INTRODUCTION TO

LESSON 6 (, IP CLASS)

COMPUTER NETWORKING
IP ADDRESS CLASS
WHAT IS IP?
• AN INTERNET PROTOCOL ADDRESS IS ALSO
KNOWN AS IP ADDRESS. IT IS A NUMERICAL
LABEL WHICH ASSIGNED TO EACH DEVICE
CONNECTED TO A COMPUTER NETWORK
WHICH USES THE IP FOR COMMUNICATION.
• IP ADDRESS ACT AS AN IDENTIFIER FOR A SPECIFIC
MACHINE ON A PARTICULAR NETWORK. THE IP ADDRESS IS
ALSO CALLED IP NUMBER AND INTERNET ADDRESS. IP
ADDRESS SPECIFIES THE TECHNICAL FORMAT OF THE
ADDRESSING AND PACKETS SCHEME. MOST NETWORKS
COMBINE IP WITH A TCP (TRANSMISSION CONTROL
PROTOCOL). IT ALSO ALLOWS DEVELOPING A VIRTUAL
CONNECTION BETWEEN A DESTINATION AND A SOURCE.
WHAT IS IPV4?
• IPV4 WAS THE FIRST VERSION OF IP. IT WAS DEPLOYED FOR
PRODUCTION IN THE ARPANET IN 1983
• THE IPV4 USES A 32-BIT ADDRESS SCHEME ALLOWING TO
STORE 2^32 ADDRESSES WHICH IS MORE THAN 4 BILLION
ADDRESSES. TILL DATE, IT IS CONSIDERED THE PRIMARY
INTERNET PROTOCOL AND CARRIES 94% OF INTERNET
TRAFFIC.
FEATURES OF IPV4
• CONNECTIONLESS PROTOCOL
• ALLOW CREATING A SIMPLE VIRTUAL COMMUNICATION
LAYER OVER DIVERSIFIED DEVICES
• IT REQUIRES LESS MEMORY, AND EASE OF REMEMBERING
ADDRESSES
• ALREADY SUPPORTED PROTOCOL BY MILLIONS OF DEVICES
• OFFERS VIDEO LIBRARIES AND CONFERENCES
WHAT IS IPV6?
• IT IS THE MOST RECENT VERSION OF THE INTERNET
PROTOCOL. INTERNET ENGINEER TASKFORCE INITIATED IT
IN EARLY 1994.
• IT WAS AIMED TO RESOLVE ISSUES WHICH ARE ASSOCIATED
WITH IPV4. WITH 128-BIT ADDRESS SPACE, IT ALLOWS 340
UNDECILLION UNIQUE ADDRESS SPACE. IPV6 ALSO
CALLED IPNG (INTERNET PROTOCOL NEXT GENERATION).
FEATURES OF IPV6
• HIERARCHICAL ADDRESSING AND ROUTING
INFRASTRUCTURE
• STATEFUL AND STATELESS CONFIGURATION
• SUPPORT FOR QUALITY OF SERVICE (QOS)
• AN IDEAL PROTOCOL FOR NEIGHBORING NODE
INTERACTION
Basis for differences IPv4 IPv6
IPv4 is a 32-Bit IP IPv6 is 128 Bit IP
Size of IP address
Address. Address.

IPv6 is an
IPv4 is a numeric alphanumeric address
address, and its binary whose binary bits are
Addressing method
bits are separated by separated by a colon
a dot (.) (:). It also contains
hexadecimal.

Number of header
12 8
fields
Length of header filed 20 40
 Does not have
Checksum Has checksum fields
checksum fields

2001:0db8:0000:0000:0
Example 12.244.233.165
000:ff00:0042:7879

Unicast, broadcast, Unicast, multicast,

Type of Addresses
and multicast. and anycast.

IPv4 offers five lPv6 allows storing an

Number of classes different classes of IP unlimited number of IP
Address. Class A to E. Address.
 You have to configure In IPv6, the
a newly installed configuration is
Configuration system before it can optional, depending
communicate with upon on functions
other systems. needed.
IPv4 support VLSM
IPv6 does not offer
VLSM support (Virtual Length Subnet
support for VLSM.
Mask).
Fragmentation is done
Fragmentation is done
Fragmentation by sending and
by the sender.
forwarding routes.

