What is IP addressing and subnetting?

IP addressing

An Internet ProtocolAn IP is a set of network communication rules. It recognizes all the hardware devices on a network. (IP) address is a unique identifier that assists in the recognition of different devices present over the network. Through IP addressing, we can send and receive data packets across the internet without trouble-free.

IP format

An IP address is a 32-bit numerical address separated by periods $(.)$ represented in dotted decimal notation. It is expressed in a set of four pairs, where each set ranges from $0$ to $255$. Slash notation $(/)$ identifies the number of network bits reserved for the allocated IP address.

The parts of an IP address

The IP address has two parts: the network address and the host address. The network address is essential for the recognition of the network. In the host address part, we always reserve the first address for the network address, and the last address for the broadcast address. The broadcast address transmits data to all the hosts present in the network at once.

Note: We can learn about classless IP addressing here.

Subnetting

Subnetting is a process of partitioning a complex network into multiple smaller logical sub-networks, or subnets.

Subnet masks

A subnet mask is a $32$-bit number that divides the existing IP into network and host addresses.

Example

To find the subnet mask of a particular IP address, let's set all network bits to $1$s and the host bits to $0$s. The given IP address has 24 bits reserved as a network address. So, its default subnet mask is $255.255.255.0$.

Note: The IP address space for a network is globally allocated by the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA). The network administrator is responsible for managing the IP addresses within the allocated address space.

The importance of subnetting

As networks grow larger and more complex day by day, traffic also requires fast and efficient routes. Subnetting provides a mechanism named route aggregation that limits the size of the routing table that each router has to maintain. This not only helps maintain efficient network speed, but also enhances performance.

Benefits

Some benefits of subnetting are listed below:

• Subnetting splits broadcast domainsA broadcast domain is a domain in which traffic flows all over the network., thus improving network speed and performance.
• It reduces congestion and bottleneck problems.
• It enhances network security, as devices don't access the whole network.