Contents
Contents
- How to: Convert a Decimal Number to a Base-256 dotted-decimal / dotted-quad
- How to: Convert an IPv4 Address to a Decimal Number
How to: Convert a Decimal Number to a Base-256 dotted-decimal
This is useful to determine a high subnet address when the Block Size increment is not practical. e.g. What’s the subnet address of the 4096th subnet?
- If you start counting subnets from zero, then multiply the target Subnet # by the number of addresses per subnet, to determine how many addresses to add to the 1st subnet/subnet-zero, to jump to the target subnet.
- Note: If you start counting subnets from 1, e.g. 1st, 2nd, 3rd, etc., then multiply the (target Subnet – 1) by the number of addresses per subnet.
- Convert the result to the Base-256 dotted-decimal equivalent.
- Pad the rest with zeros so that the result is in dotted-decimal form, with four octets.
- Add that Base-256 dotted-decimal equivalent to the 1st subnet, to get the IP address of the target subnet.
| Step | |
| 1 | Evaluate the number: If the decimal number is >= 256, then continue to step 2. If the decimal number is less than 256, then use that decimal number for the octet. |
| 2 | Divide the decimal number by 256 |
| 3 | Multiply the integer portion of the result from step 2 by 256 |
| 4 | Subtract the result of step 3 from the original decimal number to yield the Base-256 octet |
| 5 | Use the integer result from step 2, as the starting point for the next octet, then start at step 1 for the octet. |
Example 1
What is the IPv4 network address of the last subnet, for the classless network 16.0.0.0 /17, with a total of 512 subnets?
- 2<bits borrowed> = # of subnets: 512 subnets = 29 (9 bits borrowed)
- /17 + 9 bits borrowed = a new mask of /26
- Since we start counting from zero, the subnet # range is 0 – 511. So the the last, and target, subnet is Subnet # 511
- 32 IPv4 bits – 26 network bits = 6 host bits. 26 = 64 addresses per subnet
- Subnet #511 x 64 addresses per subnet = 32,704 addresses that must be added to subnet zero to jump to the target subnet.
Convert 32,704 to Base-256 (dotted decimal)
Forth Octet
- Evaluate the number: The number is larger than 256, so we can process the number
- 32,704 / 256 = 127.75
- 127 x 256 = 32,512
- 32,704 – 32,512 = 192 (is the 4th octet of the dotted decimal)
Third Octet
- We start with the integer from Part 1, 127. Evaluate the number: The number is not larger than 256, so we cannot process the number.
- 127 (Is the 3rd octet)
The Base-256 dotted equivalent of 32,704, is 0.0.127.192, which is what we add to subnet zero to determine the 512th subnet
16.0.0.0 + 0.0.127.192 = 16.0.127.192
Example 2
Convert 32,767 to Base-256 (dotted decimal):
- Evaluate the number: The number is larger than 256, so we can process the number
- 32,767 / 256 = 127.996
- 127 x 256 = 32,512
- 32,767 – 32,512 = 255 (this is the 4th octet of the dotted decimal)
- Since 127 is smaller than 256 you’re done dividing and the value for the 3rd octet is 127
Using zeroes for the remaining octets yields a Base-256 value of: 0.0.127.255
- The 255 is from step 4, and the 127 is what was left over, and the 0’s fills out the dotted-decimal.
Examples
How to: Convert an IPv4 Address to a Decimal Number
| 2563 | 2562 | 2561 | 2560 |
| 16,777,216 | 65,536 | 256 | 1 |
| w | x | y | z |
An IPv4 address is a 32-bit number. It is generally written in the “dotted-decimal” notation: w.x.y.z. To convert an IP address to base 10, use the following:
w * 16,777,216 + x * 65,536 + y * 256 + z = Decimal IP Address