ZyXEL Communications 10 User Manual page 436

ZyWALL 10~100 Series Internet Security Gateway
With subnetting, the class arrangement of an IP address is ignored. For example, a class C address no longer
has to have 24 bits of network number and 8 bits of host ID. With subnetting, some of the host ID bits are
converted into network number bits. By convention, subnet masks always consist of a continuous sequence
of ones beginning from the left most bit of the mask, followed by a continuous sequence of zeros, for a total
number of 32 bits.
Since the mask is always a continuous number of ones beginning from the left, followed by a continuous
number of zeros for the remainder of the 32 bit mask, you can simply specify the number of ones instead of
writing the value of each octet. This is usually specified by writing a "/" followed by the number of bits in
the mask after the address.
For example, 192.1.1.0 /25 is equivalent to saying 192.1.1.0 with mask 255.255.255.128.
The following table shows all possible subnet masks for a class "C" address using both notations.
SUBNET MASK IP ADDRESS
255.255.255.0
255.255.255.128
255.255.255.192
255.255.255.224
255.255.255.240
255.255.255.248
255.255.255.252
The first mask shown is the class "C" natural mask. Normally if no mask is specified it is understood that the
natural mask is being used.
Example: Two Subnets
As an example, you have a class "C" address 192.168.1.0 with subnet mask of 255.255.255.0.
IP Address
IP Address (Binary)
Subnet Mask
Subnet Mask (Binary)
44
Chart J-4 Alternative Subnet Mask Notation
SUBNET MASK "1" BITS
/24
/25
/26
/27
/28
/29
/30
NETWORK NUMBER
192.168.1.
11000000.10101000.00000001.
255.255.255.
11111111.11111111.11111111.
LAST OCTET BIT VALUE
0000 0000
1000 0000
1100 0000
1110 0000
1111 0000
1111 1000
1111 1100
HOST ID
0
00000000
0
00000000
IP Subnetting