A CIDR Subnet Calculator simplifies IP subnetting. Input an IPv4/IPv6 range or host requirement and discover:
- 📍 Network address
- 🛡️ Subnet mask / prefix length
- 🔢 Total & usable hosts
- 🌐 First & last usable IPs
- 📤 Broadcast/last address
- 🔄 Optimal subnet splits
CIDR Subnet Calculator
🔍 What Is CIDR & Why It’s Essential
CIDR (Classless Inter‑Domain Routing) allows flexible IP allocation—eschewing rigid Class A/B/C. Instead, it uses variable‑length subnet masks (VLSM) to tailor networks to actual size needs, reducing waste and routing table entries Server Fault+15Coursera+15davidc.net+15CIDR.xyzStack Overflow+5DNS Checker+5Calculator.net+5.
Benefits include:
- Precise IP allocations for specific host counts
- Subnet aggregations ("supernets") for concise routing CourseraAuvik
- IPv6 prefix flexibility for modern architectures CourseraWikipedia
🛠️ How the CIDR Subnet Calculator Works
Option 1: Input a CIDR (e.g., 10.0.0.0/28
)
Outputs include:
- Network & broadcast address
- Subnet mask (dotted-decimal)
- Host range & total count (e.g., /28 → 16 addresses, 14 usable) goteleport.com+8Calculator.net+8davidc.net+8Server Fault+6Wikipedia+6davidc.net+6jodies.de
- Prefix length confirmation
Option 2: Enter desired host count
- Computes the smallest CIDR block to fit your requirement—ideal for AWS, Azure, on-prem subnets DigitalOcean+11Amazon Web Services, Inc.+11Wikipedia+11
Supports both IPv4 and IPv6 planning.
📏 Example Use Cases
- Subnet Analysis:
192.168.1.0/24
yields mask255.255.255.0
, 256 total addresses, 254 usable AuvikCalculator.net. - Efficient Splitting:
10.0.0.0/24
→ two/25
segments of 126 hosts each DNS Checker+14Auvik+14DigitalOcean+14. - IPv6 Block:
2001:db8::/48
allows 65,536/64
subnets CourseraWikipedia.
✅ Why Use This Calculator
- Right-size networks: No more unused or oversubscribed subnets Amazon Web Services, Inc.+2Auvik+2Wikipedia+2
- Route aggregation: Combine subnets to streamline routing tables IPAddressGuide.com+3Auvik+3Amazon Web Services, Inc.+3
- Cloud deployments: Essential for AWS/Azure VPC/subnet planning Amazon Web Services, Inc.CIDR.xyz
- IPv6 friendly: Works seamlessly with long-prefix addressing DNS Checker+3Coursera+3Auvik+3
🧭 Pro Tips for Network Planning
- On AWS VPCs, use
/16
–/28
; avoid wasting IPs. - Ensure subnet alignment on bit boundaries for summarization davidc.net.
- IPv6 LANs typically use
/64
for SLAAC; larger prefixes (/48, /56) for organizations Wikipedia.
📚 20 FAQs
- What is
/24
?
A prefix where the first 24 bits define the network—equates to 255.255.255.0 mask goteleport.com+3Auvik+3CIDR.xyz+3. - How many hosts in
/28
?
16 addresses; 14 usable hosts Coursera+1CIDR.xyz+1. - Usable vs total IPs?
Total = 2^(32-prefix); usable excludes network & broadcast addresses Calculator.netWikipedia. - What is broadcast address?
The last IP in IPv4 subnet used to reach all hosts. - How to calculate CIDR from range?
Tool reverses range to smallest covering CIDR block Auvik+3Stack Overflow+3Server Fault+3IPAddressGuide.com+1goteleport.com+1. - IPv6 prefix lengths?
Common prefix/64
; site allocations typically/48
or/56
CourseraWikipedia. - What is supernetting?
Aggregating contiguous blocks (e.g., combining /24 into /23) to reduce route entries Coursera. - Minimum IPv4 subnet?
/30
for point-to-point links;/32
single host routes WikipediaCalculator.net. - Why avoid overlapping subnets?
Causes routing issues and IP conflicts. - What is VLSM?
Variable-length subnet masking—custom subnet sizes per requirement subnettingpractice.com+2Auvik+2Coursera+2. - Is CIDR calculator accurate?
Yes—it encapsulates binary math behind subnetting. - Classful vs CIDR?
CIDR replaces rigid Class A/B/C with flexible prefix lengths Coursera+4Wikipedia+4Amazon Web Services, Inc.+4. - How to subnet a /24 into /26s?
Creates 4 blocks of 62 hosts each (prefix 26) with calculator help. - Why prefix alignment matters?
Ensures subnets start at correct bit-boundary, essential for summarization. - IPv6 vs IPv4 bit length?
IPv6 uses 128 bits; IPv4 uses 32. Prefix length indicates network bits SolarWindsAmazon Web Services, Inc.. - Can network admins do manually?
Yes, but the tool is faster and less error-prone. - What is CIDR notation?
IP plus slash plus prefix length (e.g.,192.168.1.0/24
) jodies.de+12Coursera+12Auvik+12. - Why no broadcast in IPv6?
IPv6 uses multicast—no broadcast concept. - Router uses in summary?
Yes—CIDR aggregates blocks into single routes, reducing table size Wikipedia+1DigitalOcean+1. - Where else used?
Firewalls, VPNs, Docker networks, Kubernetes CNI configs.
🏁 Final Takeaway
A CIDR Subnet Calculator is essential for modern network design. It quickly transforms IP info into actionable subnet details, supports both IPv4/IPv6, and empowers efficient, scalable network planning—without manual binary math.