RIP is a routing RIP does not support

Routing Information
protocol supported by IPv6. It uses static
Protocol (RIP)
the routed daemon. routes.
 Networks need to be
configured either
manually or with DHCP. IPv6 support
Network Configuration IPv4 had several overlays autoconfiguration
to handle Internet growth, capabilities.
which require more
maintenance efforts.
Widespread use of NAT
(Network address
translation) devices which
It allows direct addressing
allows single NAT address
Best feature because of vast address
can mask thousands of
Space.
non-routable addresses,
making end-to-end
integrity achievable.
Use for the designated
Address Mask Not used.
network from host portion.
 SNMP is a protocol
SNMP does not
SNMP used for system
support IPv6.
management.
Relatively constrained
IPv6 provides
network topologies to
interoperability and
Mobility & which move restrict
mobility capabilities
Interoperability mobility and
which are embedded
interoperability
in network devices.
capabilities.
IPSec(Internet
Security is dependent Protocol Security) is
on applications - IPv4 built into the IPv6
Security
was not designed with protocol, usable with
security in mind. a proper key
infrastructure.
 Packet size 576 bytes
required, 1208 bytes required
Packet size
fragmentation without fragmentation
optional

Allows from routers

Packet fragmentation Sending hosts only
and sending host

Does not identify

Packet head contains
packet flow for QoS
Flow Label field that
Packet header handling which
specifies packet flow
includes checksum
for QoS handling
options.
 Address (AAAA)
Address (A) records,
DNS records records, maps
maps hostnames
hostnames
Stateless address
autoconfiguration
using Internet Control
Address configuration Manual or via DHCP
Message Protocol
version 6 (ICMPv6) or
DHCPv6
Multicast Neighbour
IP to MAC resolution Broadcast ARP
Solicitation

Internet Group
Local subnet Group Multicast Listener
Management
management Discovery (MLD)
Protocol GMP)
 Does not have
optional fields. But
Optional Fields Has Optional Fields
Extension headers are
available.
Internet Protocol Internet Protocol
Security (IPSec) Security (IPSec)
IPSec
concerning network Concerning network
security is optional security is mandatory
Clients have
approach DHCS A Client does not
(Dynamic Host have to approach
Dynamic host
Configuration server) any such server as
configuration Server
whenever they want they are given
to connect to a permanent addresses.
network.
 Uses ARP(Address Uses NDP(Neighbour
Mapping Resolution Protocol) to Discovery Protocol) to
map to MAC address map to MAC address

IPv6 address is
IPv4 address uses the
represented in
dot-decimal notation.
Combability with hexadecimal, colon-
That's why it is not
mobile devices separated notation.
suitable for mobile
IPv6 is better suited to
networks.
mobile networks.
REMEMBER

• IPV4 AND IPV6 CANNOT COMMUNICATE WITH

OTHER BUT CAN EXIST TOGETHER ON THE SAME
NETWORK. THIS IS KNOWN AS DUAL STACK.
CONCLUSION
• AN INTERNET PROTOCOL ADDRESS IS ALSO KNOWN AS IP ADDRESS
• IPV4 WAS THE FIRST VERSION OF IP WHICH WAS DEPLOYED FOR PRODUCTION IN THE ARPANET
IN 1983

• IPV6 IS THE MOST RECENT VERSION OF THE INTERNET PROTOCOL. INTERNET ENGINEER TASKFORCE
INITIATED IT IN EARLY 1994.

• IPV4 ALLOWS CREATING A SIMPLE VIRTUAL COMMUNICATION LAYER OVER DIVERSIFIED DEVICES

• IPV6 SUPPORTS HIERARCHICAL ADDRESSING AND ROUTING INFRASTRUCTURE

• IPV4 IS A 32-BIT IP ADDRESS WHILE IPV6 IS 128 BIT IP ADDRESS
• IPV4 OFFERS FIVE DIFFERENT CLASSES OF IP ADDRESS.
• IPV6 IS 128 BIT IP ADDRESS
TYPES OF IP ADDRESSES

