FUN WITH SUBNETS

AND
MORE FUN WITH SUBNET
MASKS
Clarke Green and Bob Stremel
June 2002
Why Use Subnets?

 Reduce size of broadcast domains.

 Allow Network Administrators more
Flexibility.
 It’s just good clean fun!
Remember the IP Address?

 The “NETWORK” part of the IP is assigned

by ARIN…
 The “HOST” part of the IP is assigned by the
network administrator.
To Create a Subnet:
 Network administrator chooses.
 Borrow (re-purpose) bits from the
HOST.
 Bits come from the
HOST’s First Octet
Class A will borrow from the 2nd Octet.
Class B will borrow from the 3rd Octet.
Class C will borrow from the 4th Octet.
Before subnetting (Class B):

After subnetting (Class B):

Class C Example
Questions/Steps

 How many subnets needed?

 What is the subnet mask?
 What is the IP in binary?
 Addresses in new subnet?
How many subnets needed for:
IP 203.15.82.0 ?
(Class A, B, or C?)
# of Subnets and Bits Borrowed
 Cannot borrow < 2 bits
 Must leave at least 2 bits
Borrowing bits:
Available subnets
 Where n = # of bits borrowed
 2n – 2 = total subnets available for use
 23 – 2 = 6 available subnets
Borrowing bits:
Available hosts/subnet
 Where n = # of bits borrowed from 4th
octet
 28-n – 2 = total hosts/subnet available for
use
 25 – 2 = 30 available hosts/subnet
--------------------------------------------------
 Borrow from 3rd octet? (16-n)
 Borrow from 2nd octet? (24-n)
Determine subnet mask

 Three bits borrowed for Class C

 Borrowed | Remaining

111 | 00000 = 8 bits in octet

 Higher end values of bits =

128 + 64 + 32 = 224
 Mask = 255.255.255.224
The subnets:
 000| (not available - network)
 001| (1st available)
 010| (2nd available)
 011| (3rd available)
 100| (4th available)

 110| (last available)

 111| (not available – broadcast)
 Hosts on 1 available subnet
st

203.15.82.__

 001|00000 (not available – network)

.32
 001|00001 (1st available - gateway) .33
 001|00010 (2nd available – 1st host) .34

 001|11110 (last available host) .62

 001|11111 (not available – broadcast) .63
 Hosts on 2nd available subnet
203.15.82.__

 010|00000 (not available – network)

.64
 010|00001 (1st available - gateway) .65
 010|00010 (2nd available – 1st host) .66

 010|11110 (last available host) .94

 010|11111 (not available – broadcast) .95
Hosts on last available subnet
203.15.82.__
 110|00000 (not available – network) .192
 110|00001 (1st available - gateway) .193
 110|00010 (2nd available – 1st host) .194

 110|11110 (last available host) .222

 110|11111 (not available – broadcast) .223
ANDing with subnet mask

 Routers do this to ROUTE to correct

subnet address.
 YOU DO IT to verify your host
addresses.
 IT WILL ALWAYS RETURN THE
SUBNET ADDRESS…WHEN DONE
WITH ANY SUBNET HOST.
ANDing

 Convert IP address and subnet mask to

binary:
 IP = 203.15.82.33
11001011.00001111.01010010.00100001
 Subnet Mask= 255.255.255.224
11111111.11111111.11111111.11100000
 ANDing demonstrated:

H = 11001011.00001111.01010010.00100001
M = 11111111.11111111.11111111.11100000
S = 11001011.00001111.01010010.00100000
H = Host M = Subnet Mask
S = Subnet address
 Verify subnet address –
convert to ‘dotted decimal’
S = 11001011.00001111.01010010.00100000
S = 203.15.82.32

That should equal the subnet address!

 Yes we are done!

Did you have a good time

with Clarke and Bob?
I said “We are done!”
Go Away!