Technology calculators

IP Range Calculator

Updated Jul 28, 2026 By Jehan Wadia
Rate Formulas

IP Address / Range Input

Accepts CIDR, dotted subnet mask, wildcard mask, dash range, or a bare IPv4/IPv6 address.
Detected: IPv4 CIDR
Quick examples

Visual IP Range

Step-by-Step Solution

Address Space by Prefix Length

Quick-Reference Subnet Tables

Class A subnet reference from slash 8 to slash 30
CIDR PrefixSubnet MaskWildcard MaskSubnets (of /8)Usable Hosts
Class B subnet reference from slash 16 to slash 30
CIDR PrefixSubnet MaskWildcard MaskSubnets (of /16)Usable Hosts
Supernetting reference from slash 1 to slash 23
CIDR BlockSupernet MaskWildcard MaskClass C (/24) BlocksTotal Usable Hosts

Introduction

An IP range calculator shows you every address inside a network block. Type in an IP address, a CIDR block like 192.168.1.0/24, a subnet mask, or a start and end IP. The tool then tells you the network address, the broadcast address, the first and last usable host, and how many addresses you get in total.

It works with both IPv4 and IPv6. You can enter the address in many ways: CIDR notation, a dotted mask like 255.255.255.0, a wildcard mask like 0.0.0.255, a dash range like 10.0.0.1-10.0.0.255, or just a plain IP on its own. If you only work with 32-bit addressing, the IPv4 Calculator covers the same ground with a narrower focus.

You also get extra details that help with real network work. The calculator shows the binary and hex forms of each address, the wildcard mask for access lists, the reverse DNS (PTR) name, and whether the IP is private, public, loopback, link-local, or multicast. A step-by-step section shows the math, so you can learn how subnetting works instead of just copying the answer. To convert those values by hand, the Binary Calculator and Hex Calculator are handy companions.

This is useful if you plan subnets, set up a router, write firewall rules, or study for a networking exam like the CCNA. Quick-reference tables for Class A, Class B, and supernetting sit at the bottom of the page, and the row that matches your prefix is highlighted for you. For deeper planning work, pair this page with the Subnet Calculator, the CIDR Calculator, and the VLSM Calculator.

How to use our IP Range Calculator

Type an IP address, CIDR block, or IP range into the box. The calculator shows the network address, broadcast address, subnet mask, wildcard mask, first and last usable host, total addresses, and step-by-step math for IPv4 and IPv6.

IP Address / Range: Enter the address you want to check. You can use CIDR like 192.168.1.0/24, a subnet mask like 192.0.2.0/255.255.255.0, a wildcard mask like 192.0.2.0/0.0.0.255, a dash range like 10.0.0.1-10.0.0.255, or just a plain address like fe80::1. The badge under the box tells you which format was found.

Quick examples: Click any example button to fill the box for you. This is a fast way to see how each input format works.

Calculate: Click this button (or press Enter) to run the numbers. Results also update as you type.

Reset: Click this to clear your entry and go back to the default 192.168.1.10/24.

Copy buttons: Click the copy icon next to any result to copy that value, like the subnet mask or host range.

Quick-Reference Subnet Tables: Use the tabs at the bottom to view Class A, Class B, and supernetting charts. The row that matches your prefix is highlighted in green.

What Is an IP Range?

Every device on a network has an IP address. An IP range is just a group of IP addresses that sit next to each other, like house numbers on one street. Networks are built from these ranges, so routers know which addresses belong together and where to send data. If you want to inspect one single address rather than a whole block, the IP Address Calculator is the quicker route.

How IP Ranges Are Written

The most common way is CIDR notation, like 192.168.1.0/24. The number after the slash is the prefix length. It tells you how many bits at the front of the address are locked in for the network. The bits left over are used for hosts (devices).

  • Small prefix (like /8) = big network, many addresses.
  • Big prefix (like /30) = tiny network, few addresses.
  • Each extra bit in the prefix cuts the size of the range in half.

