Article Computers Technology

A netmask calculator is basically a script or a program that automatically calculates the netmask numbers for you. Netmask is simply a code of numbers that is used to correctly transfer messages among machines in the same subnet. So
a netmask would work together with the router to determine whether the data goes. For example
if the host’s IP address was 63.243.31.41 and the netmask was 255.255.255.0
the netmask is responsible for telling the machine what numbers in IP address are the subnet and what numbers in the IP address is the machine. In this case
63.172
would be the subnet part while 41 would be the machine part. So
any machine in the 63.172.202 would be part of the (local) subnet and thus
the netmask is exactly what assists in differentiating the IP address.


Behind the Calculation of a Netmask
Before anything else
it is advised to use freely available online netmask calculators as most modern equipments do not need a full understanding of how the netmask works to correctly configure them. In fact
most of the newer models have been hard coded to force a 255.255.255.0 netmask. Nonetheless
such calculating knowledge in needed when dealing with older equipments.

Firstly an internet protocol (IP) address is divided into three main sections when looking at the first octet (xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx): Class A
Class B
and Class C. One of the rules of the IP address are that Class A should be 0-127
Class B should be 128-191
and Class C should be 192-222 with everything else reserved for a special reason. Basically
these classes in the IP addresses are what determine the netmask. Class A means a netmask of 255.0.0.0
Class B means a netmask of 255.255.0.0
and Class C means a netmask of 255.255.255.0. Thus
a simple knowledge of which class implies which netmask is the key to calculating the netmask.


Free Online Netmask Calculators
Again
most of the modern equipments used today have been hardcoded to have a netmask of 255.255.255.0. However
there are also readily available scripts and softwares available that can help in the calculation.