IP address 10.231.241.1 belongs to which of the following class ?

Question

Accepted Answer

The correct option is (1):
The classification of an IPv4 address is determined by the value of its first octet, or the very first number in the dotted-decimal notation. Class A addresses are uniquely defined by having a first octet that falls within the range of 1 to 126, inclusive. In the provided IP address, 10.231.241.1, the value of the first octet is 10. Since 10 is clearly within the established Class A range of 1 to 126, the address 10.231.241.1 is correctly identified as a Class A address. This class is typically used for supporting a few extremely large networks, allocating the first octet for the Network ID and the remaining three octets for the Host ID.

The incorrect option is (2):
For an IP address to be categorized as Class B, its first octet must have a value that ranges from 128 to 191. The number 10, which starts the given address 10.231.241.1, falls outside this specific range. Therefore, the address cannot be a Class B address. Class B networks represent a moderate to large network size, as they use the first two octets (the first 16 bits) for the Network ID and the last two octets for the Host ID.

The incorrect option is (3):
Class C IP addresses are designed for smaller, local-area networks and are defined by a first octet value ranging from 192 to 223. The IP address 10.231.241.1 does not qualify for Class C because its first octet, 10, is significantly lower than the Class C starting value of 192. Class C utilizes the first three octets for the Network ID, offering many networks but with a limited number of hosts (254) on each.

The incorrect option is (4):
Class D addresses are reserved solely for multicasting purposes, which means transmitting data simultaneously to a group of destination devices. The identifying range for a Class D first octet is 224 through 239. The number 10, being the first octet of the given address, is not within the 224-239 range. This class is not assignable to host computers for standard unicast communication.