IP Addressing Classes

One of the most important topics in any discussion of TCP/IP is IP

Addressing, An IP Address is a numeric identifier assigned to each machine on
IP Network. Also, Its a software address not a hardware address- the latter is
hard-coded on a network interface card (NIC) and used for finding hosts in a
local network. IP addressing was designed to allow hosts on one network to
communicate with a host on a different network.


IPv4 Network Classes

IP version 4 defines five address classes. Three of the classes A, B, C, Consist of
unicast IP addresses. Unicast addresses identify a single host or interface, so
that the address uniquely identifies the device. Class D use for multicast
addresses and E for scientific purposes.
NOTE:
Bit A bit is one digit, either a 1 or a 0.
Byte A byte is 8 bits.
Octet An Octet, made up of 8 bits, is just ordinary 8-bit binary number.

An IP Address Consist of 23 bits of information. These bits are divided into four
sections, referred to as octets or bytes, with each containing 1 byte (8 bits).


8 bits
8 bits
8 bits
8 bits

Class A:
Network
Host
Host
Host

Class B:

Network

Class C:

Network

Class D:

Multicast

Class E:

Experimental

Host

Host

Network

Network

Network

Host



As we know there is classes three of theme is important and have range so
how the designers classed the range for each one?

NOTE:
Some IP Addresses are reserved for special purpose so the administrator of network cant
use those IP Addresses

Address
Function


Network address of all 0s
Interpreted to mean: this network or segment.



Network address of all 1s
Interpreted to mean: all networks



Network 127.0.0.1
Reserved for loopback tests. Designates the local
node and allows that node to send s test packet to
itself without generating network traffic.



Node address of all 0s
Interpreted to mean network address or any host
on a specified network.




Interpreted to mean all nodes on the specified
Node address of all 1s
network; for example 128.2.255.255 mans all
nodes on network 128.2 class B


Used by SISCO routers to designate the default
Entire IP address set to all 0s
route. Could also mean any network.



Entire IP address set to all 1s
Broadcast to all nodes on the current network;
(same as 255.255.255.255)
sometimes called an (all 1s broadcast) or local
broadcast.

Network Address Range: Class A

The Designers of the IP Address scheme decided that the first bit of the first
byte in a Class A address must be off, or 0. This mean a class A must be
between 0 and 127 in the first byte.

0xxxxxxx
So if we turn all other 7 bits off and get them on we get the range
00000000 = 0
01111111 = 127
Although this is the range, 0 and 127 are not valid cause they are reserved
address so, the range is 1-126.
Network Address Range: Class B
The designers define that the first bit of the first byte must be always turned on
and the second bit must be off
10xxxxxx
So if we turn all other 6 bits off and get them on we get the range of this class
10000000 = 128
10111111 = 191
Network Address Range: Class C
The designers here define the first 2 bits of the first octet as always turned on
but the third bit must be off.
110xxxxx
So if we turn all other 5 bits off and get them on we get the range of this class
11000000 = 192
11011111 = 223
Network Address Range: Class D and E
The address between 224 to 255 are reserved for those classes
Class D is use for multicast and its range form 224 to 239
Otherwise the class E is for researches purpose and also its range 240-255.

So we get that, the IPv4 Address classes Based on First Octet Values is:
First Octet Values
Class
Purpose
1 126
A
Unicast (large Networks)
128-191
B
Unicast (medium-sized networks)
192-223
C
Unicast (small Networks)
224-239
D
Multicast
240-255
E
Experimental


More Details and facts for Classes A, B, and C

Class A
Class B
Class C
First Octet range
1-126
128-191
192-223
Valid network
1.0.0.0 126.0 128.0.0.0
192.0.0.0
numbers
191.255.0.0
223.255.255.0
!
!"
Total Networks
2 2=126
2 = 16,384
2!" = 2,097,152
Total Host
2!" 2
2!" 2
2! 2
Octets (bits) in
1 (8)
2 (16)
3 (24)
network
Octets (bets) in
3 (24)
2 (16)
1 (8)
Host
Default Mask
255.0.0.0
255.255.0.0
255.255.255.0

So we talked about The address which are public an we can use in network
and which them are Reserved, so we should know there are some IP are
Private and the designers created them to use in private network and we cant
use them in Internet

Private IP Addresses

Address Class
The Ranges
Class A
10.0.0.0 Through 10.255.255.255
Class B
172.16.0.0 Through 172.31.255.255
Class C
192.168.0.0 Through 192.168.255.255.255