In networking, IPv4 configuration is fundamental. For a host to communicate on a network, three key values must be configured:
- Unique IPv4 address – Identifies the device on the network
- Subnet mask – Distinguishes the network and host portions
- Default gateway – IP address of the local router interface
🧠 Identifying Network and Host Portions
The subnet mask is compared with the IPv4 address bit-by-bit. A 1 bit indicates a network bit, while a 0 indicates a host bit.
📡 Network, Host, and Broadcast Addresses
In a network like 192.168.10.0/24, address types include:
- Network address: all host bits = 0 →
192.168.10.0 - First host: last bit = 1 →
192.168.10.1 - Last host: last bit = 0 before broadcast →
192.168.10.254 - Broadcast address: all host bits = 1 →
192.168.10.255
🏷️ IPv4 Address Classes
The IPv4 address space is divided into 5 classes:
- Class A: Large networks (up to 16 million hosts)
- Class B: Medium-sized networks (up to 65,000 hosts)
- Class C: Small networks (up to 254 hosts)
- Class D: Multicast
- Class E: Experimental
✅ Key Takeaway:
Properly configuring a host's IPv4 address, subnet mask, and gateway is vital for ensuring that devices communicate efficiently across a network.
