Internet address

networking (IP address, TCP/IP address) The 32-bit host

address defined by the Internet Protocol in STD 5, RFC

791. It is usually represented in dotted decimal notation.

A hosts's Internet address is sometimes related to its

Ethernet address. The Internet address is usually expressed

in dot notation, e.g. 128.121.4.5. The address can be split

into a network number (or network address) and a hostnumber unique to each host on the network and sometimes also

a subnet address. The way the address is split depends on

its "class", A, B or C as determined by the high address bits:

Class A - high bit 0, 7-bit network number, 24-bit host

number. n1.a.a.a 0 #@= n1 #@= 127

Class B - high 2 bits 10, 14-bit network number, 16-bit host

number. n1.n2.a.a 128 #@= n1 #@= 191

Class C - high 3 bits 110, 21-bit network number, 8-bit host

number. n1.n2.n3.a 192 #@= n1 #@= 223

The Internet address must be translated into an Ethernetaddress by either ARP or constant mapping.

The term is sometimes used incorrectly to refer to a host's

fully qualified domain name.

[Jargon File]

(1994-12-06)