1. What is an IP Calculator?

An IP Calculator is a tool that calculates network parameters from an IP address and subnet mask, including network address, broadcast address, host range, and total number of hosts.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses bitwise operations:

Where:

• \( IP \) — IP address in decimal format
• \( Mask \) — Subnet mask in decimal format
• \( \& \) — Bitwise AND operation
• \( | \) — Bitwise OR operation
• \( \sim \) — Bitwise NOT operation

Explanation: The network address is found by ANDing the IP with the mask. The broadcast address is found by ORing the IP with the inverted mask.

3. Importance of IP Calculations

Details: Proper network calculations are essential for network design, troubleshooting, and security. They help determine valid host ranges and prevent IP conflicts.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter a valid IPv4 address and subnet mask in dotted-decimal notation (e.g., 192.168.1.1 and 255.255.255.0).

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: What's the difference between network and broadcast addresses?
A: The network address identifies the network itself, while the broadcast address is used to send data to all hosts on the network.

Q2: Why can't I use the first and last addresses in a subnet?
A: The first address is the network address, and the last is the broadcast address. These are reserved and cannot be assigned to hosts.

Q3: How do I calculate the number of usable hosts?
A: Subtract 2 from the total number of addresses in the subnet (network and broadcast addresses cannot be used).

Q4: What is CIDR notation?
A: CIDR (Classless Inter-Domain Routing) notation represents the subnet mask as a suffix (e.g., /24 for 255.255.255.0).

Q5: Does this work for IPv6 addresses?
A: This calculator is for IPv4 only. IPv6 uses a different addressing scheme and calculation method.