3Com 3CRWE51196 User Guide - Page 64

64 APPENDIX B: IP ADDRESSING This type of IP Address operates on a subnet mask of '255.255.255.0'. See Table 3 for an example about how a network with three computers and a Wireless Cable/DSL Gateway might be configured. Table 3 IP Addressing and Subnet Masking Device IP Address PC 1 192.168.100.8 PC 2 192.168.100.33 PC 3 192.168.100.188 Wireless Cable/DSL 192.168.100.72 Gateway Subnet Mask 255.255.255.0 255.255.255.0 255.255.255.0 255.255.255.0 Type Two In larger networks, where there are more devices, the IP address of '192.168.100.8' is, again, split into two parts but is structured differently: I Part one ('192.168') identifies the network on which the device resides. I Part two ('.100.8') identifies the device within the network. This type of IP Address operates on a subnet mask of '255.255.0.0'. See Table 4 for an example about how a network (only four computers represented) and a Wireless Cable/DSL Gateway might be configured. Table 4 IP Addressing and Subnet Masking Device IP Address PC 1 192.168.100.8 PC 2 192.168.201.30 PC 3 192.168.113.155 PC 4 192.168.002.230 Wireless Cable/DSL 192.168.002.72 Gateway Subnet Mask 255.255.0.0 255.255.0.0 255.255.0.0 255.255.0.0 255.255.0.0 How does a Device Obtain an IP Address and Subnet Mask? There are three different ways to obtain an IP address and the subnet mask. These are: I Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) Addressing I Static Addressing I Automatic Addressing (Auto-IP Addressing) DHCP Addressing The Wireless Cable/DSL Gateway contains a DHCP server, which allows computers on your network to obtain an IP address and subnet mask automatically. DHCP assigns a temporary IP address and subnet mask which gets reallocated once you disconnect from the network. DHCP will work on any client Operating System such as Windows® 95, Windows 98 or Windows NT 4.0. Also, using DHCP means that the same IP address and subnet mask will never be duplicated for devices on the network. DHCP is particularly useful for networks with large numbers of users on them.