Subnetting

• Solves fundamental problem with classful addressing:
  • Too many host addressed assigned to each classful network
  • IP addresses get used up too quickly
  • E.g. Class B network can have 65,534 IP addresses
    • Difficult to manage such a highly populated LAN
    • Results in poor performance
• Benefits
  • Network documentation is easier to manage
  • Problems are easier to locate and resolve
  • Routers can more easily manage IP address spaces that don't overlap
  • Routing is more efficient when IP address spaces are mathematically related at a binary level
• Useful resources:
  • Network Calculators

Computer Science Networking