Lesson 3: Subnetting Applications
Subnetting Examples
In this part, we will see four different Subnetting Examples. With these Subnetting Examples,
you will learn this lesson very well.
IP Subnetting Examples: Example 1
In the first one of the Subnetting Examples, we will use, [Link] /24 Address. Let’s
determine the network and host part of this address. This is the first example, so we are starting
with an easy example.
IP Address: [Link]
Subnet Mask: [Link]
For this example, firstly we will convert this decimal numbers to the binary equals. As you can
see below, the 1s in the Subnet Mask will show the number of bits that network part has. And the
0s will show the host part bits.
IP Address: 11000000. 10101000.00000101.01010101
Subnet Mask: 11111111. 11111111. 11111111.00000000
So, here, the first 24 bits (First 3 octets) are network bits, and the last 8 bits (Last octet) are the
host bits.
For this IP and Subnet Mask, to determine the Network Address of this IP address, we will use
“AND” operation between IP Address and Subnet Mask in binary mode.
IP Add: 11000000. 10101000.00000101.01010101
SubM : 11111111. 11111111. 11111111.00000000
AND: 11000000. 10101000.00000101.00000000
When we use AND operation with this binary numbers, as you can see, the last octet will be
multiple with zero (AND is Multiplication). So, the result of this multiplication will
be [Link]. Here, the first three octets will be same as IP address and the last octet will be
full of 0s.
For this example, our broadcast address will be [Link]. AS you can see, all the host bits
are full of 1s for broadcast address. The other addresses in the middle
through [Link] to [Link] are host addresses.
IP Subnetting Examples: Example 2
In the second one of Subnetting Examples, we will do a little more complex example. This time
our IP address will be [Link]/30.
IP Address: [Link]
Subnet Mask: [Link]
Here, there is a challenge in front of us. As you can see, we have seen the /30 and write
[Link]. How can we do this? Let’s see bit by bit.
/30 means that the subnet mask has 30 bits 1s and 2 bits 0s. Remember the total Subnet Mask is
32 bits. So in binary mode our Subnet Mask is:
11111111.11111111.11111111.11111100 (First 30 bits are 1s and 2 bits are 0s)
And the decimal equal of this Subnet Mask is: [Link]
Now, let’s determine the network, broadcast, and host addresses of this prefix. An IP
address with Subnet Mask called Prefix. So, we will write the binary equals of IP address and
Subnet and use AND again.
IP Add: 00001010.10000000.11110000.00110010
SubM : 11111111.11111111.11111111.11111100
AND : 00001010.10000000.11110000.00110000
The result of AND operation is the Network Address. This
is 00001010.10000000.11110000.00110000 in binary. The decimal value of this is
[Link].
Here, the last two bits are host bits and the other bits are network bits. When we set all the host
bits with 1s, we will find the Broadcast Address. This
is 00001010.10000000.11110000.00110011 in binary. The decimal value is [Link].
The middle addresses can be used for hosts. These addresses
are [Link] and [Link].
Network Address: [Link]
Host Addresses: [Link] and [Link]
Broadcast Address : [Link]
/30 addresses are generally used in Service Provider Networks. So, you can work with /30 too
much in the future.
Subnetting Example 3
Now, let’s do a comparison example and see the benefits of Subnetting.
Think about [Link]/24 prefix and [Link]/28 prefix. As you can see, the only
difference is Subnet Mask. In the first prefix, first 24 bits is network bits and the last 8 bits (32-
24) are the host bits. In the second prefix, first 28 bits are network bits and the last 4 bits (32-28)
are host bits.
Let’s firstly talk about the first Prefix. We will write the IP Address and the Subnet Mask of this
Prefix in binary format:
[Link] = 10101100.00010000.01100100.00000000
[Link] =11111111.11111111.11111111.00000000
When we use AND operation, our network address
is 10101100.00010000.01100100.00000000 (the same as the IP showed in prefix by change).
This is [Link].
And the Broadcast address is [Link]. The other 254 IP addresses are host IP addresses.
[Link]
[Link]
….
[Link]
For the first prefix, we have only one network that has 254 hosts.
Now, let’s check the second prefix. [Link] /28.
[Link] = 10101100.00010000.01100100.00000000
[Link] =11111111.11111111.11111111.11110000
When we use AND operation here, our network address will be the same, in binary
10101100.00010000.01100100.00000000 or in decimal [Link]. But our Broadcast address
will change, because our host bits are only the last 4 bits anymore.
