Section 1.7 – Given a Scenario, Use Appropriate IPv4 Network Addressing
- Natnael Gossaye
This section focuses on core IPv4 addressing concepts and how to apply them in various networking scenarios. It covers public vs. private addressing, subnetting, and address classes. This knowledge is essential for IP planning, routing, and troubleshooting.
Public vs. Private IP Addresses
Public IP Addresses
Globally routable on the internet and assigned by IANA or regional registries
Must be unique worldwide
Used by internet-facing servers, routers, and services
Private IP Addresses (RFC1918)
Reserved for use within private networks; not routable over the public internet.
Class A: 10.0.0.0 – 10.255.255.255
Class B: 172.16.0.0 – 172.31.255.255
Class C: 192.168.0.0 – 192.168.255.255
Used in LANs, home networks, and internal enterprise environments
APIPA (Automatic Private IP Addressing)
Fallback IP assignment when DHCP is unavailable.
Range: 169.254.0.1 – 169.254.255.254
Used temporarily for local communication (no routing)
Loopback / Localhost
Reserved IP range for internal testing on a device.
127.0.0.1 is the standard loopback address
Traffic never leaves the local device
Subnetting
Subnetting breaks a larger network into smaller logical segments to improve routing efficiency, security, and broadcast domain control.
VLSM (Variable Length Subnet Mask)
Allows use of different subnet masks within the same IP class
Increases IP address efficiency
Supports hierarchical addressing schemes
CIDR (Classless Inter-Domain Routing)
Uses slash notation (e.g., /24) to define subnet masks regardless of traditional class boundaries
Example: 192.168.1.0/26 = 64 addresses
Promotes route summarization and flexible subnetting
IPv4 Address Classes
Originally, IPv4 addresses were divided into classes based on their first octet. While largely replaced by CIDR, these concepts still appear in legacy systems and exam questions.

Key Terms
IPv4
Public IP
Private IP
RFC1918
Loopback
APIPA
Subnetting
VLSM
CIDR
IP Classes
/24 Notation
Class A/B/C
Multicast
Reserved Range
Exam Tips
Memorize the RFC1918 private IP ranges and their class designations
Know the APIPA range and when it appears (usually after a DHCP failure)
Understand the difference between CIDR and VLSM:
CIDR = representation format
VLSM = allows subnet size variation
Expect scenario-based questions where you’re asked to:
Choose a valid subnet
Identify broadcast ranges
Be prepared to classify given IP addresses into Class A, B, or C and explain their default subnet mask