What are the sizes of Network Addresses?

The sizes of network addresses vary depending on the type of address. Here are the typical sizes for common network addresses:

IPv4 Address (Internet Protocol Version 4):

• IPv4 addresses are 32-bit numerical labels written in dotted-decimal format (e.g., 192.168.0.1).
• Size: 32 bits (4 bytes).

IPv6 Address (Internet Protocol Version 6):

• IPv6 addresses are 128-bit hexadecimal values separated by colons (e.g., 2001:0db8:85a3:0000:0000:8a2e:0370:7334).
• Size: 128 bits (16 bytes).

MAC Address (Media Access Control):

• MAC addresses are 48 bits (6 bytes) and are typically expressed in hexadecimal format separated by colons or dashes (e.g., 00:1A:2B:3C:4D:5E).

Subnet Mask:

• The size of a subnet mask depends on the subnetting scheme and the class of the IP address.
• For example, a common subnet mask for IPv4 in CIDR notation might be "/24," indicating a 24-bit prefix length (32 bits - 24 bits = 8 bits for host addresses).

These sizes are fundamental in networking and play a crucial role in the proper functioning of communication protocols. The transition to IPv6, with its larger address space, was driven by the limitation of available IPv4 addresses. It allows for an enormous number of unique addresses to accommodate the growing number of devices connected to the internet.

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