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Monday, May 1, 2017

What is IP Address | IP V4 (Internet Protocol Version 4) | IP address Classes | Private IP Address | Public IP Address


IP (Internet Protocol) is a logical address of a device or a computer system (Computer, Printer, Router, Switch, etc.). IP address is a medium to connect one computer to another computer. Devices can receive and send data with the help of the IP address. IP Address is is usually written in human readable form, such as 192.168.1.1 in IP V4 and 2001:db8:0:1234:0:567:8:1 in IP V6.

IP V4 is a 32 bit logical address. However, the consumption of an IP address is high so the new version of IP address IP V6 is available now with 128 bit


Classes of an IP address V4.

IP address v4 has 5 Classes A, B, C, D, E divided into 4 octets with as below.

Class A - 1 to 126        Default Subnet Mask - 255.0.0.0

Class B - 128 to 191    Default Subnet Mask - 255.255.0.0

Class C - 192 to 223    Default Subnet Mask - 255.255.255.0

Class D - 224 to 239    

Class E - 240 to 254 

127.0.0.0 is a loop-back IP address and used for troubleshooting.    

Class D is reserved for multi-casting and class E reserved for research and experimental purposes so class D and E is not for the common network.

Private IP address range.  

Every IP v4 class has some IP addresses called as private IP address. Private IP addresses are used to extend a network using one public IP address. This is called NAT (Network Address Translation ). It is used to save the public IP addresses and to save cost as well. 

Class A - 10.0.0.0 to 10.255.255.255.255

Class B - 172.16.0.0 to 172.31.255.255

Class C - 192.168.0.0 to 192.168.255.255


Every company use the private IP address class according to the requirement if they have thousands of computer or devices then they use class A or but if they have small network of 100 devices or computer then they use class C.

Network bits and host bits in classes.


Class A has 8 network bits and 24 host bits.

Class B has 16 network bits and 16 host bits.

Class C has 24 network bits and 8 host bits.

Class having more host bits can create a large network but class having small host bits can only use in a small network.

Usable address in IP V4 classes.

Class A has    16,777,214 (224 – 2) usable addresses.

Class B has  65,534 (216 – 2) usable addresses.

Class C has  254 (28 – 2) usable addresses.



Class A has    16,777,214 (224 – 2) usable addresses.

Class B has  65,534 (216 – 2) usable addresses.


Class C has  254 (28 – 2) usable addresses.

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