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[mellowd]

I think subnetting (especially subnetting fast) is an overrated skill. It's just basic mathematics, and outside the exam environment, you don't need to do it fast, unless you're trying to impress someone. Just give it a minute, a pen and a paper; no need to rush.

QFT

Too true

What really matters in real life is getting it done properly, not quickly. It's not like it's going to take you a week

Subnetting rocked my arse when I took the ICND1. That subnetting workbook came in handy. You should definitely run through that book a couple times Scottsee. You can Google for the Teachers edition so you can check your work. But keep it only for that reason.

All in all, you just have to practice, practice, practice as I'm sure you know. Practice makes perfect. I really hate saying that though because subnetting practice can get boring and brain jello inflicting when you start dealing with crazy subnets.

I think subnetting (especially subnetting fast) is an overrated skill. It's just basic mathematics, and outside the exam environment, you don't need to do it fast, unless you're trying to impress someone. Just give it a minute, a pen and a paper; no need to rush.

QFT

Too true

What really matters in real life is getting it done properly, not quickly. It's not like it's going to take you a week

I totally agree! And speed is only for the exam! At work or building networks U have enough time to figure out subnetting! So if U already good at it then it becomes butter!
lol

IP Addressing and Subnet Workbook Student Version 1.5

I preferred something to write out. Save trees and all that but it helped me.

Wow, great link, that's a whole lot of subnetting!

It kind of is. I did this twice before my ICND1 and once before my ICND2. Practice makes perfect

Some sort of calculating math is going to be required until you have this down to a science.

I've figured out subnetting by taking the block size from the subnets CIDR and dividing the host part of the IP address by the block size. Then multiply the block size by the sum to get the subnet address.

If I need to figure out the subnet for 10.99.185.236/20
I know that a /20 is a block size of 16.
185 divided by 16 = 11.5625 or simply 11
16 x 11 = 176
The subnet address is 10.99.176.0
176 + 16 = 192
The broadcast address is 10.99.191.255 which is 1 address less than the next subnet 10.99.192.0.

I started writing out counting in the different block sizes and found common reference points to help hop along, like 10's. A block size of 8 if I'm looking for a subnet in the 200's 8x20=160 and 8x30=240. After that picking up the count is a little easier.

The valid hosts and subnet values can be easily figured by mastering your powers of 2 table.
A /20 is always going to have a 2 to the 12th calculating the host portion and a 2 to the 4th calculating the subnet portion (of course - 2). If you build a table that combines your CIDR, subnet mask, block size increment and powers of 2 values you'll engrain a cheat sheet in your head that can help you master subnetting in your head.

Some of the binary solutions were confusing to me and take way too long to convert. I am nowhere near as quick as I'd like to be, but even the best in the business use subnet calculators to figure out this stuff. When your troubleshooting a problem, you'd best have this down so you can get answers quick and be able to correct a mistake in addressing that someone else might make.

[eaadams]

Besides resurrecting a thread almost a year old I don't think that I understand anything that you've posted

I've figured out subnetting by taking the block size from the subnets CIDR and dividing the host part of the IP address by the block size. Then multiply the block size by the sum to get the subnet address.

Seriously!

If I need to figure out the subnet for 10.99.185.236/20
I know that a /20 is a block size of 16.

/20 means that the first 20 bits are the network portion of the address. That leaves 12 bits in the host portion of which up to 8 of the highest order can be used to increase the prefix to create subnets.
What's "block size" mean?

I started writing out counting in the different block sizes and found common reference points to help hop along, like 10's. A block size of 8 if I'm looking for a subnet in the 200's 8x20=160 and 8x30=240. After that picking up the count is a little easier.

Easier for whom?

The valid hosts and subnet values can be easily figured by mastering your powers of 2 table.
A /20 is always going to have a 2 to the 12th calculating the host portion and a 2 to the 4th calculating the subnet portion (of course - 2).

Totally baffling I'm afraid And you do not subtract 2 from the number of subnets, you subtract 2 from the number of addresses.

If you build a table that combines your CIDR, subnet mask, block size increment and powers of 2 values you'll engrain a cheat sheet in your head that can help you master subnetting in your head.

Some of the binary solutions were confusing to me and take way too long to convert.

Not for me. I find the that doing the binary conversion is straightforward - why learn another complex method?

Hmm, ok, maybe I might get what your saying - if you assume a Class C network with a /20 then you have 4 subnet bits that gives you 16 subnets - is that what you mean by "block size"??

The only problem with that is default classful addressing disappeared from the CCNA in 2004/2005 and these days is just a historic relic from another era.

Aubrey

255.255.255.255
in binary
11111111.11111111.11111111.11111111
simply remember this table

128 192 224 240 248 252 254 255
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8


from the above subnett in every oct we have 8 bits
8.8.8.8
so from the table the 8th place is for 255 and 7th is for 254........and 1st place is for 128


for Ex.
192.168.1.0/28

from the above ex. /28 will fulfill the binary forms as below

11111111.11111111.11111111.11110000

form the above binary form the 1's are ending at 28th bit that is after the 3 oct(8+8+8+1+1+1+1=28) its ending at the 4th point.....now lets move to above table......

the 4th place is for 240

so for the given network the subnet mask is 255.255.255.240

Ex 10.10.10.0/14

11111111.11111100.00000000.00000000
1's are ending at 6th place so subnet mask is 252 255.252.0.0

I think remembering some of the power of 2 will greatly help you do it in the brain.

i memorized power of 2 to 2,3,4,5 which is pretty easy. Some I never remember well 2^6,7,8 values but those can be deduced from value of 2^5. For higher, i.e. 2^7 or etc., i just keep doubling the value of 2^5 in each succession till i get the where i want to be.
And the rest is just simple arithmetics.

[eaadams]

Wow, some threads just never die, 1 year almost exactly to the previous post, and then over 2 years to the one before that.
You don't really have to memorise anything. Just take "1" and double it until you get to "128", that's 2^0 to 2^8 inclusive.

Aubrey

Hi all,

I am new here, and a newbie in networking.

I had started CCNA preparation. My target is to achieve CCNA by the end of January 2015. My job requires CCNA certification by February 2015.

For me subnetting is the most confusing part.

There are some CBTs available in youtube, but I cant follow US accent. I am from India.

These are the links which I am following to learn subnetting. Please let me know any other good sources if you have.

Networking Masters please help.

http://www.omnisecu.com/tcpip/binary-decimal-hexadecimal-numbers-and-conversions.php
http://www.omnisecu.com/tcpip/internet-layer-ip-addresses.php
http://www.omnisecu.com/tcpip/internet-layer-ip-subnetting-part1.php
http://www.omnisecu.com/tcpip/internet-layer-ip-subnetting-part2.php
http://www.omnisecu.com/tcpip/internet-layer-ip-subnetting-part3.php
http://www.omnisecu.com/tcpip/internet-layer-ip-subnetting-part4.php
http://www.omnisecu.com/tcpip/internet-layer-ip-subnetting-part5.php
http://www.omnisecu.com/tcpip/internet-layer-ip-subnetting-part6.php

Look up "Enhanced Bob Maneuver" https://learningnetwork.cisco.com/thread/16199

That is how I do subnetting to this day.

[eaadams]

Look up "Enhanced Bob Maneuver" https://learningnetwork.cisco.com/thread/16199
That is how I do subnetting to this day.

Obviously didn't read my last post of a year ago.