Question

A network host has an IP address of assigned to it. Given that the network uses the default classful subnet mask, what is this address's default routing prefix in CIDR subnet mask notation?

a) /8
b) /16
c) /24
d) /32

Answer 1

The default routing prefix in CIDR notation for a network host's IP address depends on the class of the address. For Class A, it is /8; for Class B, /16; and for Class C, /24. Without the exact IP, a precise answer cannot be given.

Step-by-step explanation:

The question asks for the default routing prefix in CIDR subnet mask notation for an IP address, based on the default classful subnet mask. IP addresses are split into different classes (A, B, C, D, E), and each class has a default subnet mask. A Class A address uses a default subnet mask of 255.0.0.0, which corresponds to a /8 prefix in CIDR notation. A Class B address uses a default subnet mask of 255.255.0.0, corresponding to a /16 prefix, while a Class C address has a default subnet mask of 255.255.255.0, corresponding to a /24 prefix.

Without knowing the exact IP address, we cannot definitively say which class it belongs to. However, if we assume the IP address provided is typical and corresponds to one of these classes, then we can provide the following CIDR prefixes based on the classes:

• Class A - /8
• Class B - /16
• Class C - /24
• Class D and E are used for multicast and experimental purposes, respectively, and do not have a default subnet mask for general use.