Subnet mask
Earlier I wrote about IP address settings. Now its time for the Subnet mask.
The subnet mask is the 255.255.255.0 or 255.0.0.0. That actually does mean something. Think of it as the area code for your network.
Subnetting is the process of creating more than one private network from one public network address by customizing your subnet mask. So the subnet mask of 255.255.255.0 cannot be seen by a network on the subnet of 255.0.0.0. because it will be trying to send a packet from the one street address to another adress in that steet with a different area code.
A subnet allows the flow of network traffic between hosts to be segregated based on a network configuration. By organizing hosts into logical groups, subnetting can improve network security and performance.
Subnet Mask
Perhaps the most recognizable aspect of subnetting is the subnet mask. Like IP addresses, a subnet mask contains four bytes (32 bits) and is often written using the same “dotted-decimal” notation. For example, a very common subnet mask in its binary representation
11111111 11111111 11111111 00000000
is typically shown in the equivalent, more readable form
255.255.255.0
Applying a Subnet Mask
A subnet mask neither works like an IP address, nor does it exist independently from them. Instead, subnet masks work with an IP address and the two values work together. Applying the subnet mask to an IP address splits the address into two parts, an “extended network address” and a host address.
For the first part of this series:
