VLSM
LAB MANUAL
Created by Sandup Kolwalkar, CCNA
s_holwalkar@[Link]
Edited by Virginia Phillips, CCNA,CCAI
phillips@[Link]
VLSM vs. CIDR
VLSM is similar to CIDR
Both recursively divide networks into small sub networks
Difference
VLSM:
The recursion is performed on the address space previously
assigned to an organization and is invisible to the global Internet.
CIDR:
CIDR permits the recursive allocation of an address blocked by an
Internet Registry to a high-level ISP, to a mid level to a lower level
ISP and finally to a private organization’s network.
The issues to be considered while
designing a network
1) How many total subnets does the organization need today?
2) How many total subnets will the organization need in the future?
3) How many hosts are there on the organization’s largest subnet today?
4) How many hosts will there be on the organization’s largest subnet in
the future?
Solution to Problem 1:
To support 26 hosts on a subnet, a minimum of 5 bits is needed in the host portion of the
address. 5 bits result in 30 possible host addresses (2^5-2). The other 3 bits in the last
octet can be added to the default 24-bit Class C mask. Thus, a 27-bit mask can be used to
create the following subnets:-
Subnet # Subnet Address
0 [Link] /27
1 [Link] /27
Sub-subnet 0 [Link] /30
2 [Link] /27
Sub-subnet 1 [Link] /30
3 [Link] /27
Sub-subnet 2 [Link] /30
4 [Link] /27
Sub-subnet 3 [Link] /30
5 [Link] /27
Sub-subnet 4 [Link] /30
6 [Link] /27
Sub-subnet 5 [Link] /30
Sub-subnet 6 [Link] /30
To maximize the address space, the [Link] /27 subnet is further subnetted using a
30-bit mask. This creates subnets that can be used on point-to-point links with minimal
waste, because each subnet contains only 2 possible host addresses.
Solution to Problem 2:
The network address given is [Link]. Since this is the only network address
available it cannot be supernetted. Also the problem we are now facing is that one subnet
requires 60 hosts and we require at least 4 subnets. Therefore at least 3 bits are needed for
4 subnets (2^3-2=6). We are therefore left with 5 bits which would give us a maximum of
30 hosts (2^5-2).
We solve this problem by supernetting 2 subnets. A 27-bit mask can be used to create the
following subnets:-
Subnet # Subnet Address
0 [Link] /27
1 [Link] /27
2 [Link] /27 Sub-subnet 0 [Link] /30
3 [Link] /27 Sub-subnet 1 [Link] /30
4 [Link] /27 Sub-subnet 2 [Link] /30
5 [Link] /27 Sub-subnet 3 [Link] /30
6 [Link] /27 Sub-subnet 4 [Link] /30
Sub-subnet 5 [Link] /30
Sub-subnet 6 [Link] /30
The 2 subnets viz. subnet #2 and #3 can be supernetted using a 26-bit mask thus giving a
subnet [Link] /26 which provides 62 (2^6-2) hosts on this subnet.
To maximize the address space, the [Link] /27 subnet is further subnetted using a
30-bit mask. This creates subnets that can be used on point-to-point links with minimal
waste, because each subnet contains only 2 possible host addresses.
Solution to Problem 3:
The CIDR address given is [Link] /22. This corresponds to the following 4
subnets:
[Link] /24
[Link] /24
[Link] /24
[Link] /24
One of the network requires 400 hosts. We therefore combine the 2 subnets to give a
bigger subnet which provides 510 hosts.(2^9-2) viz.[Link]/24 and [Link]
/24 are combined to give [Link] /23 subnet.
The [Link]/24 subnet will give 254 (2^8-2) hosts and is therefore used for one of
the subnets consisting of 200 hosts.
The [Link] /24 subnet can be further subnetted as follows:-
Subnet # Subnet Address
0 [Link] /26
1 [Link] /26
2 [Link] /26
3 [Link] /26
Sub-subnet 0 [Link] /30
Sub-subnet 1 [Link] /30
Sub-subnet 2 [Link] /30
Sub-subnet 3 [Link] /30
-- --
-- --
Sub-subnet 14 [Link] /30
The subnet #0 and #1 would provide 62 hosts (2^6-2) per subnet and are therefore used
for the networks consisting of 50 hosts.
To maximize the address space, the [Link] /26 subnet is further subnetted using
a 30-bit mask. This creates subnets that can be used on point-to-point links with minimal
waste, because each subnet contains only 2 possible host addresses.
Solution to Problem 4
The CIDR address given is [Link] /23.
[Link] /24
[Link] /24
} [Link] /23
[Link] /25
[Link] /25 } These 2 would provide 2
subnets of 126 hosts each
[Link] /26 → This would give a 62 host subnet
[Link] /26 [Link] /27
[Link] /27
} 2 30 host subnets
192.168.128 /26
[Link] /27
[Link] /26 [Link] /27
} 2 30 host subnets
[Link] /30
[Link] /27 [Link]/30
[Link] /27 [Link]/30
.......
[Link]/30
Solution to Problem 5
[Link] /21 We require 2 subnets with 512 hosts, so
we use a mask of 23 bits
[Link] /23
[Link] /23 } give 2 510 hosts each
[Link] /24
[Link] /24 } is used for 210 host subnet. Give 2 254 host subnets
[Link] /23
[Link] /23
[Link] /25
} gives 2 126 host subnets
[Link] /25
[Link] /24
[Link] /24
[Link] /28
[Link] /28
[Link] /28
…
[Link] /28 14 host subnets
[Link] /30
For 3 serial connections { [Link] /30
[Link] /30
… 2 host subnet
[Link] /30