|
Forms of IP Addressing |
|
Once upon a time... |
||
|
When the internet was just starting out, it was thought that order is needed. |
||
|
IP addresses were classified into 5 categories or Classes. As such, there are five forms of IP addresses: |
||
|
|
|
|
|
Class & description |
Address Range |
Remarks |
|
Class A : |
||
|
126 networks, each can have up to (16M-2) nodes. |
(1.0.0.0 - 127.255.255.255) |
Huge networks |
|
Class B: |
||
|
(16K-2) networks, each can have up to (64K-2) nodes |
(128.0.0.0 - 191.255.255.255) |
Quite Large networks |
|
Class C: |
||
|
(2M-2) networks, each can have up to 254 nodes. |
(192.0.0.0 - 223.255.255.255) |
Medium & Small networks |
|
Class D: |
||
|
a multicast address. |
(224.0.0.0 - 239.255.255.255) |
multicast is sending the same content to many users at once (like watching TV) |
|
Class E: |
|
|
|
reserved for future use. |
(240.0.0.0 - 247.255.255.255) |
|
|
Remarks: 1) By convention we don't use series
of 0 or of 1 as legal address !! |
||