These smaller networks are built up of many other IP addresses sharing the same IP routing prefix as the original IP address used to create the subnets. Subnetting allows network administrators to take bits from the IP address’s host part and use these bits to create smaller networks inside the network. Without subnets, you’d only be able to use one network from each class, which isn’t the most efficient way to work. The process of subnetting was initially created to solve the shortage of IP addresses over the internet but has since evolved into an IP management best practice for IP network utilization.Įvery IP address is comprised of three different classes or major networks – Class A, Class B, and Class C.
Subnetting is the process of breaking down a single network into one or more smaller networks called “sub-networks” or “subnets” for short.
