Class C in Networking
What Is Meant by Class C Network?
A class C network is among the most prevalent among all five computer network classes—A through E—in classful system network routing construction. The 32 bits needed for an Internet Protocol (IP) address were divided, with the first four bits indicating the address classes in the form of binary code, that served as the basis for the group of classifications:
A=0
B=10
C=110
D=1110
E=1111
The classful network structure was used from 1981 until 1993 while classless inter-domain routing (CIDR) was created. The purpose of this new architecture was to postpone the unavoidable exhaustion of IPv4 addresses, thus lessening the exponential increase of routing lists on devices across the globe.
Explaining Class C Networks:
Network supervisors and IT staff still refer to the classful networking with the class C network designations, even though they were abandoned. They could also be mentioned in some software and hardware elements.
The elegant network first used a 32-bit address for IPv4, but it could only accommodate 254 separate networks. It swiftly became clear that additional domains would be required due to a few major networks, like the Advanced Research Projects Agency Network (ARPANET), and the growth of regional networks in the first half of the 1980s. For this reason, the classful networking methodology was implemented, enabling the total amount of connections to be as follows, one for every one of the five categories:
- A: 128 (27)
- B: 16,384 (214)
- C: 2,097,152 (221)
- D is classified as multicast, although E was retained for future use
Classful Addressing
There are five subcategories of the 32-bit IP address. These are the following:
- Class A
- Class B
- Class C
- Class D
- Class E
There is a suitable variety of IP addresses for each one of these classes. For multiplexed and exploratory reasons, categories D and E are set aside. The IP address's categories are determined by the bits in the initial octet.
There are two parts to an IPv4 address:
- Host ID
- Network ID
The bits utilized for the network identification and host ID, as well as the number of hosts and networks that can be included in that specific class, are determined by the kind of IP addresses used. The network operator or ISP gives every device attached to the Internet Protocol (IP) address.
Class A:
Large numbers of addresses are found on networks that have been given class A domain names.
- The network ID consists of 8 bits.
- The host ID consists of 24 bits.
Class A's first octet's higher-order bit is perpetually set to 0. The network ID is determined by the final 7 bits of the first octet. Every network's host can be identified using the 24 bits of the host's ID. For Class A, the standard subnet mask is 255. x.x.x. As a result, class A's average is:
- 2^24 – 2 = 16,777,214.
- Range of Public IP: 1.0.0.0 to 127.0.0.0
- The initial octet value range is 1–127.
- Private IP range: 10.255.255.255 to 10.0.0.0.0
- Subnet Mask: 8 bits, 255.0.0.0
- There are 126 networks.
- Each network has 16,777,214 hosts.
Class A host ID IP addresses range from 126.255.255.255
Class B:
Systems ranging in size from medium to large are issued IP addresses under class B.
- The network ID consists of 16 bits.
- The host ID consists of 16 bits.
- IP range for the public: 128.0.0.0 to 191.255.0.0
- Values of the first octet vary between 128 to 191.
- 172.31.255.255 to 172.16.0.0 is the private IP range.
- 255.255.0.0 is the subnet mask (16 bits)
- 16,382 networks in total
- There are 65,534 hosts in each network.
Class B Internet Protocol (IP) addresses always have their first octet's higher-order values set to 10. The network ID is found using the final 14 bits. Any network's hostname can be identified using the 16 bits of the host ID. Class B's default network mask is 255.255.x.x. For Class B, the total is:
- 2^14 = 16384 network address
- 2^16 – 2 = 65534 host addresses
Class B IP addresses start at 128.0.0.0 and go up to 191.255.255.255.
Class C :
Systems that fall under this category are given IP addresses.
- The network ID consists of 24 bits.
- The host ID consists of 8 bits.
IP addresses belonging to class C perpetually have their first octet's more complex bits set to 110. The network identification number is found using the final 21 bits. Any network's hostname can be identified using the eight bits of the host ID. Class C's standard subnet mask is 255.255.255.x. In total, the class C possesses:
- 2097152 is the network address of 2^21.
- 2^8 – 2 = 254 host addresses.
- Public IP range: 223.255.255.0 to 192.0.0.0
- Values for the first octet vary between 192 to 223
- From 192.168.0.0 to 192.168.255.255 is the private IP range
- IP Range of Interest: 127.0.0.1 – 127.255.255.255
- 255.255.255.0 is the subnet mask (24 bits)
- 2,097,150 networks are in existence.
- There are 254 hosts in each network.
Class D:
Class D IP addresses are set aside for multicasting purposes. Class D IP addresses consistently have their first octet's higher-level bits assigned the value 1110. The addresses that curious hosts acknowledge are represented by the extra bits that remain.
There is no subnet mask available in Class D. Class D address ranges fall between 224.0.0.0 to 239.255.255.255.
- Range of values for the first octet: 224–239
- There aren't any networks.
- Multicasting: Maximum of Hosts per Network
Group E:
Class E networks are set aside for use in experimentation and research. The permissible range of class E internet protocol addresses is 240.0.0.0 to 255.255.255.254. There isn't a subnet range for this type of data. Class E's initial octet's higher-order values are constantly set to 1111.
- Values in the first octet vary between 240 to 255
- There aren't any networks.
Guidelines for Network ID Assignment:
Since every host on the exact same actual network is allocated the same network ID, hosts who are situated on the identical physical connection are distinguished from one another by their network ID. The guidelines that follow are used to assign a network ID:
- Since 127 is utilized for inner looping activities and represents a class A address, the network's ID can't start with 127.
- Since they are designated to be employed as IP broadcasting addresses, all bits of the network's ID configured for 1 are not usable.
- Since they are not defeated every bit of the network ID that are set to 0 are employed to identify an individual machine on the current network but don't get used otherwise.
Guidelines for Choosing a Host ID:
- Inside a network's structure, hosts are identified by their host IDs. The subsequent guidelines are used for allocating the computer's host ID:
- Every network requires the host identification to be exclusive to that particular network.
- Since this computer's host ID is utilized to indicate the networking identifier of the IP address, it won't be possible to assign a host ID with all bits assigned to 0.
- It isn't possible to provide a host ID with all values set to 1, as it is designated as an address that is broadcast for sending information to every host on that specific network.
Special IP Address Range:
- 169.254.0.16 – 169.254.0.0: Addresses of links
- Loop-back addresses are 127.255.255.255 through 127.0.0.0.
Complications with Classful Addressing:
- The problem with this elegant addressing scheme is that it wastes many millions of class A addresses and a large number of category B discusses, while class C numbers are so scarce that they are unable to meet the demands of organizations. Class D domains are only provided as just one block since they are utilized for multichannel forwarding. Protected are class E locations.
- In 1993, Devoid of classes Inter-Domain Routing (CIDR) took the place of Classful networking due to these issues. The following section will cover classless addressing.
- The network ID consists of 24 bits.
- The host ID consists of 8 bits.
- 2^21 is the network address 2097152.
- 2^8 – 2 is equal to 254 hosts.
- Every network requires the host ID to be exclusive to that network.
- Since this computer's host ID is needed to indicate the IP address's network ID, it can't be assigned if all of its bits have been configured as 0.
- It is not possible to provide a host ID with all bits set to 1, as it is designated as the broadcast address for sending packets to every host on that specific network.
- Since 127 is used only for private loopback functions therefore is a class A address, the network's ID can't start with 127.
- Since they have been reserved to be utilized as IP broadcasting addresses, all bits of the network's ID with the value 1 are not usable.
- Since they are not annihilated every bit of the network ID set to 0 are used to identify a specific machine on the nearby network and aren't used otherwise.