Subnetting is the practice of dividing a physical network into smaller, logical sub-networks. This process is essential for managing network traffic, enhancing security, and optimizing the utilization of limited IPv4 address space. By using a subnetting calculator, network engineers can quickly determine the boundaries of a network without performing complex binary arithmetic manually.
Key Subnetting Terms
IP Address: A 32-bit numerical label assigned to each device participating in a computer network that uses the Internet Protocol.
Subnet Mask: A 32-bit number that masks an IP address and divides the IP address into network address and host address parts.
CIDR (Classless Inter-Domain Routing): A method for allocating IP addresses and IP routing that replaces the older system based on classes (Class A, B, and C). It uses a "/" notation followed by the number of bits in the mask.
Network Address: The first address in a subnet, used to identify the network itself. It cannot be assigned to a host.
Broadcast Address: The last address in a subnet, used to communicate with all hosts on that subnet simultaneously.
Example Calculation:
If you have an IP of 192.168.1.10 with a /24 prefix:
– The Subnet Mask is 255.255.255.0.
– The Network ID is 192.168.1.0.
– The Broadcast is 192.168.1.255.
– You have 254 usable host addresses (192.168.1.1 to 192.168.1.254).
Why use a Subnet Calculator?
Manual subnetting involves converting decimal octets into 8-bit binary strings, applying logical AND operations with the mask, and converting back. This is prone to human error, especially when working with non-standard prefixes like /27 or /19. Our calculator automates this logic, providing instant results for network planning and troubleshooting.
function calculateSubnet() {
var ipStr = document.getElementById('ip_address').value.trim();
var cidr = parseInt(document.getElementById('cidr_prefix').value);
// Validate IP format
var ipParts = ipStr.split('.');
if (ipParts.length !== 4) {
alert("Please enter a valid IPv4 address (e.g., 192.168.1.1)");
return;
}
var ipBinary = 0;
for (var i = 0; i < 4; i++) {
var part = parseInt(ipParts[i]);
if (isNaN(part) || part 255) {
alert("Each IP octet must be between 0 and 255.");
return;
}
ipBinary = (ipBinary <>> 0;
// Calculate Mask
var mask = 0;
if (cidr > 0) {
mask = (0xFFFFFFFF <>> 0;
}
var wildcard = (~mask) >>> 0;
var network = (ipBinary & mask) >>> 0;
var broadcast = (network | wildcard) >>> 0;
// Total and Usable Hosts
var totalHosts = Math.pow(2, (32 – cidr));
var usableHosts = (cidr >= 31) ? 0 : totalHosts – 2;
if (cidr === 32) usableHosts = 1;
if (cidr === 31) usableHosts = 2;
// Convert back to dot-decimal
function btoip(bin) {
return [
(bin >>> 24) & 0xFF,
(bin >>> 16) & 0xFF,
(bin >>> 8) & 0xFF,
bin & 0xFF
].join('.');
}
var firstHost = (cidr <= 30) ? btoip(network + 1) : "N/A";
var lastHost = (cidr <= 30) ? btoip(broadcast – 1) : "N/A";
// Update UI
document.getElementById('res_net_addr').innerText = btoip(network);
document.getElementById('res_mask').innerText = btoip(mask);
document.getElementById('res_broad_addr').innerText = btoip(broadcast);
document.getElementById('res_wildcard').innerText = btoip(wildcard);
document.getElementById('res_total_hosts').innerText = totalHosts.toLocaleString();
document.getElementById('res_usable_hosts').innerText = usableHosts.toLocaleString();
document.getElementById('res_cidr_note').innerText = ipStr + " /" + cidr;
if (cidr <= 30) {
document.getElementById('res_range').innerText = firstHost + " – " + lastHost;
} else if (cidr === 31) {
document.getElementById('res_range').innerText = btoip(network) + " – " + btoip(broadcast);
} else {
document.getElementById('res_range').innerText = btoip(network) + " (Single Host)";
}
document.getElementById('results').style.display = 'block';
}