The IP address identifies and differentiates your machine from all
others on the network. It consists of a 32-bit binary number that is usually
displayed as four octets expressed in decimal and separated by periods.
An example IP address would be 172.16.2.2. You
must have a unique IP address for each machine on your network.
In addition,
if your machine serves as a router to another network, it
contains two or more network adapters and belongs to two or more networks.
In this case, you must assign each adapter a unique IP
address on the appropriate network.
NOTE:
The IP address differs from a MAC (Media
Access Control) address in that it is configurable.
A MAC address is a 6-byte address that is unique to
each physical network adapter.
This non-configurable address is assigned by the adapter manufacturer.
The IP address consists of two parts: a network address
that identifies the network and a host address that identifies the
particular host, or node.
Several classes of TCP/IP networks are available,
each based on the number of hosts a network needs.
Use the smallest network class that can accommodate all of your
network's hosts.
Many TCP/IP installations use one or more Class C networks,
but some larger installations might need to use Class B.
Internet address classes
Class
Maximum number of
hosts per network
Valid address ranges
A
16777214
1.0.0.1 through 9.255.255.254
11.0.0.1 through 126.255.255.254
B
65534
128.0.0.1 through 172.15.255.254
172.32.0.1 through 191.255.255.254
C
254
192.0.0.1 through 192.167.255.254
192.169.0.1 through 223.255.255.254
Private internets only
16777214
1048574
65534
10.0.0.1 through 10.255.255.254 (10/8)
172.16.0.1 through 172.31.255.254 (172.16/12)
192.168.0.1 through 192.168.255.254 (192.168/16)
Reserved
-
0.0.0.0 through 0.255.255.255 (used if host will be assigned a
valid address dynamically)
127.0.0.0 through 127.255.255.255 (loopback addresses)
224.0.0.0 through 239.255.255.255 (multicast addresses)
240.0.0.0 through 247.255.255.255 (future use)
248.0.0.0 through 255.255.255.254 (experimental)
255.255.255.255 (limited broadcast)
If you are connecting your machine to a pre-existing network, the network
address (for Class A, the first octet; for Class B, the first two octets;
and for Class C; the first three octets) is the same as those of other
machines on the network. In this case, you need only concern yourself
with creating a unique host address.
If you do not want to connect to an outside network, you can choose
any network address as long as it conforms to the syntax shown previously.
In either case, once you determine the network address, you can then
create the unique host address.
When you determine the IP address, remember the following:
Each logical network must have its own network address.
All hosts in a network must have the same network address.
All hosts in a network must have unique host addresses.
The host portion of the address must not consist of all zeros or ones.
Do not use any of the addresses in the ranges
shown as reserved in
``Internet address classes'',
especially if your system can access the Internet