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What Is Subnet Mask and CIDR Notation? A Beginner's Guide

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When working with IPv4 networks, you will almost always see an IP address paired with a subnet mask or written in CIDR notation . Understanding subnet masks is essential for network troubleshooting, router configuration, setting up local servers, and passing basic networking certifications. Quick answer: A subnet mask separates an IP address into two parts: the network portion and the host portion . CIDR notation (like /24 ) is a shorthand way of expressing how many bits belong to the network portion. What is a subnet mask? An IPv4 address consists of 32 bits divided into four octets. However, an IP address alone does not tell a device which part identifies the network and which part identifies the specific device on that network. The subnet mask acts as a filter or template that tells the operating system and router where the network address ends and the host address begins. Common home network subnet mask example...
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How to Find Your Public vs Local IP Address on Any Device

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Every device connected to the internet actually uses two main types of IP addresses: a local (private) IP address and a public IP address . Understanding the difference between these two addresses helps when setting up home networks, troubleshooting connection issues, configuring remote access, or setting up game servers. Quick answer: Your Local IP is assigned by your home router and identifies your device inside your local network. Your Public IP is assigned by your ISP and identifies your entire network on the global internet. Public vs Local IP Address: What is the difference? Feature Local (Private) IP Public IP Assigned By Your Wi-Fi Router (DHCP) Your Internet Service Provider (ISP) Scope Internal home/office network only Global Internet ...
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What Is IPv6 and How Does It Compare to IPv4?

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IPv6 (Internet Protocol Version 6) is the latest generation of the Internet Protocol, designed to replace IPv4 and expand the number of available IP addresses worldwide. While IPv4 uses 32-bit addresses and provides around 4.3 billion total addresses, IPv6 uses 128-bit addresses, offering a virtually limitlessness supply of IP addresses for every device connected to the internet. Quick answer: IPv6 is the modern standard for internet addresses. It solves the address exhaustion problem of IPv4, eliminates the mandatory need for CGNAT or home NAT, and simplifies network configuration across global infrastructure. Why was IPv6 created? When IPv4 was created in the early 1980s, 4.3 billion addresses seemed more than enough for global networking needs. However, with the rapid growth of smartphones, IoT devices, cloud services, and connected appliances, available IPv4 addresses quickly became scarce. Technologies such ...
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How to Find Your IP Address on Windows 11 and Windows 10

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Knowing how to find your IP address on Windows can help you troubleshoot network problems, configure devices, and understand how your computer connects to a network. Windows 11 and Windows 10 provide several simple ways to check your local IP address. This guide explains how to find your IP address through Windows Settings, Command Prompt, and PowerShell. It also explains how to check your public IP address. Local IP Address vs. Public IP Address Before checking your address, it helps to understand the difference between these two types: Local IP address: Identifies your computer within your home, school, or office network. Common examples include addresses beginning with 192.168 or 10. Public IP address: The address associated with your internet connection as seen by external services. Your internet provider or network setup determines how this address is assigned. If you need to see the public address visible to websites, you can use the IPScope public IP lookup tool...
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How to Find Your DNS Server on Windows, Mac, Android, and iPhone

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A DNS server helps your device find the IP address associated with a domain name. When you open a website, your device usually relies on a DNS resolver to look up the address needed to connect. If you want to troubleshoot a slow connection, investigate DNS problems, or check whether your device uses your internet provider's DNS service, finding your current DNS settings is a useful first step. Quick answer: You can usually find DNS settings in your device's network configuration. Windows and macOS provide network settings or command-line tools, while Android and iPhone display DNS information through Wi-Fi or network settings. The exact steps depend on your operating system and connection type. What is a DNS server? The Domain Name System (DNS) translates human-readable domain names, such as example.com, into IP addresses that computers use to communicate. A DNS resolver receives a qu...
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What Is CGNAT and How Can You Tell If Your ISP Uses It?

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Carrier-Grade NAT (CGNAT) is a technology used by internet service providers to allow many customers to share a smaller number of public IPv4 addresses. If your ISP uses CGNAT, the public IP address seen by websites may not be assigned directly to your router. Instead, your connection can pass through an additional layer of address translation inside the provider's network. Quick answer: CGNAT allows an ISP to place multiple customers behind shared public IPv4 addresses. It can make traditional inbound port forwarding difficult or impossible unless the provider offers a dedicated public IP address or another solution. What does CGNAT mean? CGNAT stands for Carrier-Grade Network Address Translation . It is similar in concept to the NAT used by many home routers, but CGNAT is performed by the internet provider on a much larger scale. A typical home network may already use NAT lik...
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DNS Record Types Explained: A, AAAA, CNAME, MX, TXT, NS and PTR

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The Domain Name System (DNS) uses different record types to describe how domain names should be handled. Some DNS records connect a hostname to an IP address, while others identify mail servers, authoritative name servers, aliases, verification information, or reverse DNS mappings. Quick answer: A records point to IPv4 addresses, AAAA records point to IPv6 addresses, CNAME records create aliases, MX records identify mail servers, TXT records store text-based information, NS records identify authoritative name servers, and PTR records are commonly used for reverse DNS lookups. What is a DNS record? A DNS record is an entry stored in the Domain Name System that provides information about a domain or hostname. When a DNS resolver receives a query, it can request a particular record type depending on the information needed. For example, a browser trying to reach a we...
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