VLSM (Variable Length Subnet

Mask)
MD. AZIZUL HAKIM
LECTURER
D E PA RT M E N T O F C S E
D A F F O D I L I N T E R N AT I O N A L U N I V E R S I T Y

1
What is VLSM?
VLSM stands for Variable Length Subnet Mask where the subnet design uses
more than one mask in the same network which means more than one mask is
used for different subnets of a single class A, B, C or a network.

The biggest advantage of VLSM Subnetting is that, instead of forcing us to use a

2
Difference Between FLSM & VLSM
FLSM (Fixed Length Subnet Masks) Subnetting VLSM (Variable Length Subnet Masks) Subnetting
All subnets are equal in size. Subnets are variable in size.
All subnets have equal number of hosts. Subnets have variable number of hosts.
All subnets use same subnet mask. Subnets use different subnet masks.
It is easy in configuration and administration. It is complex in configuration and administration.
It wastes a lot of IP addresses. It wastes minimum IP addresses.
It supports both classfull and classless routing It supports only classless routing protocols.
protocols.

3
VLSM Procedure
Suppose we have an IP address: [Link]/24
And we need to create 4 subnets using following host requirements:
1st subnet= 120
2nd subnet = 60
3rd subnet = 30
4th subnet = 30

4
Step 1: Calculate Required Host Bit.
  the first subnet it is given 120 IP addresses is required but 1 IP is required for Network address and
For
another 1 is for Broadcast address. So total requirement is 120+2=122 IP addresses.
For providing that much value we have to compare like this way: if,

From here we can get that 7 Host bits are required.

=> 128 This is possible

5
Step 2: Find out Network bit with the
help of the given formula

Network bit= (32 – Host bit)

6
 Step 3: Calculate updated subnet
mask
As we all know network bit is represented by 1 and Host bit is represented by 0. Now we have the updated subnet mask:
11111111.11111111.11111111.10000000
255 . 255 . 255 . 128
Now, we will find the range using the formula which we have used in FLSM, i.e.
Range = Maximum Subnet Mask – Updated Subnet Mask

[Link]
- [Link] Network Address [Link]
0 . 0 . 0 .127 First Host Address [Link]
Last Host Address [Link]
Network Block for the 1st subnet is [Link] to [Link] Broadcast Address [Link]
Now repeat these three steps for remaining subnets!

7
 Calculation of 2nd Subnet
For
  the Second subnet it is given 60 IP addresses is required but 1 IP is required for Network address and
another 1 is for Broadcast address. So total requirement is 60+2=62 IP addresses.
=> 64 62
Host bit = 6
Network bit = 32 - 6 = 26
Subnet mask: 11111111.11111111.11111111.11000000
Network Address [Link]
255 . 255 . 255 . 192
First Host Address [Link]
Range = [Link] Last Host Address [Link]
- [Link] Broadcast Address [Link]
0. 0. 0. 63

Network Block for the 2nd subnet is [Link] to [Link]

8
 Calculation of 3rd Subnet
For
  the Third subnet it is given 30 IP addresses is required but 1 IP is required for Network address and
another 1 is for Broadcast address. So total requirement is 30+2=32 IP addresses.
=> 32 32
Host bit = 5
Network bit = 32 - 5 = 27
Subnet mask: 11111111.11111111.11111111.11100000
255 . 255 . 255 . 224 Network Address [Link]
First Host Address [Link]
Range = [Link]
Last Host Address [Link]
- [Link]
Broadcast Address [Link]
0. 0. 0. 31

Network Block for the 3rd subnet is [Link] to [Link]

9
Calculation of 4th Subnet
For
  the Forth subnet it is given 30 IP addresses is required but 1 IP is required for Network address and
another 1 is for Broadcast address. So total requirement is 30+2=32 IP addresses.
=> 32 32
Host bit = 5
Network bit = 32 - 5 = 27
Subnet mask: 11111111.11111111.11111111.11100000
255 . 255 . 255 . 224 Network Address [Link]
First Host Address [Link]
Range = [Link]
Last Host Address [Link]
- [Link]
Broadcast Address [Link]
0. 0. 0. 31

Network Block for the 4th subnet is [Link] to [Link]

11