Chapter 2: Understanding IP Addresses
In This Chapter
Delving into the binary system
Digging into IP addresses
Finding out how subnetting works
Looking at network address translation
One of the most basic components of TCP/IP is IP addressing. Every device on a TCP/IP network must have a unique IP address. In this chapter, I describe the ins and outs of these IP addresses. Enjoy!
Understanding Binary
Before you can understand the details of how IP addressing works, you need to understand how the binary numbering system works because binary is the basis of IP addressing. If you already understand binary, please skip to the section “Introducing IP Addresses.” I don’t want to bore you with stuff that’s too basic.
Counting by ones
Binary is a counting system that uses only two numerals: 0 and 1. In the decimal system (with which most people are accustomed), you use 10 numerals: 0–9. In an ordinary decimal number — such as 3,482 — the rightmost digit represents ones; the next digit to the left, tens; the next, hundreds; the next, thousands; and so on. These digits represent powers of ...
