Multiple choice networking

What is the default subnet mask for a class C address?

  1. 255.0.0.0

  2. 255.255.0.0

  3. 255.255.255.0

  4. 255.255.255.255

Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

Class C IP addresses use the first three octets for the network portion, resulting in a default subnet mask of 255.255.255.0. 255.0.0.0 is the default for Class A, and 255.255.0.0 is the default for Class B.

AI explanation

To answer this question, we need to understand the concept of subnet masks and classful addressing.

In classful addressing, IP addresses are divided into three main classes: Class A, Class B, and Class C. Each class has a default subnet mask associated with it.

Class C addresses are used for small networks, as they provide a larger number of host addresses compared to Class A and Class B addresses. The default subnet mask for a Class C address is 255.255.255.0.

Let's go through each option to understand why it is correct or incorrect:

Option A) 255.0.0.0 - This option is incorrect because it represents the default subnet mask for a Class A address, not a Class C address.

Option B) 255.255.0.0 - This option is incorrect because it represents the default subnet mask for a Class B address, not a Class C address.

Option C) 255.255.255.0 - This option is correct because it represents the default subnet mask for a Class C address.

Option D) 255.255.255.255 - This option is incorrect because it represents a subnet mask with all bits set to 1, which is not a valid subnet mask for any class of IP address.

The correct answer is C) 255.255.255.0. This option is correct because it represents the default subnet mask for a Class C address.