1. UNICAST IP ADDRESSES
2. MULTICAST IP ADDRESSES
3. BROADCAST IP ADDRESSES
1. UNICAST IP ADDRESSES

• – AN ADDRESS OF A SINGLE INTERFACE. THE IP ADDRESSES

OF THIS TYPE ARE USED FOR ONE-TO-ONE
COMMUNICATION. UNICAST IP ADDRESSES ARE USED TO
DIRECT PACKETS TO A SPECIFIC HOST. HERE IS AN
EXAMPLE:
2. MULTICAST IP ADDRESSES
• – USED FOR ONE-TO-MANY COMMUNICATION. MULTICAST
MESSAGES ARE SENT TO IP MULTICAST GROUP ADDRESSES.
ROUTERS FORWARD COPIES OF THE PACKET OUT TO EVERY
INTERFACE THAT HAS HOSTS SUBSCRIBED TO THAT GROUP
ADDRESS. ONLY THE HOSTS THAT NEED TO RECEIVE THE
MESSAGE WILL PROCESS THE PACKETS. ALL OTHER HOSTS
ON THE LAN WILL DISCARD THEM. HERE IS AN EXAMPLE:
3. BROADCAST IP ADDRESSES
• – USED TO SEND DATA TO ALL POSSIBLE DESTINATIONS IN
THE BROADCAST DOMAIN (THE ONE-TO-EVERYBODY
COMMUNICATION). THE BROADCAST ADDRESS FOR A
NETWORK HAS ALL HOST BITS ON. FOR EXAMPLE, FOR THE
NETWORK 192.168.30.0 255.255.255.0 THE
BROADCAST ADDRESS WOULD BE 192.168.0.255. ALSO,
THE IP ADDRESS OF ALL 1’S (255.255.255.255) CAN BE
USED FOR LOCAL BROADCAST. HERE’S AN EXAMPLE:
IP CLASS
• TCP/IP DEFINES FIVE CLASSES OF IP ADDRESSES: CLASS A,
B, C, D, AND E. EACH CLASS HAS A RANGE OF VALID IP
ADDRESSES. THE VALUE OF THE FIRST OCTET DETERMINES
THE CLASS. IP ADDRESSES FROM THE FIRST THREE CLASSES
(A, B AND C) CAN BE USED FOR HOST ADDRESSES.
• THE OTHER TWO CLASSES ARE USED FOR OTHER PURPOSES
– CLASS D FOR MULTICAST AND CLASS E FOR
EXPERIMENTAL PURPOSES.
THE SYSTEM OF IP ADDRESS CLASSES WAS DEVELOPED FOR THE
PURPOSE OF INTERNET IP ADDRESSES ASSIGNMENT. THE CLASSES
CREATED WERE BASED ON THE NETWORK SIZE. FOR EXAMPLE,

• FOR THE SMALL NUMBER OF

NETWORKS WITH A VERY LARGE
NUMBER OF HOSTS, THE CLASS
A WAS CREATED.
• THE CLASS C WAS CREATED
FOR NUMEROUS NETWORKS
WITH SMALL NUMBER OF
HOSTS.
• FOR THE IP ADDRESSES FROM CLASS A, THE FIRST 8 BITS
(THE FIRST DECIMAL NUMBER) REPRESENT THE NETWORK
PART, WHILE THE REMAINING 24 BITS REPRESENT THE HOST
PART.
• FOR CLASS B, THE FIRST 16 BITS (THE FIRST TWO NUMBERS)
REPRESENT THE NETWORK PART, WHILE THE REMAINING 16
BITS REPRESENT THE HOST PART.
• FOR CLASS C, THE FIRST 24 BITS REPRESENT THE NETWORK
PART, WHILE THE REMAINING 8 BITS REPRESENT THE HOST
PART.
• 10.50.120.7 – BECAUSE THIS IS A CLASS A ADDRESS, THE FIRST NUMBER
(10) REPRESENTS THE NETWORK PART, WHILE THE REMAINDER OF THE
ADDRESS REPRESENTS THE HOST PART (50.120.7).

• THIS MEANS THAT, IN ORDER FOR DEVICES TO BE ON THE SAME NETWORK,

THE FIRST NUMBER OF THEIR IP ADDRESSES HAS TO BE THE SAME FOR BOTH
DEVICES. IN THIS CASE, A DEVICE WITH THE IP ADDRESS OF 10.47.8.4 IS
ON THE SAME NETWORK AS THE DEVICE WITH THE IP ADDRESS LISTED
ABOVE.

• THE DEVICE WITH THE IP ADDRESS 11.5.4.3 IS NOT ON THE SAME

NETWORK, BECAUSE THE FIRST NUMBER OF ITS IP ADDRESS IS DIFFERENT.
• 172.16.55.13 – BECAUSE THIS IS A CLASS B ADDRESS, THE FIRST TWO
NUMBERS (172.16) REPRESENT THE NETWORK PART, WHILE THE
REMAINDER OF THE ADDRESS REPRESENTS THE HOST PART (55.13).

• A DEVICE WITH THE IP ADDRESS OF 172.16.254.3 IS ON THE SAME

NETWORK, WHILE A DEVICE WITH THE IP ADDRESS OF 172.55.54.74
ISN’T.
Class Private Networks Subnet Mask Address Range

10.0.0.0 -
A 10.0.0.0 255.0.0.0
10.255.255.255

172.16.0.0 - 172.16.0.0 -
B 255.240.0.0
172.31.0.0 172.31.255.255

192.168.0.0 -
C 192.168.0.0 255.255.0.0
192.168.255.255
NOTE

THE SYSTEM OF NETWORK ADDRESS RANGES DESCRIBED

HERE IS GENERALLY BYPASSED TODAY BY USE OF THE
CLASSLESS INTER-DOMAIN ROUTING (CIDR) ADDRESSING.
SPECIAL IP ADDRESS RANGES
THAT ARE USED FOR SPECIAL
PURPOSES ARE:
• 0.0.0.0/8 – ADDRESSES USED TO COMMUNICATE WITH
THE LOCAL NETWORK
• 127.0.0.0/8 – LOOPBACK ADDRESSES
• 169.254.0.0/16 – LINK-LOCAL ADDRESSES (APIPA)