Classless IPv4 Subnetting can be classified into three categories namely: by host requirement,

by network requirement, and thru variable length subnet mask or vlsm.

Now, let’s get through to the 1st category. The By host requirement.

A by host requirement problem needs to answer the following set of questions.

How many hosts required, how many bits needed, what is the new subnet mask, what is the
binary and decimal format of the new subnet mask, what is the increment value and the range
of the host requirement, how many actual networks, usable host, and total usable IP.

Example No. 1

We are given an IP address of 23.0.0.0 with an original subnet mask of 8. It is classified as a

Class A category because the 1st octet which is 23 falls between the ranges of 0 to 127. The IP
address is subnet into 40 hosts.

For the bits needed, we need to convert 40 into binary format. The binary will turn 1 in 32 and 8.
Choose the most significant bit and find its equivalent bit format. Since 32 is the most significant
bit, it falls into the 6-bit binary code. On the new subnet mask, it is very easy since we have a
formula. 32 minus bits, 32 minus 6 is equals to 26.

Next, we need to convert the new subnet mask into binary and decimal format.

A binary format has 4 octet, every octet has 8 bits. In total, 8 times 4 is equals to 32 bits. Since
26 is the new subnet mask, this is the binary format. As you can see, the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd octet
are all 1’s which represent 24 bits. Just add 2 bits in the 4th octet and you will come up with 26.

A decimal format has the same 4 octet, a full 8-bit is equal to 255. Since the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd octet
are all 1’s, the decimal equivalent are all 255. As for the fourth octet, the two remaining 1’s are
added, 128 plus 64 is equals to 192.

The increment value is the last decimal of the last octet that has a value. The 4th octet has the
last value, hence 64 is the last decimal.

For the range, first we need to write the given IP address 23.0.0.0 as the 1st sub-network
address. What is the last octet that has a value? The 4th octet. You should always remember
that.

Just add the increment to the 4th octet of the 1st sub-network address which resulted to
23.0.0.64. Continue to add 64 to the 4th octet. It is 23.0.0.128 and 23.0.0.192 for the 3rd and 4th
sub-network address respectively.

For the 1st sub-broadcast address, it should always be less than the 2nd sub-network address
and so on and so forth until you reach 23.0.0.255.
On the Actual Networks, Usable Host, and Total Usable IP, it is also easy since we have a
formula.

For the Actual Networks, 2 raised to bits, 2 raised to 6 is equals to 64

For the Usable Host, 2 raised to 32 minus new subnet mask minus 2, 2 raised to 32 minus 26
minus 2 is equals to 62.

For the Total Usable IP, Actual Networks times Usable Hosts, 64 times 62 is equals to 3968

Example No. 2

We are given an IP address of 131.131.0.0 with an original subnet mask of 16. It is classified as
a Class B category because the 1st octet which is 131 falls between the ranges of 128 to 191.
The IP address is subnet into 160 hosts.

For the bits needed, we need to convert 160 into binary format. The binary will turn 1 in 128 and
32. Choose the most significant bit and find its equivalent bit format. Since 128 is the most
significant bit, it falls into the 8-bit binary code. On the new subnet mask, it is very easy since we
have a formula. 32 minus bits, 32 minus 8 is equals to 24.

Next, we need to convert the new subnet mask into binary and decimal format.

A binary format has 4 octet, every octet has 8 bits. In total, 8 times 4 is equals to 32 bits. Since
24 is the new subnet mask, this is the binary format. As you can see, the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd octet
are all 1’s which represent 24 bits. There is no bit in the 4th octet.

A decimal format has the same 4 octet, a full 8-bit is equal to 255. Since the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd octet
are all 1’s, the decimal equivalent are all 255. There is no decimal value in the 4th octet.

The increment value is the last decimal of the last octet that has a value. In comparison with the
previous example, the 3rd octet now has the last value, hence 1 is the last decimal.

For the range, first we need to write the given IP address 131.131.0.0 as the 1st sub-network
address. What is the last octet that has a value? The 3rd octet. You should always remember
that.

Just add the increment to the 3rd octet of the 1st sub-network address which resulted to
131.131.1.0. Continue to add 1 to the 3rd octet. It is 131.131.2.0 and 131.131.3.0 for the 3rd and
4th sub-network address respectively.

For the 1st sub-broadcast address, it should always be less than the 2nd sub-network address
and so on and so forth until you reach 131.131.255.255.

On the Actual Networks, Usable Host, and Total Usable IP, it is also easy since we have a
formula.

For the Actual Networks, 2 raised to bits, 2 raised to 8 is equals to 256

For the Usable Host, 2 raised to 32 minus new subnet mask minus 2, 2 raised to 32 minus 24
minus 2 is equals to 254.

For the Total Usable IP, Actual Networks times Usable Hosts, 256 times 254 is equals to 65024

Example No. 3

We are given an IP address of 223.223.223.0 with an original subnet mask of 24. It is classified
as a Class C category because the 1st octet which is 223 falls between the ranges of 192 to 223.
The IP address is subnet into 30 hosts.

For the bits needed, we need to convert 30 into binary format. The binary will turn 1 in 16, 8, 4,
and 2. Choose the most significant bit and find its equivalent bit format. Since 16 is the most
significant bit, it falls into the 5-bit binary code. On the new subnet mask, it is very easy since we
have a formula. 32 minus bits, 32 minus 5 is equals to 27.

Next, we need to convert the new subnet mask into binary and decimal format.

A binary format has 4 octet, every octet has 8 bits. In total, 8 times 4 is equals to 32 bits. Since
24 is the new subnet mask, this is the binary format. As you can see, the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd octet
are all 1’s which represent 24 bits. Just add 3 bits in the 4th octet and you will come up with 27.

A decimal format has the same 4 octet, a full 8-bit is equal to 255. Since the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd octet
are all 1’s, the decimal equivalent are all 255. As for the fourth octet, the three remaining 1’s are
added, 128 plus 64 plus 32 is equals to 224.

The increment value is the last decimal of the last octet that has a value. Just like example no.
1, the 4th octet now has the last value, hence 32 is the last decimal.

For the range, first we need to write the given IP address 223.223.223.0 as the 1st sub-network
address. What is the last octet that has a value? The 4th octet. You should always remember
that.

Just add the increment to the 4th octet of the 1st sub-network address which resulted to
223.223.223.32. Continue to add 32 to the 4th octet. It is 223.223.223.64 and 223.223.223.96 for
the 3rd and 4th sub-network address respectively.

For the 1st sub-broadcast address, it should always be less than the 2nd sub-network address
and so on and so forth until you reach 223.223.223.255.

On the Actual Networks, Usable Host, and Total Usable IP, it is also easy since we have a
formula.

For the Actual Networks, 2 raised to bits, 2 raised to 5 is equals to 32

For the Usable Host, 2 raised to 32 minus new subnet mask minus 2, 2 raised to 32 minus 27
minus 2 is equals to 30.

For the Total Usable IP, Actual Networks times Usable Hosts, 32 times 30 is equals to 960