There are 5 known classes for Ipv4 which are known from Class A to Class E. Each class is classified based on its address range (decimal range), hosts per network, number of networks and 1st octet decimal ranges.

Each device in a computer network is identified through their assigned internet protocol (IP) address. Each ip address contains four numbers that are separated by periods in the form of 125.0.23.123. The numbers of the ip address serves as the address of the device where all activities are directed. Ip address is use to locate the user or device and to send the necessary information (emails, messages, etc) to its correct destinations and has the same analogy on the importance and significance of our own physical address.

IP addresses use the system of “Internet protocol version 4” or the Ipv4 where the ip addresses are define in a 32-bit numbers. The appearance of the ip addresses are break down into binary numbers but are displayed into formats that are understandable by almost everyone and as it is easier to remember and that is the “dotted decimal notation”. For example, an ip address of 255.255.255.255, where 255 is called an octet, has a binary value of 11111111.11111111. 11111111.11111111. The 11111111 is just one byte that has 8 bits and since 1 ipv4 address has four different bytes then each ip consists of 32 bites. It is obvious that the dotted decimal notation is easier to followand understand since it only has four octet than its binary counterpart that has around 32 binary digits.

Ip address has two main functions, which are the host or network identification and location addressing. In Network identification, a network address is used to locate a whole network while the host identifier deals only with the specific interface on the host of a certain network. This host or network identification is very much important in location addressing. However, over the years the internet keeps on growing as well as the available networks and ip address and in order to keep up with it, a class or set for ip addressing is developed. This resulted to proper addressing allocation over the networks yet it is important to understand how the ip addresses are classified.

There are 5 known classes for Ipv4 which are known from Class A to Class E. Each class is classified based on its address range (decimal range), hosts per network, number of networks and 1st octet decimal ranges. Class A has a 1-127 1st octet decimal ranges which mean that the ip address that is available on that class will start at 0, 0.0.0.0, and up to 127, 127.255.255.255. Class A also have 126 networks with 16,777,214 available and usable ip addresses per network.

Class B has 1st octet decimal range of 128-191 with 16,382 networks and 65,534 available and usable hosts for each network. Class C has 192-223 1st octet decimal range with 2,097, 150 networks and 254 hosts per network. Class D has a 224-239 1st octet decimal range yet do not have defined number of networks and host available for each network as it is used or reserved for for multicasting. Class E also have the same purpose but more on for experimental and researched yet it also has 1st 240-254 octet decimal range.

However, it seems that the available ip addresses from these classes are slowly diminishing due to the increase of users of the internet. Eventually, the available and unused ip addresses will not be enough and this could cause problems to various Internet Service providers. In order to solve this problem, a different class network is introduced, Classless-Inter Domain Routing, and a new and improved version of Ipv4 is made, the IPV6.

Ipv6 seems promising as it increases the size of the Ipv4 from 32 bits to 128 bits or for 16 octets. The introduction of Ipv6 is considered a permanent solution on the addressing capability of the different network.

If you want to find your IP address follow through the link.