What is an IP Address and Subnet Mask?

What is an IP Address and Subnet Mask?

Every device (like your phone, laptop, or router) gets a unique number when it connects to a network — this number is called an IP Address.

🎯 Example: 192.168.1.10

This IP address is divided into two parts:

✅ Subnet Address (Network part) – 192.168.1

✅ Node Address (Device part) – .10

🔸 Now, what is a Subnet Mask?

👉 Example: 255.255.255.0

The subnet mask helps define which part of the IP address refers to the network, and which part refers to the device.

📌 In this example:

255.255.255 = network part

.0 = device part

So, 192.168.1 is the network address, and 10 is the specific device on that network.

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📢 In short:

IP Address = device’s unique ID

Subnet Mask = helps separate network and device parts of the IP

🧠 Understand tech, stay smart!