|
IP Addressing Concepts and Issues
Even though the original IP addressing
scheme was relatively simple, it has become complex over time as changes
have been made to it to allow it to deal with various addressing requirements.
The more advanced styles of IP addressing, such as subnetting
and classless
addressing, are the ones used most in
modern networks. However, they can be a bit confusing to understand.
To help make sense of them we must start at the beginning with a discussion
of the fundamentals of IP addressing.
In this section I begin our larger
exploration of IP addressing by explaining the key concepts and issues
behind it. I begin with an overview of IP addressing and discussion
of what it is all about in general terms. I describe the size of IP
addresses, the concept of its “address space” and the notation
usually used for IP addresses. I provide basic information on the structure
of an IP address and how it is divided into a network identifier and
host identifier. I then describe the different types of IP addresses
and the additional information such as a subnet mask and default gateway
that often accompanies an IP address on larger networks. I provide a
brief description of how multiple addresses are sometimes assigned to
single devices and why. I conclude with a description of the process
by which public IP addresses are registered and managed, and the organizations
that do this work for the global Internet.
 Note: Remember that most operating systems have a calculator program that incorporates scientific functions, including conversions between binary, decimal and hexadecimal numbers.
|
|
Quick navigation to subsections and regular topics in this section
|
| If you find The TCP/IP Guide useful, please consider making a small Paypal donation to help the site, using one of the buttons below. You can also donate a custom amount using the far right button (not less than $1 please, or PayPal gets most/all of your money!) In lieu of a larger donation, you may wish to consider purchasing a download license of The TCP/IP Guide. Thanks for your support! |
|
|
Home -
Table Of Contents - Contact Us
The TCP/IP Guide (http://www.TCPIPGuide.com)
Version 3.0 - Version Date: September 20, 2005
© Copyright 2001-2005 Charles M. Kozierok. All Rights Reserved.
Not responsible for any loss resulting from the use of this site.
|
Background Information: If you are not familiar with at least the basics of how binary numbers work, and also with how to convert between binary and decimal numbers, I'd recommend reading