10101100.00010000.01100100.00000000 network address ([Link])
10101100.00010000.01100100.00001111 broadcast address ([Link])
This is for the first network. We divide the network by using higher Subnet Mask. So, let’s look
at the other networks:
10101100.00010000.01100100.00010000
10101100.00010000.01100100.00100000
10101100.00010000.01100100.00110000
10101100.00010000.01100100.01000000
….
10101100.00010000.01100100.11110000
As you can see, we have 16 networks. We have divide a Prefix, into smaller 16 different Prefix.
Each of these Prefix has 14 host address, 1 broadcast address and 1 network address.
So, if we use a given address with a higher Subnet Mask value like given in the second example,
we will have more networks. In other words, we can divide the network into smaller pieces. So,
we will not waste the IP Addresses. Smaller networks that has few hosts do not need more
addresses. With Subnetting, using a small network with few host addresses is a way of best
practice of a network engineer.
Before the usage of an IP Prefix, it is better to check your needs for now and for the future. How
many subnets and hosts you need, and you will need in the future? According to these needs, you
can determine Subnetting and divide your IP Prefix into smaller parts.
Subnetting Examples, Example 4
In the last of these Subnetting Examples, we will see our network’s needs and according to
these needs, we will determine our IP Address Prefixes.
We will use the below topology. And we have given [Link]/24 IP Address.
As you can see, in this topology, there are four subnets, and each subnets host address need is
also given.
Subnet 1 = 28 hosts
Subnet 2 = 52 hosts
Subnet 3 = 15 host
Subnet 4 = 5 hosts
To overcome this Subnetting issue, firstly we determine the host bits for each subnet.
For the first subnet; we need 5 host [Link] 5 bits we can have 2^5=32 addresses. This means
that there are 32-2 usable host addresses.
For the second subnet; we need 6 host bits. With 6 bits we can have 2^6=64 addresses. This means
that there are 64-2 usable host addresses.
For the third subnet; we need 5 host bits. With 5 bits we can have 2^5=32 addresses. You can think
that we can use 2^4=16 address. But we cannot. Because one of the address is used for broadcast
address and the other is for network address. This means that there are 14 usable addresses.
For the fourth subnet; we need 3 host bits. With 3 bits we can have 2^3=8 addresses. This means
that there are 8-2 usable host addresses.
Now let’s pick it up.
For first subnet, our Subnet Mask will be /27 (27 network bits and 5 host bits. 5+27=32)
For second subnet, our Subnet Mask will be /26 (26 network bits and 6 host bits. 6+26=32)
For third subnet, our Subnet Mask will be /27 (27 network bits and 5 host bits. 5+27=32)
For fourth subnet, our Subnet Mask will be /29 (29 network bits and 3 host bits. 3+29=32)
Here, the router interfaces will also need IP address. So, for each subnet, one IP address will be
go to the Router interface.
Remember, we have given an IP address [Link]/24. Let’s divide this Prefix according to the
above values.
Let’s begin with the bigest network. If we use /26 with [Link] like [Link]/26, then we
will have 4 subnets. The given Subnet was 24 and our new subnet is 26. 26-24=2 and 2^2=4
subnets.
[Link]/26
[Link]/26
[Link]/26
[Link]/26
We will use the first one for the Subnet 2. ([Link]/26)
Now, for the first and third subnet, let’s use the second block ([Link]/26) and divide it again.
If we divide it by borrowing a bit again, then we will have two subnets.
[Link]/27
[Link]/27
We can use these two Prefixes for first and second subnet.
And lastly, for the small subnet, we can use the above third block ([Link]/26). We will
divide it again. Because we need only 5 host address.
When we divide again, we will have the below small subnets, and we can use the first one for our
fourth and last Subnet.
[Link]/29
[Link]/29
[Link]/29
[Link]/29
[Link]/29
[Link]/29
[Link]/29
[Link]/29
As you can see, with this Subnetting, we have used our IP Block very efficiently. The unused
remaining blocks can be used in the future. What are these remaining blocks let’s remember. The
remaining blocks are the last block of /26 subnets and the last 7 block of /29 subnets.
At the end our subnets will be like below:
[Link]/26
[Link]/27
[Link]/27
[Link]/29
This is VLSM (Variable Length Subnet Mask). Its meaning is using subnet of subnets or
dividing a network into smaller network with using different subnet masks.