IP address

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IP address

 An IP address is the identifier that enables your device to send or receive data packets across the internet. It holds information related to your location and therefore making devices available for two-way communication. The internet requires a process to distinguish between different networks, routers, and websites. Therefore, IP addresses provide the mechanism of doing so, and it forms an indispensable part in the working of the internet. You will notice that most of the IP addresses are essentially numerical. Still, as the world is witnessing a colossal growth of network users, the network developers had to add letters and some addresses as internet usage grows.

An IP address is represented by a series of numbers segregated by periods(.). They are expressed in the form of four pairs - an example address might be 255.255.255.255 wherein each set can range from 0 to 255.

How do IP addresses work?

Internet Protocol or IP runs the same manner as other languages, i.e., applying the set guidelines to communicate the information. All devices obtain, send, and pass information with other associated devices with the help of this protocol only. By using the same language, the computers placed anywhere can communicate with one another.

Types of IP addresses

Every firm with an active internet service system pursues two types of IP addresses, i.e., Private IP (Internet Protocol) addresses and public IP (Internet Protocol) addresses. The public and private correlate to the network area. Therefore, a private IP address is practiced inside a network, whereas the other (public IP address) is practiced outside a network.

1. Private IP addresses

All the devices that are linked with your internet network are allocated a private IP address. It holds computers, desktops, laptops, smartphones, tablets, or even Wi-Fi-enabled gadgets such as speakers, printers, or smart Televisions. 

2. Public IP addresses

A public IP address or primary address represents the whole network of devices associated with it. Every device included within with your primary address contains their own private IP address. ISP is responsible to provide your public IP address to your router. Typically, ISPs contains the bulk stock of IP addresses that they dispense to their clients. Your public IP address is practiced by every device to identify your network that is residing outside your internet network.

Public IP addresses are further classified into two categories- dynamic and static.

  • Dynamic IP addresses
    As the name suggests, Dynamic IP addresses change automatically and frequently. With this types of IP address, ISPs already purchase a bulk stock of IP addresses and allocate them in some order to their customers. Periodically, they re-allocate the IP addresses and place the used ones back into the IP addresses pool so they can be used later for another client. The foundation for this method is to make cost savings profits for the ISP.
  • Static IP addresses
    In comparison to dynamic IP addresses, static addresses are constant in nature. The network assigns the IP address to the device only once and, it remains consistent. Though most firms or individuals do not prefer to have a static IP address, it is essential to have a static IP address for an organization that wants to host its network server. It protects websites and email addresses linked with it with a constant IP address.

Classful Addressing

An IP address is 32-bit long. An IP address is divided into sub-classes:

  • Class A
  • Class B
  • Class C
  • Class D
  • Class E

An ip address is divided into two parts:

  • Network ID: It represents the number of networks.
  • Host ID: It represents the number of hosts.
Network Addressing

In the above diagram, we observe that each class have a specific range of IP addresses. The class of IP address is used to determine the number of bits used in a class and number of networks and hosts available in the class.

Class A

In Class A, an IP address is assigned to those networks that contain a large number of hosts.

  • The network ID is 8 bits long.
  • The host ID is 24 bits long.

In Class A, the first bit in higher order bits of the first octet is always set to 0 and the remaining 7 bits determine the network ID. The 24 bits determine the host ID in any network.

The total number of networks in Class A = 27 = 128 network address

The total number of hosts in Class A = 224 - 2 = 16,777,214 host address

Network Addressing

Class B

In Class B, an IP address is assigned to those networks that range from small-sized to large-sized networks.

  • The Network ID is 16 bits long.
  • The Host ID is 16 bits long.

In Class B, the higher order bits of the first octet is always set to 10, and the remaining14 bits determine the network ID. The other 16 bits determine the Host ID.

The total number of networks in Class B = 214 = 16384 network address

The total number of hosts in Class B = 216 - 2 = 65534 host address

Network Addressing

Class C

In Class C, an IP address is assigned to only small-sized networks.

  • The Network ID is 24 bits long.
  • The host ID is 8 bits long.

In Class C, the higher order bits of the first octet is always set to 110, and the remaining 21 bits determine the network ID. The 8 bits of the host ID determine the host in a network.

The total number of networks = 221 = 2097152 network address

The total number of hosts = 28 - 2 = 254 host address

Network Addressing

Class D

In Class D, an IP address is reserved for multicast addresses. It does not possess subnetting. The higher order bits of the first octet is always set to 1110, and the remaining bits determines the host ID in any network.

Network Addressing

Class E

In Class E, an IP address is used for the future use or for the research and development purposes. It does not possess any subnetting. The higher order bits of the first octet is always set to 1111, and the remaining bits determines the host ID in any network.

Network Addressing

Rules for assigning Host ID:

The Host ID is used to determine the host within any network. The Host ID is assigned based on the following rules:

  • The Host ID must be unique within any network.
  • The Host ID in which all the bits are set to 0 cannot be assigned as it is used to represent the network ID of the IP address.
  • The Host ID in which all the bits are set to 1 cannot be assigned as it is reserved for the multicast address.

Rules for assigning Network ID:

If the hosts are located within the same local network, then they are assigned with the same network ID. The following are the rules for assigning Network ID:

  • The network ID cannot start with 127 as 127 is used by Class A.
  • The Network ID in which all the bits are set to 0 cannot be assigned as it is used to specify a particular host on the local network.
  • The Network ID in which all the bits are set to 1 cannot be assigned as it is reserved for the multicast address.



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