What is class A private IP address?


Internet Protocol hierarchy contains several classes of IP Addresses to be used efficiently in various situations as per the requirement of hosts per network. Broadly, the IPv4 Addressing system is divided into five classes of IP Addresses. All the five classes are identified by the first octet of IP Address.

Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers is responsible for assigning IP addresses.

The first octet referred here is the left most of all. The octets numbered as follows depicting dotted decimal notation of IP Address −

What is class A private IP address?

The number of networks and the number of hosts per class can be derived by this formula −

What is class A private IP address?

When calculating hosts' IP addresses, 2 IP addresses are decreased because they cannot be assigned to hosts, i.e. the first IP of a network is network number and the last IP is reserved for Broadcast IP.

Class A Address

The first bit of the first octet is always set to 0 (zero). Thus the first octet ranges from 1 – 127, i.e.

What is class A private IP address?

Class A addresses only include IP starting from 1.x.x.x to 126.x.x.x only. The IP range 127.x.x.x is reserved for loopback IP addresses.

The default subnet mask for Class A IP address is 255.0.0.0 which implies that Class A addressing can have 126 networks (27-2) and 16777214 hosts (224-2).

Class A IP address format is thus: 0NNNNNNN.HHHHHHHH.HHHHHHHH.HHHHHHHH

Class B Address

An IP address which belongs to class B has the first two bits in the first octet set to 10, i.e.

What is class A private IP address?

Class B IP Addresses range from 128.0.x.x to 191.255.x.x. The default subnet mask for Class B is 255.255.x.x.

Class B has 16384 (214) Network addresses and 65534 (216-2) Host addresses.

Class B IP address format is: 10NNNNNN.NNNNNNNN.HHHHHHHH.HHHHHHHH

Class C Address

The first octet of Class C IP address has its first 3 bits set to 110, that is −

What is class A private IP address?

Class C IP addresses range from 192.0.0.x to 223.255.255.x. The default subnet mask for Class C is 255.255.255.x.

Class C gives 2097152 (221) Network addresses and 254 (28-2) Host addresses.

Class C IP address format is: 110NNNNN.NNNNNNNN.NNNNNNNN.HHHHHHHH

Class D Address

Very first four bits of the first octet in Class D IP addresses are set to 1110, giving a range of −

What is class A private IP address?

Class D has IP address range from 224.0.0.0 to 239.255.255.255. Class D is reserved for Multicasting. In multicasting data is not destined for a particular host, that is why there is no need to extract host address from the IP address, and Class D does not have any subnet mask.

Class E Address

This IP Class is reserved for experimental purposes only for R&D or Study. IP addresses in this class ranges from 240.0.0.0 to 255.255.255.254. Like Class D, this class too is not equipped with any subnet mask.

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    Private IP Addresses are those addresses that work within the local network. This article will detail the concept of Private IP Addresses in networking.

    These addresses are non-routable on the Internet. The address is basically assigned by the network router to your particular device. The unique private IP address is provided to every device which is on the same network. In this way, devices communicate with one another on the same network without connecting to the entire Internet.

    In this way, Private IP addresses are able to provide more security within a particular network. The private IP address cannot be seen on the Internet, unlike the public IP address. Only devices within the local network are able to see the address of one another.

    Private IP address exists within the specific ranges as reserved by the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA). Following are the address ranges of private IP addresses: 

    • In Class A, the address range assigned to Private IP Address: 10.0.0.0 to 10.255.255.255
    • In Class B, the address range assigned to Private IP Address: 172.16.0.0 to 172.31.255.255
    • In Class C, the address range assigned to Private IP Address: 192.168.0.0 to 192.168.255.255

    The range except assigned to Private IP Address is used to assign Public IP Address on a network as public IP addresses are unique for each device on the Internet. Therefore, private networks can use these address ranges for allocating private IP addresses in a specific network.  Private IP addresses can be reused on another network which is not possible with Public IP addresses.

    What is class A private IP address?

     Functions of Private IP Address 

    Sr. No.ParameterPrivate IP Address
    1. Scope It is assigned locally within a specific network.
    2. Communication It is used by devices to communicate with one another on the same network.
    3. Assigned By It is assigned by the  LAN administrator or network operator.
    4.Cost Private IP Address is free of cost.
    5.Reused Private IP addresses can be reused by the devices on another network.
    6.How to find it? The ifconfig command is used to search your Private IP address.
    7.Range

    The reserved address range for different classes is as follows:

    • Class A- 10.0.0.0 to 10.255.255.255
    •  Class B- 172.16.0.0 to 172.31.255.255
    •  Class C- 192.168.0.0 to 192.168.255.255
    8.Example Example of Private IP Address -192.168.12.40. 

    Is Class A IP public or private?

    Public and private IP address ranges There are millions of private networks across the globe, all of which include devices assigned private IP addresses within these ranges: Class A: 10.0. 0.0 — 10.255. 255.255.

    What is a private IP address used for?

    Private IP addresses are commonly used for residential and corporate networks, as the addresses cannot be seen outside the private network. Internet service providers (ISPs) may also allocate a single routable IPv4 address to residential customers.

    Is 192.168 a private IP?

    Using 192.168. 192.168. 0.0 is the beginning of the private IP address range that includes all IP addresses through 192.168. 255.255. This IP address is usually not used on a network, and a phone or computer wouldn't be assigned this address.

    What is a private class B IP address?

    Class B Public & Private IP Address Range Class B addresses are for medium to large sized networks. Class B allows for 16,384 networks by using the first two octets for the network ID. The first two bits in the first octet are always 1 0. The remaining six bits, together with the second octet, complete the network ID.