 216.37.32,203 NAT Router Assigned Port Number: 4 ‘As you can see, the NAT router stores the IP address and port number of each computer. It then replaces the IP address with its own registered IP address and the port number corresponding to the location, in the table, of the entry for that packet's source computer. So any extemal network sees the NAT router's IP address and the port number assigned by the router as the source- computer information on each packet You can stil have some computers on the stub domain that use dedicated IP addresses. You can create an access list of IP addresses that tells the router which computers on the network require NAT. All other IP addresses will pass through Untranslated. ‘The number of simultaneous translations that a router will support are determined mainly by the amount of DRAM (Dynamic Random Access Memory) it has. But since a typical entry in the address-translation table only takes about 160 bytes, a router with 4 MB of DRAM could theoretically process 26,214 simultaneous translations, which is more than enough for most applications. How IP Address Information is Classified IANA has set aside specific ranges of IP addresses for use as non-routable, intemal network addresses. These addresses are considered unregistered (for more information check out RFC 1918: Address Allocation for Private Internets, which defines these address ranges). No company or agency can claim ownership of unregistered addresses or use them on public computers. hitps:feomputorhowstutworks.cominat htm a1128/25, 208 PM NAT: How Network Address Translation Werks | HowStutWorks Routers are designed to discard (instead of forward) unregistered addresses. What this means is that a packet from a computer with an unregistered address could reach a registered destination computer, but the reply would be discarded by the frst router it came to, ‘There Is a range for each of the three classes of IP addresses used for networking: + Range 1: Class A- 10.0.0.0 through 10.255.255.255 + Range 2: Class B - 172.16.0.0 through 172.31.255.255 + Range 3: Class C - 192.168.0.0 through 192.168.255.255, ‘Although each range is in a different class, your are not required to use any particular range for your internal network. Itis a. good practice, though, because it greatly diminishes the chance of an IP address conflict. Security and Administration Stale NAT (nbound mapping lows 2 computer onthe stub domain to maisain fades when communicaing wth devices ouside the nator. Implementing dynamic NAT automatically creates a firewall between your internal network and outside networks, or between your internal network and the Internet. NAT only allows connections that originate inside the stub domain. Essentially this means that a computer on an external network cannot connect to your computer unless your computer has initiated the contact. You can browse the Internet and connect to a site, and even download a file; but somebody else cannot latch onto your IP address and use it to connect to a port on your computer, In specific circumstances, Static NAT, also called inbound mapping, allows external devices to initiate connections to computers fn the stub domain. For instance, if you wish to go from an inside global IP address to a specific inside local IP address that is assigned to your web server, Static NAT would enable the connection, ‘Some NAT routers provide for extensive fitering and trafic logging. Fitering allows your company to control what type of sites ‘employees visit on the web, preventing them from viewing questionable material. You can use traffic logging to create a log file of what sites are visited and generate vatious reports from it, ANote on Proxy Servers NAT is sometimes confused with proxy servers, but there are definite differences between them. NAT is transparent to the source and to destination computers. Neither one realizes that itis dealing with a third device. But a proxy server is not transparent. ‘The source computer knows that itis making a request to the proxy server and must be configured to do so. The destination ‘computer thinks that the proxy server IS the source computer, and deals with it directly. Also, proxy servers usually work at layer 4 (transport) of the OS| Reference Model or higher, while NAT is a layer 3 (network) protocol. Working at a higher layer makes. proxy servers slower than NAT devices in most cases. hitps:feomputorhowstutworks.cominat htm 721128/25, 208 PM NAT: How Network Address Translation Werks | HowStutWorks Routers Switches NAT porate at the Network yer (ayer 3) ofthe OS! Reference Model ~ this is the layer that routers work Areal benefit of NAT is apparent in network administration, For example, you can move your Web server or FTP server to another host computer without having to worry about broken links. Simply change the inbound mapping at the router to reflect the new host. You can also make changes to your internal network