You may also see the same range written with a subnet mask (255.255.255.0), a wildcard mask (0.0.0.255), or as a plain start-to-end range (10.0.0.1-10.0.0.255). They all describe the same idea in different styles.

Key Addresses in Every IPv4 Range

  • Network address – the first address. It names the whole subnet and is not given to a device.
  • Broadcast address – the last address. Data sent here goes to every device in the subnet.
  • Usable hosts – everything in between. This is why usable hosts equal total addresses minus 2.

Two special cases break that rule. A /31 gives 2 usable addresses for a point-to-point link (RFC 3021), and a /32 is a single host.

Common Subnet Sizes

CIDRSubnet MaskTotal AddressesUsable Hosts
/30255.255.255.25242
/29255.255.255.24886
/28255.255.255.2401614
/24255.255.255.0256254
/16255.255.0.065,53665,534
/8255.0.0.016,777,21616,777,214

Private, Public, and Special Ranges

Some ranges are set aside for use inside homes and offices. These private ranges are 10.0.0.0/8, 172.16.0.0/12, and 192.168.0.0/16. They do not work on the open internet, so a router uses NAT to share one public address. Other blocks have jobs of their own, such as 127.0.0.0/8 for loopback, 169.254.0.0/16 for link-local (APIPA) addresses, and 224.0.0.0/4 for multicast.

IPv6 Ranges

IPv6 addresses are 128 bits long instead of 32, so the ranges are huge. A single /64 holds about 18 quintillion addresses, and that is the normal size for one network segment. Numbers this large are easier to read in exponent form, which the Scientific Notation Calculator and the Big Number Calculator handle well. IPv6 has no broadcast address, so nearly every address in a block can be used. Common IPv6 blocks include 2000::/3 for global unicast, fc00::/7 for private unique local addresses, and fe80::/10 for link-local.

Why IP Ranges Matter

Network admins use IP ranges to split one big network into smaller subnets. Smaller subnets cut down on broadcast traffic, keep departments apart, and make firewall rules simpler. Wildcard masks are used in access control lists on Cisco gear, and CIDR blocks are used in cloud setups like AWS VPCs and in DHCP scope planning. Picking the right prefix length means you have enough addresses for your devices without wasting a big block.

Once your addressing plan is set, the rest of the design usually comes down to capacity and cost. The Bandwidth Calculator helps you size links for the number of hosts in each subnet, the Data Transfer Calculator and Download Time Calculator estimate how long large transfers take across those links, and the SLA Calculator turns uptime targets into allowed downtime minutes. For server-side planning, see the RAID Calculator for storage layout, the AWS Calculator for cloud spend, and the Chmod Calculator for Linux file permissions on the hosts you just addressed.


Formulas used

Subnet mask from prefix length
M = (2^{p} - 1) \cdot 2^{\,b - p}
Wildcard mask (inverse mask)
W = (2^{b} - 1) \oplus M
Network address
N = A \;\text{AND}\; M
Broadcast / last address in block
B = N \;\text{OR}\; W
Total addresses in block
T = 2^{\,b - p}
Usable hosts (IPv4)
H = \begin{cases} 2^{\,32-p} - 2, & p \le 30 \\ 2, & p = 31 \\ 1, & p = 32 \end{cases}
Addresses in a dash range
C = E - S + 1
Number of /64 subnets in an IPv6 prefix
S_{64} = 2^{\,64 - p}, \quad p \le 64

Frequently asked questions

Why did the calculator change 192.168.1.10/24 to 192.168.1.0/24?

That is the same block written the clean way. The tool takes your address and applies the mask, which strips off the host bits. The result is the network address, 192.168.1.0. Your typed address is still shown in the results as the "Entered Address", and the orange marker on the range bar shows where it sits inside the block.

What is a wildcard mask for?

A wildcard mask is the flipped version of a subnet mask. A 0 bit means "this bit must match" and a 1 bit means "any value is fine". Cisco access control lists (ACLs), OSPF network statements, and route maps use them. For a /24, the subnet mask is 255.255.255.0 and the wildcard mask is 0.0.0.255.

