BENGAL COLLEGE OF

ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY

REPORT ON
BASICS OF IP ADDRESSES AND
SUBNETS
SUBMITTED BY
NAME: - VATS KR. SOURAV
SUBJECT: –COMPUTER NETWORKING
SEMESTER: - 6TH (3RD YEAR)
UNIVERSITY ROLL NO.: - 12500221027
SUBMITTED TO: - PROF. AMIT KR. JHA
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I am overwhelmed in all humbleness and

gratefulness to acknowledge my depth to all those
who have helped me to put these ideas well above
the level of simplicity and into something concrete. I
would like to express my special thanks of gratitude
to my teacher as well as our principal who gave me
the golden opportunity to do this wonderful project
on this topic, which also helped me in doing a lot of
Research and I came to know about so many new
things. I am thankful to them. Any attempt at any
level can ‘t be satisfactorily completed without the
support and guidance of my parents and friends.
 CONTENTS

• Acknowledgement
• Abstract
• Introduction
• Methodology
• Discussion
• Application
• Conclusions
• References
 Abstract

This abstract provides a concise overview of the

fundamentals of IP addresses and subnets. It covers
the essential concepts, including the purpose of IP
addresses, the distinction between IPv4 and IPv6,
subnetting principles, and the significance of subnet
masks in network management. The abstract aims to
serve as a foundational guide for individuals seeking
a clear understanding of IP addressing and
subnetting in computer networking.
 Introduction

IP addresses and subnets are fundamental concepts in

computer networking. An IP address is a numerical label
assigned to each device connected to a network, serving
two main purposes: host or network interface
identification and location addressing. IP addresses come
in two versions, IPv4 and IPv6, with IPv4 being more
widely used.
Subnetting involves dividing a larger network into
smaller, more manageable sub-networks or subnets. This
helps optimize resource utilization and enhances network
efficiency. Subnets are defined by subnet masks, which
determine the range of IP addresses within each subnet.
Understanding the basics of IP addresses and subnets is
crucial for designing, managing, and troubleshooting
networks, providing the foundation for effective
communication between devices on the internet.
 Methodology

Here's a basic methodology to understand IP addresses and

subnets:

1. Understanding IP Addresses:
- Learn about IPv4 and IPv6.
- Recognize the format of IPv4 addresses (e.g., 192.168.1.1)
and IPv6 addresses (e.g.,
2001:0db8:85a3:0000:0000:8a2e:0370:7334).
- Know the difference between public and private IP
addresses.

2. IPv4 Address Components:

- Break down IPv4 addresses into four octets.
- Understand the concept of network and host portions in an IP
address.
- Recognize the importance of subnet masks.
3. Subnetting Basics:
 - Grasp the need for subnetting to efficiently use IP addresses.
- Learn about CIDR notation and subnet masks (e.g., /24).
- Understand how subnetting affects the number of available
hosts.

4. Binary Representation:
- Practice converting decimal numbers to binary and vice
versa.
- Understand how binary is used in subnetting.

5. Subnetting Process:
- Learn the step-by-step process of subnetting.
- Practice subnetting examples to solidify the concepts.

6. Address Classes:
- Understand the concept of IP address classes (A, B, C).
- Recognize the default subnet masks associated with each
class.

7. VLSM (Variable Length Subnet Masking):

- Explore the concept of VLSM for efficient subnetting.
 - Understand how different subnets within a network can have
different subnet mask lengths.

8. Subnetting Practice:
- Engage in practical exercises and subnetting problems.
- Use online tools or calculators to verify subnetting results.

9. Network Address Translation (NAT):

- Learn about NAT and its role in mapping private to public IP
addresses.
- Understand how NAT helps conserve public IP addresses.

10. Real-world Applications:

- Explore how IP addresses and subnets are used in real-world
networking scenarios.
- Understand their role in setting up networks, security, and
routing.
 DISCUSSION

IP ADDRESS:
All the computers of the world on the Internet
communicate with each other with underground or
underwater cables or wirelessly. If I want to download a
file from the internet or load a web page or literally do
anything related to the internet, my computer must have
an address so that other computers can find and locate
mine in order to deliver that particular file or webpage
that I am requesting. In technical terms, that address is
called IP Address or Internet Protocol Address.
Working of IP addresses:
The working of IP addresses is similar to other languages.
It can also use some set of rules to send information. Using
these protocols, we can easily send and receive data or files
to the connected devices. There are several steps behind the
scenes. Let us look at them
• Your device directly requests your Internet Service
Provider which then grants your device access to the web.
• And an IP Address is assigned to your device from the
given range available.
• Your internet activity goes through your service provider,
and they route it back to you, using your IP address.
• Your IP address can change. For example, turning your
router on or off can change your IP Address.
• When you are out from your home location your home
IP address doesn’t accompany you. It changes as you
change the network of your device.