easily, because the only external IP addrass either belongs to the router or comes from a pool of global addresses. NAT and DHCP (dynamic host configuration protocol ) are a natural fit. You can choose a range of unregistered IP addresses for your stub domain and have the DHCP server dole them out as necessary. It also makes it much easier to scale up your network as your needs grow. You don't have to request more IP addresses from IANA. Instead, you can just increase the range of available IP addresses configured in DHCP to immediately have room for additional computers on your network. Multi-homing ‘As businesses rely more and more on the Internet, having multiple points of connection to the Internet is fast becoming an integral part of their network strategy. Multiple connections, known as multchoming, reduces the chance of a potentially catastrophic shutdown if one of the connections should fil In addition to maintaining a reliable connection, mult-homing allows a company to perform load-balancing by lowering the number of computers connecting to the Intemet through any single connection. Distributing the load through multiple connections optimizes the performance and can significantly decrease wait times. Mult-homed networks are often connected to several diferent ISPs (Internet Service Providers). Each ISP assigns an IP address (or range of IP addresses) to the company. Routers use BGP (Border Gateway Protocol) a part of the TOPIIP protocol suite, to route between networks using different protocols. In a mult-homed network, the router utlzes IBGP (Internal Border Gateway Protocol) on the stub domain side, and EBGP (External Border Gateway Protocol) to communicate with other routers. Mult-homing really makes a difference if one of the connections to an ISP falls. As soon as the router assigned to connect to that, ISP determines that the connection is down, it will reroute all data through one of the other routers. NAT can be used to faciltate scalable routing for mult-homed, multi-provider connectivity. For more on mult-homing, see Cisco: Enabling Enterprise Multhoming. For lots more information on NAT and related topics, check out the links on the next page. hitps:feomputorhowstutworks.cominat htm 9213128/25, 2:08 PM NAT: How Network Address Translation Works | HowStufTWorks JB, Network Address Translation (NAT) FAQ, What is @ Network Address Translation? ANetwork Address Translation or NAT is @ mapping method of providing internet connection to local servers and hosts. In NAT, you take several local IPs and map them to one single global IP to transmit information across a routing device. Does NAT affoct Internet speed? NAT only affects a little translating your IPs. f your internet speed. Itis barely noticeable if youd€™re using a reasonable router for What benefits are offered by Network Address Translation? With NAT enabled, itis easier to re-use your personal IP addresses with extra security. Moreover, NAT allows you to keep your external and intemal IP addresses private and secure, You can also save the memory of your IP address by connecting several hosts via the intemet using only a few external IPs. What is difference between NAT and PAT? NAT stands for Network Address Translation while PAT stands for Port Address Translation, As the names suggest, both NAT and PAT are used to translate private IP is that PAT uses port numbers to map IP addresses whereas NAT doesnae™t (0 public IPs to save space and connect multiple devices. The difference How many types of NAT exist? ‘There are many forms of NAT. Static NAT maps an unregistered IP address to a registered IP address on a one-to-one. basis; Dynamic NAT maps an unregistered IP address to a registered IP address from a group of registered IP addresses; Overloading maps multiple unregistered IP addresses to a single registered IP address by using different ports; Overlapping happens when a device on one network is assigned an IP address on the same subnet as another device on the internet or external network aef Lots More Information Related Articles + How Wab Sorvors Work + How LAN Switches Work + How Routers Work + How Ethemot Works + How Home Networking Works + How OSI Works More Great Links + Network Address Translation FAQ + Netsizer: Realtime Internet Growth hntps:!eomputorhowstuttworks.com/nat htm 921128/25, 208 PM NAT: How Network Address Translation Werks | HowStutWorks + Cisco: Network Address Translation + NAT Technical Discussion + Cisco: Configuring IP Addressing + Cisco: NAT Overlapping + Cisco: NAT Order of Operation + IP Journal: The Trouble With NAT + Cisco: Enabling Enterprise Multihoming + RFC 1631: The IP Network Address Translator (NAT) + RFC 1918: Address Allocation for Private Internets What Is an IP Address? By: Chris Pallotto& Stophanie Crawfors | Updated: Apr 1, 2024 = Se — a Every computer hasan P address to connect wth the emet OAWELTARDIPIGETTY MAGES What is an IP address? Every machine on a network has