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IP Addresses and the Internet
Conventionally, the Internet (with a capital I) refers the large-scale
interconnected networks across the world that was originally
developed by the US Department of Defense. The Internet uses
exclusively the TCP/IP suite of protocols. The term "internet"
(lower case i), however, refers to any interconnected networks
using any protocol. An internet can be as simple as two hosts on a
LAN, or it can be as complex as the Internet itself.
Every machine on the Internet must have a unique address within
that internet. If your networks are isolated from the Internet, e.g.,
only between your two branch offices, you can assign any IP
addresses to the hosts without problems. However, the Internet
Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA) has reserved the following
three blocks of IP addresses specifically for private networks:
For this reason, it is recommended that you choose your network
number from the above list.
You can obtain your IP address from the IANA, from an ISP, or
assigned from a private network. If you belong to a small
organization and your Internet access is through an ISP, the ISP
can provide you with the Internet addresses for your local
networks. On the other hand, if you are part of a much larger
organization, you should consult your network administrator for the
appropriate IP addresses.
10.0.0.0
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172.16.0.0
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192.168.0.0
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10.255.255.255
172.31.255.255
192.168.255.255
Configuring for Internet Access 41
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