Subnetting Criteria Provided Correct Subnet Mask

Subnetting Rubric Criteria Provided correct subnet mask and provided full details to explain how the subnet mask is calculated

Explain the process of subnetting, including calculating subnet masks, network addresses, broadcast addresses, and range of host IP addresses for multiple subnet requests. Focus on demonstrating clear understanding and application of subnetting principles, including step-by-step calculations and reasoning.

Paper For Above instruction

Subnetting is a fundamental concept in network management that involves dividing a larger network into smaller, manageable sub-networks or subnets. Proper subnetting enhances network performance, improves security, and efficiently allocates IP addresses. This paper discusses the theoretical and practical aspects of subnetting, emphasizing the calculation of subnet masks, network addresses, broadcast addresses, and range of host IP addresses. The goal is to demonstrate a comprehensive understanding and application of subnetting techniques with clear step-by-step calculations.

Subnet Mask Calculation

The first step in subnetting is determining the subnet mask, which delineates which part of an IP address refers to the network and which part refers to the host. For IPv4, subnet masks are often expressed in dotted-decimal notation, such as 255.255.255.0. Calculating the subnet mask involves understanding the number of subnets required and the number of hosts per subnet. To do this, one converts the default class network prefix into a custom prefix length.

For example, consider a Class C network 192.168.1.0 with a default subnet mask of 255.255.255.0 (/24). If a subnetting scenario requires four subnets, the number of bits needed to borrow from the host bits can be calculated as follows: since 2^2 = 4, borrow 2 bits from the host portion, making the new prefix length /26. Consequently, the new subnet mask becomes 255.255.255.192.

Calculating Network, Broadcast, and Host Range

Once the subnet mask is established, the next step involves identifying network addresses, broadcast addresses, and host ranges per subnet.

Network Address: The network address is obtained by performing a bitwise AND operation between the IP address and the subnet mask. For instance, for IP 192.168.1.130 with subnet mask 255.255.255.192 (/26), binary representation and AND operation determine the network address as 192.168.1.128.

Broadcast Address: The broadcast address is found by setting all host bits (remaining bits after the network prefix) to 1 within the subnet. For the subnet 192.168.1.128/26, the broadcast address is 192.168.1.191, indicated by the last host address where all host bits are 1.

Range of Host IPs: The range starts from the first address after the network address and ends just before the broadcast address. For 192.168.1.128/26, the usable IP range is 192.168.1.129 to 192.168.1.190, providing 62 usable host addresses.

Applying Calculations to Multiple Subnets

This process repeats for each subnet requested, adjusting the network address and broadcast address based on the subnet number. For the second subnet, the network address would increase by the size of the previous subnet (e.g., 192.168.1.192), and the broadcast address would similarly be calculated based on the new network address and subnet mask.

Effective subnetting requires understanding how to manipulate binary representations of IP addresses and masks, perform logical AND operations, and correctly interpret the decimal values to derive network and broadcast addresses. Clear explanation and stepwise calculations reinforce comprehension and ensure accurate implementation in real-world networking scenarios.

In conclusion, subnetting is a critical skill in IP network management, and precise calculations of subnet masks, addresses, and host ranges are essential. Mastery of these calculations involves understanding binary manipulations, logical operations, and applying subnetting principles to allocate IP addresses efficiently. These skills are crucial for network engineers to design scalable, secure, and optimized networks tailored to organizational needs.

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