Why Do We Subnet?

The IP addressing scheme was developed in the late 60s. It was never conceived at that point that so many organizations would want to access what is now called the Internet. The limited addressing space of 32 bits leaves us in a pickle for available bits.

Many people have experienced the same type of problem with voice addresses recently.

For instance, my area code changed from 904 to 850 because the phone company was running out of 904 addressing space. So in effect what the phone company created a sub-area with a different area code. Now the 850 area code is geographically inside what once was the 904 area code.

In the world of IP addressing the same idea was used as a solution to lack of addressing space. We will place one network inside another network. This is called subnetting.