a unique identifier. Just as you would address a letter to send in the ‘mail, computers use the unique identifier to send data to specific computers on a network Most networks today, including all computers on the internet, use the TCP/IP protocol as the standard for how to communicate fn the network, In the TCP/IP protocol, the unique identifier for a computer is called its IP address. ‘There are two standards for IP addresses: IP Version 4 (IPv4) and IP Version 6 (IPvé). All computers with IP addresses have an IPv4 address, and most use the new IPv6 address system as well, Here are the differences between the two address types: + IPv4 uses 32 binary bits to create a single unique address on the network. An IPv4 address is expressed by four numbers ‘separated by dots. Each number is the decimal (base-10) representation for an eight-digit binary (base-2) number, also called an octet, For example: 216.27.61.137 + IPV6 uses 128 binary bits to create a single unique address on the network, An IPv8 address is expressed by eight groups. of hexadecimal (base-16) numbers separated by colons, as in 2001:cdba:0000:0000:0000:0000:3257:9652. Groups of hitps:feomputorhowstutworks.cominat htm 0213728/25, 208 PM NAT: How Network Address Translation Works | HowStumWorks numbers that contain all zeros are often omitted to save space, leaving a colon separator to mark the gap (as in 2001:cdba::3257:9652). [At the dawn of IPv4 addressing, the intemet wasn the large commercial sensation itis today, and most networks were private and closed off from other networks around the world. When the internet exploded, having only 32 bits to identify a unique internet address caused concerns that we'd run out of IP addresses before long. Under IPv4, there are 232 possible combinations, which offers just under 4.3 billion unique addresses, IPv6 raised that to a stress-relieving 2,128 possible addresses. Later, well take a closer look at how to understand your computer's IPv4 or IPv6 addresses, How Computers Get IP Addresses ‘An IP address can be either dynamic or static. static address is a permanently assigned address. A static IP address that is assigned by an intemet service provider is rare. You can assign static IP addresses to devices on your local network, but it can create network issues if you use it without a goad understanding of TCP/IP. Dynamic IP addresses are the most common, They're assigned by the Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP), a service running on the network. DHCP typically runs on network hardware such as routers or dedicated DHCP servers. A dynamic IP address is issued using a leasing system, meaning that the IP address is only active for a limited time. If the lease expires, the computer will automatically request a new lease. Sometimes, this means the computer will get anew IP address, 100, especially if the computer was unplugged from the network between leases. ‘This process is usually transparent to the user unless the computer warns about an IP address conflict on the network (two computers with the same IP address). An address conflct is rare, and today's technology typically fixes the prablem automatically Next, let's take a closer look at the important parts of an IP address and the special roles of certain addresses. IP Classes IPv4 address in dotted-decimal notation 172. 16 .254 . 1 ¥ ¥ ¥ ¥ 10101100 .00010000 .11111110 .00000001 ———— | 8 bits T 32 bits (4 bytes) hitps:feomputorhowstutworks.cominat htm we128/25, 208 PM NAT: How Network Address Translation Werks | HowStutWorks Adiagram ofan IP aderess (Pv) uknicD14 CoMnons Earlier, you read that IPv4 addresses represent four eight-digit binary numbers. That means that each number could be (00000000 to 11111111 in binary, oF 0 to 255 in decimal (base-10). In other words, 0.0.0.0 to 255.255.255.255, However, some numbers in that range are reserved for specific purposes on TCP/IP networks. These reservations are recognized by the authority on TCP/IP addressing, the intemet Assigned Numbers Authority ANA). Four specific raservations include the following: + 0.0.0.0: This represents the default network, which is the abstract concept of just being connected to a TCPIIP network. + 255.255.255.255: This address is reserved for network broadcasts, or messages that should go to all computers on the network. + 127.0.0.1: This is called the loopback address, meaning your computer's way of identifying itself, whether or not it has an assigned IP address. + 169.254.0.1 to 169.254.255.254: This is the Automatic Private IP Addressing (APIPA) range of addresses assigned ‘automatically when a computer's unsuccessful getting an address from a DHCP server. ‘The other IP address reservations are for subnet classes. A subnetwork is a smaller network of computers connected to a larger network through a router. The subnet can have its own address system so computers on the same subnet can communicate quickly without sending data across