March 27, 2023

Valid IPv4 Address: Full Guide

An IP (Internet Protocol) address is a unique numerical label assigned to each device connected to a computer network that uses the Internet Protocol for communication. It is an essential component of the internet infrastructure and is used to identify and locate devices on a network. A valid IPv4 address is a correctly formatted address that adheres to the rules and standards set by the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF).

IPv4 Address

Currently there are two versions of IP addresses in use, IPv4 and IPv6. The most commonly used version is IPv4, which uses a 32-bit address space and allows for approximately 4.3 billion unique addresses. IPv6, on the other hand, uses a 128-bit address space and allows for an almost infinite number of unique addresses.

A valid IPv4 address consists of four numbers separated by periods, with each number having a value between 0 and 255. For example, 192.168.0.1 is a valid IPv4 address. In order to generate a valid IPv4 address, there are several components to consider which you should be aware of if you need to buy IPv4 or sell IPv4  addresses.

Components of a Valid IPv4 Address

Valid ipv4 address include:

Network Address

Network address is the first component of a valid IPv4 address. It is the portion of the address that identifies the network that the device is connected to. It is usually assigned by an Internet Service Provider and is unique to each network. The network address is represented by the first one to three numbers in the IP address, depending on the class of the network.

Subnet Mask

The second component of a valid IPv4 address is the subnet mask. The subnet mask is a 32-bit value that is used to divide the IP address into network and host portions. It is used to determine which portion of the IP address identifies the network and which portion identifies the specific device on that network. The subnet mask is usually represented in dotted decimal notation, such as 255.255.255.0, where each number represents eight bits of the subnet mask.

The Host Address

The host address is the portion of the address that identifies the specific device on the network. It is represented by the last one to three numbers in the IP address, depending on the class of the network. The host address must be unique within the network and is usually assigned by a network administrator.

In order to generate a valid IPv4 address, all three components must be considered. However, It is important to note that not all combinations of network address, subnet mask, and host address are valid. The subnet mask must be chosen carefully to ensure that the network and host portions of the IP address are correctly identified. Additionally, certain combinations of network address and subnet mask are reserved for special purposes, such as private networks or multicast addresses.

What is an Example of a Valid and Invalid IPv4 Address?

Some examples of IPv4 valid or invalid:

Examples of valid IPv4 address

• 192.168.0.1 – This address is valid because it consists of four decimal numbers separated by dots, each number is between 0 and 255, and the first number is not 0 (which is reserved for special purposes).
• 10.0.0.1 – This address is valid because it consists of four decimal numbers separated by dots, each number is between 0 and 255, and the first number is 10 (which is a reserved private IP address range).
• 172.16.0.1 – This address is valid because it consists of four decimal numbers separated by dots, each number is between 0 and 255, and the first two numbers are 172 and 16 (which is another reserved private IP address range).
• 127.0.0.1 – This address is valid because it consists of four decimal numbers separated by dots, each number is between 0 and 255, and it is a special address that represents the loopback interface (used for testing and troubleshooting network connectivity).

Examples of Invalid IPv4 Addresses

• 256.168.0.1 – This address is invalid because the first number is 256, which is outside the range of 0 to 255.
• 192.168.0.300 – This address is invalid because the last number is 300, which is outside the range of 0 to 255.
• 192.168.1 – This address is invalid because it does not consist of four decimal numbers separated by dots.
• 192.168.01.1 – This address is invalid because the third number has a leading zero, which is not allowed in IPv4 addresses.
• 192.168.0.0/24 – This address is invalid because it contains a subnet mask (represented by the /24) which is not part of the IP address itself.
• 0.0.0.0 – This address is invalid because it is reserved for special purposes and cannot be used as a valid IP address.

How can I identify a valid IP address?

To check if an IPv4 address is valid, you can perform the following steps:

• Check that the address consists of four decimal numbers separated by dots.
• Check that each decimal number is between 0 and 255.
• Check that the first decimal number is not 0, as it is reserved for special purposes.
• Check that the last decimal number is not 255, as it is reserved for broadcast addresses.
• Check that the address does not conflict with any other address on the same network.
• Alternatively, you can use an online tool or a command-line tool to check if an IPv4 address is valid and reachable.

Conclusion

In conclusion, understanding the factors to be considered to generate a valid IPv4 address is of high importance when you start building your online brand.