VLSM or Variable Length
Subnet Masking
VLSM or Variable Length
Subnet Masking
▪ is the more realistic way of subnetting a network to make for the
most efficient use of all of the bits.
▪ It is for this reason that VLSM is used and to put it simply it is
the process of “subnetting a subnet” and using different subnet
masks for different networks in your IP plan this is also called
Classless Networks. What you have to remember is that you need
to make sure that there is no overlap in any of the addresses.
VLSM or Variable Length
Subnet Masking
The process of VLSM can be split in to 3 simple steps:
STEP 1. Always start with the largest to the smallest network in terms of
Host requirement. Determine the Block size or the increment.
STEP 2. Add the increment to the interesting octet. List the subnet ranges
and new Subnet Mask. (Valid Host Range and Broadcast address)
STEP 3. Do the same with the other network requirements; remember that
always start the next subnet using the Increment of the previous subnet to avoid
overlapping of subnets or networks.
Example 1
Step 1 - Always start with the largest to the smallest network
in terms of Host requirement. Determine the Block size or the
increment.
We will use the process of VLSM to efficiently subnet the
[Link] network will the same network requirements.
▪ Network that requires 25 hosts. What is the Increment that will
satisfy 25 Host? Increment of 32 will do. I will have 3 Network
borrowed bits and 5 host bits in the 4th octet.
Please see below table:
Increment or 128 64 32 16 8 4 2 1
Block Size
1 = # of 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0
borrowed bits
Subnet Mask 128 192 224
CIDR Notation /25 /26 /27
Step 2 Add the increment to interesting octet. List the subnet
ranges and new Subnet Mask. (Valid Host Range and
Broadcast address)
▪ Therefore, in the network that requires 25 hosts, we can use the First
subnet of [Link] with the subnet mask of [Link] or
CIDR notation of /27 (Increment of 32 is equal to the subnet mask of
224). Remember that the increment is 32. In the 4th octet, add your
increment (32) to the first subnet (Interesting octet). 0 + 32 = 32 ;
therefore the next subnet will use [Link] .
Please see below table:
Subnet / Network Subnet Mask or Valid Host range Broadcast
Address CIDR Address
192.168.10. 0
[Link] [Link] -
/27 [Link] [Link]
192.168.10. 32
(next subnet)
? ? ?
Step 3 Do the same with the other network requirements;
remember that always start the next subnet using the
Increment of the previous subnet to avoid overlapping of
subnets or networks.
Example 2
▪ Next is the Network that requires 12 Hosts, what is the
Increment that will satisfy 12 hosts? The answer is the
increment of 16 will do. I will have 4 Network borrowed bits
and 4 host bits in the 4th octet.
Please see below table: :
Increment or
Block Size 128 64 32 16 8 4 2 1
1 = # of
borrowed bits 1 1 1 1
Subnet Mask 128 192 224 240
CIDR Notation /25 /26 /27 /28
Therefore, in the network that requires 12 hosts, we will use the
subnet next to our first subnet. We will use [Link] with
the subnet mask of [Link] or CIDR notation of /28
(Increment of 16 is equal to the subnet mask of 240).
Remember that our increment now is 16. In the 4th octet add your
increment (16) to the subnet (Interesting octet) of 32: 32 + 16 =
48 ; therefore the next subnet will use [Link] .
Please see below table:
Subnet / Network Subnet Mask / Valid Host range Broadcast
Address CIDR Address
[Link] [Link] [Link] - [Link]
/27 [Link]
192.168.10. 32 [Link] [Link] -
/28 [Link] [Link]
192.168.10. 48
(next subnet) ? ? ?
Example 3
Step 1 - Always start with the largest to the smallest network
in terms of Host requirement. Determine the Block size or the
increment.
▪ Next is the Network that requires 6 Hosts, What is the
Increment that will satisfy 6 hosts? The increment of 8 will do.
Please see below table:
Increment or
Block Size 128 64 32 16 8 4 2 1
1 = # of
borrowed bits 1 1 1 1 1
Subnet Mask 128 192 224 240 248
CIDR Notation /25 /26 /27 /28 /29
Step 2 Add the increment to interesting octet. List the subnet
ranges and new Subnet Mask. (Valid Host Range and
Broadcast address)
▪ Therefore, in the network that requires 6 hosts, we can use the subnet
next to our Third subnet. We can use [Link] with the subnet
mask of [Link] or CIDR notation of /29 (Increment of 8 is
equal to the subnet mask of 248). Remember that our increment
now is 8. In the 4th octet add your increment (8) to the subnet
(Interesting octet) of 64: 64 + 8 = 72 ; therefore the next subnet will
use [Link]
▪ Please see below table:
Subnet / Network Subnet Mask / CIDR Valid Host range Broadcast
Address Address
[Link] [Link] /27 [Link] - [Link] [Link]
[Link] [Link] /28 [Link] - [Link] [Link]
[Link] [Link] /28 [Link] - [Link] [Link]
[Link]
[Link] /29 [Link] - [Link] [Link]
[Link](next
subnet) ?
This is VLSM implemented on the same Network diagram.
Notice that this time each network has a different subnet mask,
this is now called Classless Networks.
Lab Activity #5
Now let’s try this one: Use VLSM to subnet the network below
using [Link] /24
125 host 30 host
3 host
90 host 10 host
Host
Subnet / Network Add Subnet Mask / CIDR Valid Host range Broadcast Address
[Link]
