SUBNETTING AN IPV4 NETWORK

The process of segmenting a network, by dividing it into multiple smaller network spaces, is
called subnetting. These subnetworks are called subnets. Although subnetting calculators are
plentiful and freely accessible on the Internet, you must know how to subnet without using a
calculator when you sit for the CCENT exam. Furthermore, subnetting skill will serve you
well when troubleshooting common IP addressing issues.
Subnetting in Four Steps
Everyone has a preferred method of subnetting. Each teacher will use a slightly different
strategy to help students master this crucial skill. The method I prefer can be broken down
into four steps:
Step 1. Determine how many bits to borrow based on the network requirements.
Step 2. Determine the new subnet mask.
Step 3. Determine the subnet multiplier.
Step 4. List the subnets, including subnetwork address, host range, and broadcast
address.
Subnetting Example
The best way to demonstrate the four steps of subnetting is to use an example. Let’s assume
that you are given the network address 192.168.1.0/24, you need 30 hosts per network, and
want to create as many subnets as possible.
Determine How Many Bits to Borrow
Because our requirement specifies 30 host addresses per subnet, we need to first determine
the minimum number of host bits to leave. The remaining bits can be borrowed:
Host Bits = Bits Borrowed + Bits Left
To provide enough address space for 30 hosts, we need to leave 5 bits. Use the
following formula:
2BL – 2 = number of host addresses
where the exponent BL is bits left in the host portion.
Remember, the “minus 2” is to account for the network and broadcast addresses that
cannot be assigned to hosts.
In this example, leaving 5 bits in the host portion will provide the right number of
host address:
25 – 2 = 30
Because we have 3 bits remaining in the original host portion, we borrow all these
bits to satisfy the requirement to “create as many subnets as possible.” To determine
how many subnets we can create, use the following formula:
2BB = Number of subnets
where the exponent BB is bits borrowed from the host portion.
In this example, borrowing 3 bits from the host portion will create 8 subnets: 23 = 8.
As shown in Table 9-1, the 3 bits are borrowed from the far-left bits in the host
portion. The highlighted bits in the table show all possible combinations of
manipulating the 8 bits borrowed to create the subnets.
 Table 9-1 Binary and Decimal Value of the Subnetted Octet

Determine the New Subnet Mask

Notice in Table 9-1 that the network bits now include the 3 borrowed host bits in the last
octet. Add these 3 bits to the 24 bits in the original subnet mask and you have a new subnet
mask, /27. In decimal format, you turn on the 128, 64, and 32 bits in the last octet for a value
of 224. So, the new subnet mask is 255.255.255.224.
Determine the Subnet Multiplier
Notice in Table 9-1 that the last octet decimal value increments by 32 with each subnet
number. The number 32 is the subnet multiplier. You can quickly find the subnet multiplier
using one of two methods:
 Method 1: Subtract the last nonzero octet of the subnet mask from 256. In this
example, the last nonzero octet is 224. So, the subnet multiplier is 256 – 224 = 32.
 Method 2: The decimal value of the last bit borrowed is the subnet multiplier. In
this example, we borrowed the 128 bit, the 64 bit, and the 32 bit. The 32 bit is the last
bit we borrowed and is, therefore, the subnet multiplier.
By using the subnet multiplier, you no longer have to convert binary subnet bits to
decimal.
List the Subnets, Host Ranges, and Broadcast Addresses
Listing the subnets, host ranges, and broadcast addresses helps you see the flow of addresses
within one address space. Table 9-2 documents our subnet addressing scheme for the
192.168.1.0/24 address space. Fill in any missing information.

Table 9-2 Subnet Addressing Scheme for 192.168.1.0/24: 30 Hosts Per Subnet