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xemaFlag for Mexico

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what does the TCP/IP submask perform

I'm building a small ofice network without a server, as they have a proxy server to access Internet we are using TCP/IP so I got interested on the use of the submask.

Can I section the network by changing the submask number?
Would I lose the printer atached to an external server?
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deltree

The subnet mask limits the number of IP addresses available on a collision domain.
English version: It limits how many systems you can have 'in one building'. In one building is kinda iffy, since you can have more than one subnet in the building.
At work, we have a class B subnet that is mostly in 5 buildings in 3 states. In my building, we subnetted to class C for the most part. The only real difference is that I have to go through a router to get to someone 2 floors above me. It gets kinda complicated at that site.
If you use 10.10.10.0 network with 255.255.255.192 subnet mask, the usable addresses are 10.10.10.1 to 10.10.10.62 (classful routing)
Same network with 255.255.255.0 subnet mask can use 10.10.10.1 to 10.10.10.254 (classful routing again)
Many other subnet masks, with various results. Download a subnet calculator to see what they do, saves doing all the math in your head.
Don't know about the printer, but if it's on the same subnet, nothing should change. You would have to route to it, if it's on another subnet.
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ASKER

So if I understood it right, if you change the sub net mask you'll need a router to conect both subnets.


The answer is Yes - you can subnet.
I don't have enough information about the printer on the external server, but maybe this will answer what you really wanted to ask.

Since you generally want all devices to communicate, you want lots of addresses that are on the same subnet.  Subnetting actually reduces the number of stations you can have on a subnet, but you can have more subnets overall.  You must provide a router to transfer data from one subnet to another.

So for your case, subnetting gains you no benefits, unless you have so much traffic that you wish to segment your network for performance, which I doubt.

Because you have a proxy server, you will likely be using addresses that are shielded from the internet - Internal Addresses.  

There are certain address ranges that have been devoted to this purpose - for example the Class A address range of 10.0.0.0 (and a mask of 255.0.0.0) which provides for a single subnet with 16777214 hosts.  Using that info, your only subnet is 10.0.0.0, and the stations would have addresses like 10.0.0.1, 10.0.0.2, 10.0.0.3, and so on.

As an example, the same internal class A address can also be split into 254 subnets, each supporting 65534 hosts, which may more practical.  

In that case, you would use a mask of 255.255.0.0 and your subnets would be like 10.1.0.0, 10.2.0.0, 10.3.0.0 and so on.  

Your stations on subnet 10.1.0.0 would use adresses like 10.2.0.1, 10.1.0.2, 10.1.0.3, and so on.

The next subnet, 10.2.0.0, would use addresses like 10.2.0.1, 10.2.0.2, 10.2.0.3, and so on.  Of course you would need a router between the 10.1.00 subnet and the 10.2.0.0 subnet.

Notice I said subnet, not segment.  Although a single cable segment (a piece of wire) can support multiple subnets, it's the wrong way to go, and you still need a router between the subnets.

Hope this helps!
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greebo

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It all boils down to how many systems you plan on having on the network in the next, say 5 years. Hard to plan ahead that far, but you can guess how much it may grow - no need for perfection.
Safest way is to use subnet 255.255.255.0
so you have 254 usable addresses.
If the print server is in the same subnet (and should be), you don't need a router. My assumption is this is for a small office/home/student network.
A smaller subnet won't make it run faster, it just limits the number of systems you can put on that subnet.