IPV4 Subnetting Tips

It always takes a bit to get your head around subnetting for the first time, and even more to answer the exam questions they give as they often are designed to trick you.

For random IPV4 subnetting questions to hone your skills, I suggest you bookmark:

http://www.subnettingquestions.com/

Memorizing the tables help immensely,  although at first appearance they appear daunting.

/24	8	255.255.255.0	256 = 28	Large LAN
/25	7	255.255.255.128	128 = 27	Large LAN
/26	6	255.255.255.192	64 = 26	Small LAN
/27	5	255.255.255.224	32 = 25	Small LAN
/28	4	255.255.255.240	16 = 24	Small LAN
/29	3	255.255.255.248	8 = 23	Smallest multi-host network
/30	2	255.255.255.252	4 = 22	"Glue network" (point to point links)
/31	1	255.255.255.254	2 = 21	Point to point links (RFC 3021)
/32	0	255.255.255.255	1 = 20	Host route

TIPS:

Remember the binary number doubles for each bit.  2, 4, 8, 16, 32, 64, 128, 256 etc

Also remember 8, 16, 24, 32 for the 8 bit block sizes. 

To find the block size, find the first octet that is not 255, then subtract it from 256... eg subnet mask of 255.255.255.224 ...256 - 224 = block size of 32 

Subtract 2 from the block size to get the number of hosts eg 32 - 2 = 30 host IP.
(network and broadcast addresses cannot be used for user IP)

For the slash format, eg /27 subtract 27 from 32 to give a remainder of 5
Then if we count up 5 times doubling, 2, 4, 8, 16, 32 we get to the same block size of 32.

We also see that 224 is equal to 3 subnet bits taken from the octet ( 11100000) in a C class subnet, this will equal 8 subnets (allowing for subnet zero) 1, 2, 4 = 7+1 = 8 subnets.


Some providers have questions relating to old routing kit that did not allow the use of the all "1" subnet or all the "0" subnet (known as 'subnet zero').On all new Cisco routers, the number of subnets is calculated using the formula of 2^n by default. However, for legacy routers network engineers use 2^n - 2 to comply with the almost obsolete RFC 1878 standard. 

Some text books and courses that relate to old routing equipment also refer to the old formula as do some Microsoft Learning courses. If you're planning to take a non-Cisco exam that involves subnetting you should make sure you understand the 'subnet zero' concept' and check what is considered the default correct formula by your examining board

Once you get the patterns 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, 64, 128, 256, 512, 1024, 2048, etc and the masks 255, 254, 252, 248, 240, 224, 192, 128 burnt in it will become way easier :-)

Random Cisco based networking questions - CCNA - Part 4

Welcome to part 4 of the random networking questions (Cisco based) series.  This set has a few extra spanning tree questions with detailed explanations, have fun :-)


1. What is the default time Bridge Protocol Data Units (BPDUs)  are sent and received by switches?

A) 2 seconds
B) 10 seconds
C) 30 seconds
D) 60 seconds

2. What does the following statement do?

Switch(config-if)#spanning-tree portfast disable

A) Disables spanning-tree on the switch port
B) Disable spanning tree on the switch
C) Changes the spanning-tree switch to portfast mode

3. What determines network addresses (IP) when data link addresses (MAC) are known?

A) Ping
B) ICMP
C) ARP
D) RARP

4. The Cisco Spanning Tree protocol is compatible with IEEE 802.1d?

A) True
B) False

5. What type of switch port can belong to multiple VLANS?

A) Access port
B) Trunk port
C) Voice access port
D) No port can belong to multiple VLANs

6.What will be the IP address of the second subnet given the following?

172.16.0.0 255.255.224.0 (Assume ip subnet-zero is enabled)

A.) 172.16.0.0
B.) 172.16.8.0
C.) 172.16.16.0
D.) 172.16.32.0
E.) 172.16.64.0

Speaking of IP, I sometimes use a simple little site that gives you your own IP and other internet connectivity details   - IP Chicken - handy link  :-)

1. Answer A

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spanning_tree_protocol#Bridge_Protocol_Data_Units_.28BPDUs.29

Bridge Protocol Data Units (BPDUs) frames are sent out as multicast messages regularly at multicast destination MAC address 01:80:c2:00:00:00. When Bridge Protocol Data Units (BPDUs) are received, the Switch uses a mathematical formula called the Spanning Tree Algorithm (STA) to know when there is a Layer 2 Switch loop in network and determines which of the redundant ports needs to be shut down.

Three types of Bridge Protocol Data Units (BPDUs) are Configuration BPDU (CBPDU), Topology Change Notification (TCN) BPDU and Topology Change Notification Acknowledgment (TCA).

2.  Answer A

The time Spanning Tree Protocol (STP) takes to transition ports over to the Forwarding state can cause problems. PortFast is a Cisco network function which can be configured to resolve this problem by disabling STP from the switchport, thus making it come up quicker.

3. Answer D

Reverse Address Resolution Protocol (RARP) is used by a host computer to request its IPv4 address from an administrative host (DHCP server), it provides the server with its hardware address (MAC address).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reverse_Address_Resolution_Protocol


NOTE: Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) is a client/server protocol that automatically provides an Internet Protocol (IP) host with its IP address and other related configuration information such as the subnet mask and default gateway.

4.  Answer B

The original Spanning-Tree protocol was created by Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC) which is now part of Compaq. The IEEE created its own version called IEEE 802.1d which is not compatible with the original version.

Cisco enhanced the original 802.1d specification with features such as Uplink Fast, Backbone Fast, and Port Fast to speed up the convergence time of a bridged network. However these new features are proprietary, and can only be configured on Cisco switches.

5. Answer B

Ethernet interfaces can be configured either as access ports or trunk ports. Trunks carry the traffic of multiple VLANs over a single link and allow you to extend VLANs across the network.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virtual_LAN

6. Answer D 

The subnet block size is 256 - 224 = 32
The first subnet will be subnet zero 172.16.0.0
The second subnet will be 172.16.32.0

How did you go? I find a quick review of the questions and answers helps cement the basics and refresh the memory  - I hope these help, stay tuned for more...

The secret of life is not to do what you like but to like what you do.
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