the larger network. Arouter on a TCP/IP network, including the internet, is configured to recognize one or more subnets and route network trafic appropriately. The following are the IP addresses reserved for subnets: + 10.0.0.0 to 10.255.255.255: This falls within the Class A address range of 1.0.0.0 to 127.0.0.0, in which the first bit is 0 + 172.16.0.0 to 172.31.255.255: This falls within the Class B address range of 128.0.0.0 to 191.255.0.0, in which the first two bits are 10, + 192.168.0.0 to 192.168.255.256: This falls within the Class C range of 192.0.0.0 through 223.255.255.0, in which the first three bits are 110, + Multicast (formerly called Class 0): The first four bits in the address are 1110, with addresses ranging from 224.0.0.0 to 239.255.255.256. + Reserved for future/experimental use (Formerly called Class E) : addresses 240.0.0.0 to 254.255.256.254. ‘The frst three (within Classes A, B and C) are those most used in creating subnets. Later, well see how a subnet uses these addresses. The IANA has outlined specific uses for multicast addresses within internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) document RFC 5771. However, it hasn't designated a purpose or future plan for Class E addresses since it reserved the block in its 1989 document RFC 1112, Before IPV6, the internet was filled with debate about whether the IANA should release Class E for general Next, le’s see how subnets work and find out who has those non-reserved IP addresses out on the internet Finding Your IP Address In Windows, search for “cmd” (without the quotes) using Windows search and hit Enter. In the resulting pop-up box, type “ipconfig” (no quote marks). For Macs, go to System hitps:feomputorhowstutworks.cominat htm 221128/25, 208 PM NAT: How Network Address Translation Werks | HowStutWorks Preferences, select Network, and you should see it. For mobile phone IP addresses, go to ‘Settings, then WiFi and to the network you're on. The IP address might be found under “Advanced” or "(i)" depending on the type of phone you have. Internet Addresses and Subnets ‘The following is an example of a subnet IP address you might have on your computer at home if you're using a router (wireless or wired) between your ISP connection and your computer: + IP address: 192.168.1,102 + Subnet mask: 256.255.255.0 + Twenty-four bits (three octets) reserved for network identity + Eight bits (one octet) reserved for nodes + Subnet identity based on subnet mask (first address): 192.168.1.0 + The reserved broadcast address for the subnet (last address): 192,168.1.255 + Example addresses on the same network: 192.168.1.1, 192.168.1103 + Example addresses not on the same network: 192.168.2.1, 192.168.2.103 Besides reserving IP addresses, the IANA Is also responsible for assigning blocks of IP addresses to certain entities, usually commercial or government organizations. Your internet service provider (ISP) may be one of these entities, or it may be part of a larger block under the control of one of those entities. When you connect to the internet, your ISP assigns you one of these addresses. You can see a full lst of JANA assignments and reservations for IPv4 addresses at IANA's website [source: IANA] Ifyou only connect one computer to the internet, that computer can use the address from your ISP. Many homes today, though, Use routers to share a single intemet connection between multiple computers. If you use a router to share an internet connection, the router gets the IP address issued directly from the ISP. Then, it creates and manages a subnet forall the computers connected to that router. If your computer's address falls into one of the reserved subnet ranges listed earlier, you're going through a router rather than connecting directly to the internet. IP addresses on a subnet have two parts: network and node. The network part identifies the subnet itself. The node, also called the host, is an individual piece of computer equipment connected to the network and requiring @ unique address. Each computer knows how to separate the two parts of the IP address by using a subnet mask. A subnet mask looks somewhat like an IP address, but i's actually justa filter used to determine which part of an IP address designates the network and node (source: Solarwinds} Asubnet mask consists of a series of 1 bits followed by a series of 0 bits. The 1 bits indicate those that shauld mask the network bits in the IP address, revealing only those that identify a unique node on that network. In the IPv4 standard, the most commonly Used subnet masks have complete octets of 1s and 0s as follows: + 255.0.0.0.0 = 11111111.00000000.00000000.00000000 = eight bts for networks, 24 bits for nodes. + 255.255.0.0 = 11111111.11111111.00000000.00000000 = 16 bits for networks, 16 bits for nodes + 255.255.255.0 = 11111111. 