Which class allows for a maximum of 254 hosts per network?

Which class allows for a maximum of 254 hosts per network?

• A. Class A address
• B. Class B address
• C. Class C address
• D. Class D address

Answer: (C)

A Class C address is designed for smaller networks and allows for a maximum of 254 hosts. This is due to the structure of the Class C address, which uses the first three octets (24 bits) for the network portion and the last octet (8 bits) for host addresses. Since the last octet can range from 0 to 255, there are 256 possible addresses. However, two addresses are reserved: one for the network address (all zeros in the host portion) and one for the broadcast address (all ones in the host portion). Therefore, the total usable addresses for hosts is 256 - 2, which equals 254. This structure makes Class C addresses ideal for organizations or situations that require a relatively small number of devices on a network while still supporting a reasonable hierarchy in address assignments.

A Class C address is designed for smaller networks and allows for a maximum of 254 hosts. This is due to the structure of the Class C address, which uses the first three octets (24 bits) for the network portion and the last octet (8 bits) for host addresses. Since the last octet can range from 0 to 255, there are 256 possible addresses. However, two addresses are reserved: one for the network address (all zeros in the host portion) and one for the broadcast address (all ones in the host portion). Therefore, the total usable addresses for hosts is 256 - 2, which equals 254.

This structure makes Class C addresses ideal for organizations or situations that require a relatively small number of devices on a network while still supporting a reasonable hierarchy in address assignments.