IP subnetting is a process used to divide a large network into smaller subnets. By breaking a single network into multiple subnets, network administrators can more effectively manage their network resources, while also providing improved security.
When subnetting, the network administrator will divide the IP address range into smaller logical segments. Each subnet is then assigned a unique subnet mask. The subnet mask is a 32-bit value that is used to define the size of the subnet. It also helps identify which devices are on the same subnet.
When subnetting, the network administrator must first decide how many bits of the IP address will be used for the subnet mask. This determines the size of each subnet. For example, if the network administrator decides to use 8 bits for the subnet mask, then each subnet will have 256 possible IP addresses.
Once the subnet mask is determined, the network administrator can assign individual IP addresses to each device on the network. These IP addresses must be within the range of the subnet mask. For example, if the subnet mask is 255.255.255.0, then all of the IP addresses must fall within the range of 0.0.0.0 to 255.255.255.255.
Subnetting can also be used to improve network performance. By breaking the network into smaller segments, each device on the network will have fewer devices to communicate with. This reduces the amount of traffic on the network, which can lead to improved network performance.
IP subnetting is an important tool for network administrators. By breaking the network into smaller segments, administrators can more easily manage their resources, while also providing improved security and better performance.