11111111.11111111.00000000, 4 bits for networks, eight bits for nodes: hitps:feomputorhowstutworks.cominat htm 391213728/25, 208 PM NAT: How Network Address Translation Works | HowStumWorks People who set up large networks determine what subnet mask works best based on the number of desired subnets or nodes. For more subnets, use more bits for the network; for more nodes per suibnet, use more bits for the nodes. This may mean using non-standard mask values. For instance, if you want to use 10 bits for networks and 22 for nodes, your subnet mask value would require using 11000000 in the second octet, resulting in @ subnet mask value of 255.192.0.0, ‘Another important thing to note about IP addresses in a subnet is that the first and last addresses are reserved. The first address identifies the subnet itself, and the last address identifies the broadcast address for systems on that subnet, Understanding Private and Public IP Addresses Learning to distinguish between private and public IP addresses is important too. These classifications serve different purposes, both of which are fundamental to how devices communicate over the internet and within local networks [source: Mitchell] Allocation and Registration Public ip addresses are globally unique and must be registered wit the Intemet Assigned Numbers Authority or a local internet registry. This is done to ensure that each public IP address is distinct and can be accessed over the internet, (On the other hand, private IP addresses are not registered or controlled by a central authority. They are allocated for use within Private networks, lke those found in homes, schools, and offices. Accessibility and Scope ‘As mentioned above, a public IP address is accessible over the internet, which makes them essential for external network communication. They are assigned to devices that need to be directly accessible from outside the local network. This includes things like web servers, email servers, and routers that connect a local network to the web. Aprivate IP address allows multiple devices within the same network to communicate with each other. These addresses can't be accessed directly from outside the network Security and Cost ‘The public nature of public IP addresses necessitates careful management. Firewall, intrusion detection systems, and other security measures are often necessary to protect devices with public IPs from unauthorized access by security threats. ‘Again, private IP addresses operate on a closed circuit, which creates a level of isolation that makes them safer. Moreover, since private IPs are freely available and reusable in different networks, they help conserve the limited supply of public IP addresses and reduce costs for organizations and individuals. The Role of IP Addresses in Digital Communication Few concepts are as central to madem communication as the intemet protocol address. IP addresses enable devices from all over the globe to find and communicate with one another in the blink of an eye! Despite how far the intemet has come, IP addresses remain indispensable cogs that enable the wheel of the intemet to continue moving. ‘As you've leamed, an IP address is a fundamental element that underpins the connectivity and functionality of our digital wort. ‘And, by unpacking the nature and function of IP addresses, we not only gain a deeper appreciation for the mechanics at play, but also empower ourselves to navigate and shape the communications landscape with more confidence. hitps:feomputorhowstutworks.cominat htm aie128/25, 208 PM NAT: How Network Acdrass Translation Works | HawStutWorks How DHCP Assigns Addresses ‘When you add a computer to a network that computer uses a four-step process to get an IP address from DHCP: + Discover: The computer sends out a broadcast message on the network, hoping to discover a DHCP service provider, + Offer: Each DHCP provider hears the message, recognizes the unique hardware ‘address of the computer, and sends a message back offering its services to that ‘computer. + Request: The computer selects a DHCP provider from its offerings and then sends ‘a request to that provider asking for an IP address assignment + Acknowledge: The targeted DHCP provider acknowledges the request and issues ‘an IP address to the computer that doesn’t match any other IP addresses currently active on the network. Lots More Information Related Articles + How Domain Name Servers Work + How intemet Infrastructure Works + How Routers Work + How Web Servers Work + How WIFI Works + How do you hide your IP address? More Great Links + IANAorg + IPv6.com + IP Address Range Calculator Sources + Das, Kaushi to-find-your-ip-address + W3 Schools.com. "TCP/IP Addressing (July 5, 2020) http:/wschools.sinsixx.convtepip\tepip_addressing.asp.htm How Home Networking Works By. Tracy V. Wilson & John Fuller hitps:feomputorhowstutworks.cominat htm "IPv8.com Ine. (July 5, 2020) hitp:ipv6.comvarticles /general/IPv6-Addressing.him + Griffith, Eric, "How to Find Your IP Address." PC Mag. Feb. 25, 2019 (July 5, 2020) https:llwww.pcmag.com/how-tothow- 16121