Class A Magic Number 256

The bits is a good thing to have written down for the exam.
128
1

64
2

32
3

16
4

8
5

4
6

2
7

1
8

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------The main subnets is a good thing to have written down for the exam.
We can all do our 16, 32 and 64 times table but under time pressure in the exam
this helps speed up things and takes away human error.
It is easy to make a mistake under pressure of time.
Subnet zero is allowed by default in Cisco unless otherwise stated.
If you have an older IP book; subnet zero is not allowed by default.
0
16
32
48
64
80
96
112
128
144
160
176
192
208
224
240
256 Not allowed

0
32
64
96
128
160
192
224
256 Not allowed

0
64
128
192
256 Not allowed

For a Class A address

Which subnet does host 10.168.74.232/12 belong to ?
/12 = 255.240.0.0
255
8 Bits

240
4 Bits

0
0 Bits

0
0 bits

8+4+0+0 = 12
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Put the IP address above the mask.
10.
255

168.
240

74.
0

232
0

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

If the ip address has 255 below it then you cant touch it so write it down, we now have left :
10.Something.Something. Something
Now we are left with the 168, 74 and the 232 part of the IP address which is above the 240, 0 and
0 part of the mask.
10.
255

168.
240

74.
0

232
0

The parts of the IP address that are above a zero of the mask we dont have to worry about when
we want to find the subnet address.
So the only part we have left to work out is the 168 part over the 240 part of the mask.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------The magic number is 256 so 256-240 = 16
So we now know that these subnets are in blocks of 16
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Now we can find out the start of this subnet
Take the 168 part of the IP address and divide it by the answer 16 we got above.
Take the 168 and divide it by 16 = 10.5
Take the whole number of the above = 10
Multiply that 10 by 16 = 160
We now know that this subnet starts at 160 = 10.160.0.0
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------The range of this is
10.160.0.0
Subnet the above IP address lies in
10.160.0.1
First IP address
10.160.255.254
Last IP address = 1 less than the broadcast
10.175.255.255
Broadcast address = 1 less than the next subnet
10.176.0.0
160+16 = Next subnet
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------It does speed things up in the exam if you write down the subnet you have just worked out and
then write the next higher subnet below that.
It lets you work out quickly the broadcast address of your subnet by taking 1 away from the higher
subnet and also makes sure you dont go above the subnet number and get the question wrong.
In this case the next subnet is 16 higher than 160 = 160+16 = 176
10.160.0.0
10.176.0.0
Now go 1 below this next subnet and it will give you the broadcast address of the 160 subnet
10.175.255.255
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------As we mentioned above 256-240 = 16 so we know these subnets will increase by 16 each time.
10.160.0.0
10.176.0.0

10.192.0.0
Etc etc
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------In the exam a far quicker way is to have the 16 times table written down. You can see straight
away that the 168 in the question does not go above 176 so it has to be in the subnet below 176
which is 160.
0
16
32
48
64
80
96
112
128
144
160
176
192
208
224
240
256

So with the above 16 times table in mind this is the quicker way to work out the subnet.
10.
255

168.
240

74.
0

232
0

74 and 232 are above zeros on the mask so ignore them.

10 is above a 255 so write that down.
Looking at the 16 times table, 168 does not go above 176 so it has to be in the 160 subnet.
Answer = 10.160.0.0
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