Each computer on a TCP/IP based network has a unique, numeric address called an IP address. An IP address consists of four parts and separated by dots. These parts are called Octets. An octet is a binary number of eight digits which equals the decimal number from 0 to 255. To make IP address more easily to read and write, the four decimal numbers each separate by a dot than this format is called Dotted Decimal Notation.
Example:
11000000.10101000.00000001.00000000
192 168 1 0
192.168.1.0
An IP address is its binary and dotted decimal notation.
Part of an IP address is network number and host number.
All hosts on a given network share the same network number but each of them must have a unique host number.
The network portion of an IP address is in heritages through a network hierarchy.
Class of IP address
IP address come in three classes such that A, B, C. each class fix the boundary between the network portion and the host portion of the IP address at a different point.
Class C address allows 254 host per network and are topically used by smaller and middle size company. Class B networks a maximum of 16384 host more than 16 million host.
