• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Technipages

Smart phone, gadget and computer tutorials

  • Topics
    • Android
    • Gaming
    • Hardware
    • Internet
    • iOS
    • MacOS
    • Office
    • Software
    • Windows
    • Definitions
  • Product Reviews
  • Downloads
  • About

Class B Network

Posted on August 16, 2019 by Mel Hawthorne

A class B network is a type of network in the now-defunct classful networking architecture. The classful networking architecture defined a range of network classes: A, B, C, D and E. Class B networks have IP addresses between 128.0.0.0 and 191.255.255.255. The Classful networking system has been superseded by CIDR (Classless Inter-Domain Routing) since 1993.

Technipages Explains Class B Network

Classes A, B, and C provided unicast addresses for networks of three different network sizes. Class D was for multicast networking and the class E address range was reserved for future or experimental purposes. IP addresses have 32 binary bits of information split into four-octet bytes. Class B networks use the first two octets to define the network number and the second octets are used to describe the host addresses available in that network.

Class B networks are defined as being between 128.0.0.0 and 191.255.255.255. In modern CIDR notation, a class B network would have the subnet mask /16, there would be a total of 16,384 possible networks and 65,536 possible individual host IP addresses per network. Before the introduction of the classful networking system, IP addresses were handed out to companies in blocks that would become Class A or /8. Given the design of IPv4 addresses, there can only be 256 class A networks and so the classful system was seen as a way to conserve the available IP address space by handing out smaller networks.

Common Uses of Class B Network

  • A Class B network was a network in which all addresses had the two most-significant bits set to 1 and 0 respectively.
  • The pool of unassigned Class B addresses was rapidly depleted.
  • Sixteen contiguous class B networks are reserved for private network addresses.

Common Misuses of Class B Network

  • Class B networks are the second-best, they don’t have the same reliability as Class A networks.

You Might Also Like

  • How to Reset Network Adapter in Windows 10 Using Network Reset
    How to Reset Network Adapter in Windows 10 Using…
  • How to Map Network Drive in MacOS
    How to Map Network Drive in MacOS
  • macOS: How to See Wi-Fi Network Password
    macOS: How to See Wi-Fi Network Password
  • How to Network Two Windows 10 Computers
    How to Network Two Windows 10 Computers
  • Windows 10: How to Share Network Printer
    Windows 10: How to Share Network Printer
  • iPhone: Reset Network Settings
    iPhone: Reset Network Settings
  • Fix Puffin Browser Not Connecting to Network
    Fix Puffin Browser Not Connecting to Network
  • Fix Cannot Access Network Shares on Windows 10
    Fix Cannot Access Network Shares on Windows 10
  • How to Stay Safe When Using a Public WiFi Network
    How to Stay Safe When Using a Public WiFi Network

Primary Sidebar

Recent Posts

  • How to Increase the Size of Text on Any Website on iPad
  • Chrome: How to Fix Can’t Scroll Using Scrollbars
  • Samsung Galaxy S 21 Plus: How to Check How Much Memory Is Left
  • Google Photos: How to Export Your Albums
  • Bitwarden: How to Deauthorize All Sessions
  • Bitwarden: How to Clone an Entry
  • Bitwarden: How to View Your API Key
  • How to Fix Microsoft Teams Error 0xcaa80000

Who’s Behind Technipages?

Baby and Daddy My name is Mitch Bartlett. I've been working in technology for over 20 years in a wide range of tech jobs from Tech Support to Software Testing. I started this site as a technical guide for myself and it has grown into what I hope is a useful reference for all.

Follow me on Twitter, or visit my personal blog.

You May Also Like

  • Ring Network
  • Physical Network
  • Public Data Network (PDN)
  • Packet-Switching Network

© Copyright 2021 Technipages · All Rights Reserved · Privacy