What happens if I type an IP with no slash?

The calculator treats it as a single host. IPv4 gets /32 and IPv6 gets /128. You still see the address type, binary and hex forms, and the reverse DNS name, but the range holds just one address.

What does "smallest enclosing CIDR" mean on a dash range?

When you type a range like 10.0.0.1-10.0.0.255, the tool finds the smallest single CIDR block that fits the whole range inside it. Here that is 10.0.0.0/24. This is useful because firewalls, routers, and cloud tools usually want CIDR, not a start and end IP. Note the block may be a bit larger than the range you typed.

Why does the calculator reject 255.255.255.5 as a mask?

A valid mask must have all its 1 bits together at the front, with no gaps. 255.255.255.5 has 1s mixed in with 0s, so it is not a real mask. Valid examples are 255.255.255.0, 255.255.240.0, and 255.255.255.252.

How many usable IPs do I get in an IPv6 block?

Almost all of them. IPv6 has no broadcast address, so only the first address in each subnet is set aside (the subnet-router anycast address). So a block gives total addresses minus 1. A /127 gives 2 usable addresses for point-to-point links, and a /128 is one host.

Why does the tool show the number of /64 subnets?

A /64 is the standard size for one IPv6 network segment, because SLAAC needs 64 host bits to work. So the useful question for a bigger block is how many /64s it holds. A /48, for example, holds 65,536 of them.

What is the reverse DNS (PTR) name in the results?

It is the special name used to look up a name from an IP instead of an IP from a name. IPv4 flips the octets and adds .in-addr.arpa, so 192.168.1.0 becomes 0.1.168.192.in-addr.arpa. IPv6 uses single hex digits in reverse plus .ip6.arpa. You need this when setting up PTR records for mail servers.

What are host bits?

Host bits are the leftover bits after the prefix. For IPv4, host bits = 32 minus the prefix. A /26 has 6 host bits, so the block holds 2⁶ = 64 addresses. More host bits means a bigger range.

How do I pick the right prefix for my number of devices?

Count your devices, add room to grow, then pick the smallest block that fits. Remember two addresses are taken by the network and broadcast, and one more is usually your router.

  • Up to 6 devices → /29
  • Up to 14 → /28
  • Up to 30 → /27
  • Up to 62 → /26
  • Up to 254 → /24

What is the decimal (integer) value of an IP used for?

Every IP is really just one big number. Turning it into a plain integer makes it easy to store in a database, sort addresses, or check if an IP falls inside a range with a simple greater-than or less-than test. Many programming languages and SQL databases use this form.

Why is the chart drawn on a log scale?

Because each prefix step doubles or halves the size. On a normal scale a /8 bar would be millions of times taller than a /30 bar, and the small ones would vanish. A log scale keeps every bar readable. The dark bar is your current prefix.

Can I check if two subnets overlap with this tool?

Yes. Run each subnet one at a time and note the full block range (network to broadcast). If one block's range touches or crosses the other's, they overlap and you must change one of them. Comparing the decimal integer values makes this easy to spot.

Should the router use the first or last usable IP?

Either works, and neither is a rule. Many teams give the router the first usable IP (like 192.168.1.1) and start the DHCP pool later in the range. Others use the last usable IP. Just pick one style and use it on every subnet so it stays easy to remember.

Does a /24 always give 254 hosts?

In IPv4, yes. A /24 has 256 total addresses, minus the network and broadcast address, leaving 254 usable hosts. An IPv6 /24 is completely different and holds a huge block of addresses, because IPv6 addresses are 128 bits long.

Is this calculator accurate for CCNA study?

Yes. It uses the same bitwise AND and OR math that exam questions test, and the step-by-step section shows the binary work line by line. Use it to check your hand answers, not to replace practice.

Are my IP addresses sent to a server?

No. All the math runs in your browser. Nothing you type is uploaded or saved, so it is safe to enter internal company addresses.