Classification of IP Address

An IP address is classified into the following types:

1. Public IP Address: This address is available publicly
and it is assigned by your network provider to your router,
which further divides it to your devices. Public IP
Addresses are of two types,
• Dynamic IP Address
• Static IP Address

2. Private IP Address: This is an internal address of your

device which are not routed to the internet and no exchange
of data can take place between a private address and the
internet.
3. Shared IP addresses: Many websites use shared IP
addresses where the traffic is not huge and very
controllable, they decide to rent it to other similar websites
so to make it cost-friendly. Several companies and email
sending servers use the same IP address (within a single
mail server) to cut down the cost so that they could save
the time the server is idle.
4. Dedicated IP addresses: A dedicated IP Address is an
address used by a single company or an individual which
gives them certain benefits using a private Secure Sockets
Layer (SSL) certificate which is not in the case of a shared
IP address. It allows access to the website or log in via File
Transfer Protocol (FTP) by IP address instead of its domain
name. It increases the performance of the website when the
traffic is high. It also protects from a shared IP address that
is black-listed due to spam.
 INTRODUCTION TO SUBNET:

When a bigger network is divided into smaller networks,

to maintain security, then that is known as Subnetting. So,
maintenance is easier for smaller networks. For example,
if we consider a class A address, the possible number of
hosts is 224 for each network, it is obvious that it is
difficult to maintain such a huge number of hosts, but it
would be quite easier to maintain if we divide the network
into small parts.

Uses of Subnetting:

1.Subnetting helps in organizing the network in an efficient

way which helps in expanding the technology for large
firms and companies.
2.Subnetting is used for specific staffing structures to
reduce traffic and maintain order and efficiency.
3.Subnetting divides domains of the broadcast so that
traffic is routed efficiently, which helps in improving
network performance.
4.Subnetting is used in increasing network security.
Advantages of Subnetting:

The advantages of Subnetting are mentioned below:

1. It provides security to one network from another
network. e.g. In an organization, the code of the
Developer department must not be accessed by
another department.
2. It may be possible that a particular subnet might need
higher network priority than others. For example, a
sales department needs to host webcasts or video
conferences.
1. In the case of small networks, maintenance is easy.

Disadvantages of Subnetting:

The disadvantages of Subnetting are mentioned below:

1. In the case of a single network, only three steps are
required to reach a Process i.e Source Host to
Destination Network, Destination Network to
Destination Host, and then Destination Host to Process.
2. In the case of a Single Network only two IP addresses
are wasted to represent Network Id and Broadcast
 address but in the case of Subnetting two IP addresses
are wasted for each Subnet.
3. The cost of the overall Network also increases.
Subnetting requires internal routers, Switches, Hubs,
Bridges, etc. which are very costly.
 Application

• 1. Network Administration: Helps in managing and

configuring IP addresses for devices on a network,
ensuring proper communication and resource sharing.
• 2. Security: Enables setting up firewalls, access
control lists, and other security measures by
managing IP addresses to control network access and
protect against unauthorized access.
• 3. Subnetting: Optimizes network performance by
dividing a large network into smaller subnets,
reducing broadcast traffic and improving overall
efficiency.
• 4. VLSM (Variable Length Subnet Masking):
Enhances address space utilization by using different
subnet masks within a network, allowing for more
flexibility and efficient allocation of IP addresses.
• 5. Cloud Computing: In cloud environments,
managing IP addresses is essential for connecting
virtual machines, containers, and other resources
within the cloud infrastructure.
 CONCLUSION

Understanding IP addresses and subnets is

fundamental for anyone involved in networking.
Whether managing a small home network or a
large enterprise infrastructure, a solid grasp of
these concepts is essential for effective
communication and resource management.
 References

1. What is an IP Address? - GeeksforGeeks

2.Introduction To Subnetting - GeeksforGeeks