IP Configuration

1. IP CONFIGURATION

2. An  Internet Protocol address  ( IP address ) is a numerical label assigned to each device (e.g., computer, printer) participating in a computer network that uses the Internet Protocol for communication. The designers of the Internet Protocol defined an IP address as a 32-bit number known as Internet Protocol Version4 (IPv4), is still in use today. IP addresses are binary numbers, but they are usually stored in text files and displayed in human-readable notations, such as 172.16.254.1 (for IPv4). IP ADDRESS

3. An IP address is composed of two parts: the network ID and the host ID The network ID represents the network on which the computer is located The host ID represents the individual computer on a network IP ADDRESS

4. An IP addresses has four numbers, each called an octet, that are separated by periods Each octet in an IP address represents eight bits of information A full IP address of four octets is 32 bits long IP ADDRESS

5. A subnet mask defines which part of its IP address is the network ID and which part is the host ID Subnet masks are composed of four octets just like an IP address SUBNET MASKS

6. If there is a 255 in the subnet mask, it indicates that the octet is a part of the network ID. If there is a 0 in the subnet mask, it indicates that the octet is a part of the host ID SUBNET MASKS

7. A computer uses its subnet mask to determine Which network it is on Whether other computers are on the same network or a different network If two computers on the same network are communicating, then they can deliver packets directly to each other If two computers are on different networks, they must use a router to communicate SUBNET MASKS

8. SUBNET MASKS

9. Default gateway is another term for router It is usually the IP address of the router to which the computer network is connected If a computer does not know how to deliver a packet, it gives the packet to the default gateway to deliver DEFAULT GATEWAY

10. IP addresses are divided into five classes: A-E IP address classes can be identified by the first octet Class A addresses use eight bits for the network ID and 24 bits for the host ID Class A networks are only assigned to very large companies and Internet providers Class B addresses use 16 bits for the network ID and 16 bits for the host ID Class B networks are assigned to many larger organizations, such as governments, universities, and companies with several thousand users IP ADDRESS CLASSES

11. Class C addresses use 24 bits for the network ID and eight bits for the host ID Class C networks have a relatively small number of hosts and are suited only to smaller organizations Class D addresses are not divided into networks and they cannot be assigned to computers as IP addresses Class D addresses are used for multicasting Class E addresses are considered experimental and are not used IP ADDRESS CLASSES

12. IP ADDRESS CLASSES

13. Using IPCONFIG to View IP Configuration To find user’s computer’s IP address: At the command prompt, type ipconfig , and then press Enter.