Network Masks

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

Understanding Subnetting:

Subnetting allows you to create multiple logical networks that exist within a single Class A, B, or C network. If you do not subnet, you are only able to use one network from your Class A, B, or C network, which is unrealistic.

Each data link on a network must have a unique network ID, with every node on that link being a member of the same network.

If you break a major network (Class A, B, or C) into smaller subnetworks, it allows you to create a network of interconnecting subnetworks. Each data link on this network would then have a unique network/subnetworkID.

Any device, or gateway, connecting n networks/subnetworks has n distinct IP addresses, one for each network / subnetwork that it interconnects.

In order to subnet a network, extend the natural mask using some of the bits from the host ID portion of the address to create a subnetwork ID. 

For example, given a Class C network of 204.17.5.0 which has a natural mask of 255.255.255.0, you can create subnets in this manner:

204.17.5.0  =   11001100.00010001.00000101.00000000

255.255.255.224 = 11111111.11111111.11111111.11100000

                  --------------------------|sub|----

By extending the mask to be 255.255.255.224, you have taken three bits (indicated by "sub") from the original host portion of the address and used them to make subnets.

With these three bits, it is possible to create eight subnets. With the remaining five host ID bits, each subnet can have up to 32 host addresses, 30 of which can actually be assigned to a device since host ids of all zeros or all ones are not allowed (it is very important to remember this). 

So, with this in mind, these subnets have been created.

  

204.17.5.0 255.255.255.224     host address range 1 to 30

204.17.5.32 255.255.255.224    host address range 33 to 62

204.17.5.64 255.255.255.224    host address range 65 to 94

204.17.5.96 255.255.255.224    host address range 97 to 126

204.17.5.128 255.255.255.224   host address range 129 to 158

204.17.5.160 255.255.255.224   host address range 161 to 190

204.17.5.192 255.255.255.224   host address range 193 to 222

204.17.5.224 255.255.255.224   host address range 225 to 254

Examples:

Sample Exercise 1

Now that you have an understanding of subnetting, put this knowledge to use. In this example, you are given two address / mask combinations, written with the prefix/length notation, which have been assigned to two devices. Your task is to determine if these devices are on the same subnet or different subnets. You can do this by using the address and mask of each device to determine to which subnet each address belongs.

DeviceA: 172.16.17.30/20

DeviceB: 172.16.28.15/20

Determining the Subnet for DeviceA:

172.16.17.30  -   10101100.00010000.00010001.00011110

255.255.240.0 -   11111111.11111111.11110000.00000000

                  -----------------| sub|------------

subnet      =  10101100.00010000.00010000.00000000 = 172.16.16.0

Looking at the address bits that have a corresponding mask bit set to one, and setting all the other address bits to zero (this is equivalent to performing a logical "AND" between the mask and address), shows you to which subnet this address belongs. In this case, DeviceA belongs to subnet 172.16.16.0.

Determining the Subnet for DeviceB:

172.16.28.15  -   10101100.00010000.00011100.00001111

255.255.240.0 -   11111111.11111111.11110000.00000000

                  -----------------| sub|------------

subnet =          10101100.00010000.00010000.00000000 = 172.16.16.0

From these determinations, DeviceA and DeviceB have addresses that are part of the same subnet.