Here's how to create the chart below.
- First,
write out the MAGIC line. This is a simple powers-of-two list starting
at 128 and counting down. Everyone should be familiar with this from
our intital days of converting binary to decimal and vice-versa.
- Write
out the MASK line. Begin at the right with 255. Subtract the magic
number below it to get the next number, 254. Write 254 in the next
position to the left. Now repeat by subtracting the magic number, 2,
from 254 to get 252. Write 252 in the next position to the left. Keep
repeating the process until you have filled out the entire row to 128.
- Fill in the Classes with the slash numbers. We know a default Class A is /8 so the first number on the left will be /9. (Remember, this is for subnetting, so we start at the first subnet.) Simply count up from there, putting the next higher number in the next position to the right.
- Fill in Class B the same way. We know the default for Class B is /16 so the first number is /17. Fill in the rest.
- Fill in Class C the same way. We know the default for Class C is /24 so the first number is /25. Fill in the rest.
- Now
we can go back and fill in the (hosts). Start at the bottom right with
"1" and keep increasing by powers-of-two. I have them memorized up to
32768 myself. For the exams, that's as high as I need to remember.
Chart:
MASK |
128 |
192 |
224 |
240 |
248 |
252 |
254 |
255 |
MAGIC |
128 |
64 |
32 |
16 |
8 |
4 |
2 |
1 |
A |
/9 |
/10 |
/11 |
/12 |
/13 |
/14 |
/15/ |
16 |
(hosts) |
8388608 |
4194304 |
2097152 |
1098576 |
524288 |
262144 |
131072 |
65536 |
B |
/17 |
/18 |
/19 |
/20 |
/21 |
/22 |
/23 |
/24 |
(hosts) |
32768 |
16384 |
8192 |
4096 |
2048 |
1024 |
512 |
256 |
C |
/25 |
/26 |
/27 |
/28 |
/29 |
/30 |
/31 |
/32 |
(hosts) |
128 |
64 |
32 |
16 |
8 |
4 |
2 |
1 |