How many subnets can be created from a Class B network with a subnet mask of 255

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Question: How many subnets can be created from a Class B network with a subnet mask of 255.255.255.0?

Options:

Correct Answer: 256

Solution:

Using a subnet mask of 255.255.255.0 on a Class B network allows for 256 subnets, as it borrows 8 bits from the host portion.

How many subnets can be created from a Class B network with a subnet mask of 255.255.255.0?

How many subnets can be created from a Class B network with a subnet mask of 255.255.255.0?

Step 1: Understand that a Class B network has a default subnet mask of 255.255.0.0.
Step 2: Recognize that the subnet mask 255.255.255.0 means we are using 24 bits for the network and 8 bits for the host.
Step 3: Calculate how many bits we borrowed from the host portion. The default Class B mask uses 16 bits for the network, and we are using 24 bits, so we borrowed 8 bits.
Step 4: Determine how many subnets can be created with the borrowed bits. The formula for calculating the number of subnets is 2 raised to the power of the number of borrowed bits. In this case, it's 2^8.
Step 5: Calculate 2^8, which equals 256. This means we can create 256 subnets.

Subnetting – Understanding how subnet masks affect the division of IP address space into subnets.
Classful Networking – Knowledge of Class B network characteristics and how subnetting applies to them.
Bit Borrowing – The concept of borrowing bits from the host portion of an IP address to create additional subnets.