User's Manual

SPEEDLAN 8500 Series Installation and Operation User Guide
Setting Up the IP Addresses (IP Host Setup) 7-3
Internet Address Classes
The first octet defines the "class" of the address, which is the only method to tell the size of the
network (how big) and where the internet address belongs. There are three main classes:
• Class A: 35.0.0.0
• Class B: 128.5.0.0
• Class C: 192.33.33.0
-non-bolded text = Part of network address
-bolded text = Part of local address (node section)
This definition is not random; it is based on the fact that routers, by reading just the first three bits of
the address field, designate which network class it belongs to. This selection simplifies the way
routers handle the messages (packets) and speed up the forwarding process.