How many host addresses are available on the 192.168.10.128/26 network?
The Correct Answer and Explanation is:
To determine how many host addresses are available on the 192.168.10.128/26 network, we must first understand the structure of the network, which is defined by its IP address and subnet mask.
Step 1: Understanding the subnet mask
The /26 indicates that the subnet mask has 26 bits set to 1. In binary form, this is:
11111111.11111111.11111111.11000000This subnet mask corresponds to the decimal notation 255.255.255.192. This means that the first 26 bits are used for the network portion of the address, and the remaining 6 bits are used for the host portion.
Step 2: Calculate the number of hosts
The number of hosts that can be addressed within a subnet depends on the number of bits available for the host portion of the address. Since a /26 subnet mask leaves 6 bits for the host portion (32 total bits – 26 network bits = 6 host bits), the number of possible host addresses is calculated as:
[
2^6 = 64 \text{ addresses}
]
However, in every subnet, two addresses are reserved:
- The network address, which is the first address of the subnet. This address identifies the subnet itself.
- The broadcast address, which is the last address of the subnet. This address is used to send data to all devices on the network.
Thus, the total number of usable host addresses is:
[
64 – 2 = 62 \text{ usable host addresses}
]
Step 3: Determine the network range
The IP address 192.168.10.128 is the network address of this subnet. The range of addresses in the 192.168.10.128/26 network spans from 192.168.10.128 to 192.168.10.191. The usable host addresses within this range are from 192.168.10.129 to 192.168.10.190.
Conclusion
On the 192.168.10.128/26 network, there are 62 usable host addresses.