Solved: difference between 255.255.255.255 and 172.172.255.255

sarahr202 · ‎04-18-2010

Hi every body.

I was reading about the broadcast addresses. Let say we have classB address 172.172.0.0, then 172.172.255.255 will be the broadcast address for the network 172.172.0.0. How about 255.255.255.255.? how does it differ from 172.172.255.255?

thanks and have a nice weekend.

Jon Marshall · ‎04-18-2010

sarahr202 wrote:

Hi every body.

I was reading about the broadcast addresses. Let say we have classB address 172.172.0.0, then 172.172.255.255 will be the broadcast address for the network 172.172.0.0. How about 255.255.255.255.? how does it differ from 172.172.255.255?

thanks and have a nice weekend.

Sarah

172.172.255.255 is as you say a braodcast to all devices on the 172.172.0.0/16 network

255.255.255.255 is a broadcast to all devices irrespective of the network so if the router forwarded broadcasts it will literally forward this packet to every device.

Jon

View solution in original post

Jon Marshall · ‎04-18-2010

sarahr202 wrote:

Hi every body.

I was reading about the broadcast addresses. Let say we have classB address 172.172.0.0, then 172.172.255.255 will be the broadcast address for the network 172.172.0.0. How about 255.255.255.255.? how does it differ from 172.172.255.255?

thanks and have a nice weekend.

Sarah

172.172.255.255 is as you say a braodcast to all devices on the 172.172.0.0/16 network

255.255.255.255 is a broadcast to all devices irrespective of the network so if the router forwarded broadcasts it will literally forward this packet to every device.

Jon

sarahr202 · ‎04-18-2010

thanks Jon. How are you doing?

Jon Marshall · ‎04-18-2010

sarahr202 wrote:

thanks Jon. How are you doing?

Good thanks Sarah. How is your army career progressing ?

Jon

sarahr202 · ‎05-21-2010

Sorry for not replying in time.

Well, so far i am enjoying it, I could hardly run 3 miles before i joined the army. Now i can run 3 miles( . The only sad part is i could not get my Networking job in the army. Right now my job is maintaing and troubleshooting electronics for the army. I am just hoping to get a chance to work on routers and switches, networks. Since right now i can't, i can only study and learn about networks right now which will come handy once i start working in networking.

You have a good weekend Jon.

vkoyi85 · ‎05-24-2010

255.255.255.255 is the broadcast address for a device that doesn't know (or perhaps just doesn't care) what network it's on. The local TCP/IP stack will convert it to a layer 2 (usually Ethernet) broadcast, so it will go to everyone on the local segment.

172.172.255.255. is broadcast address on 172.172.0.0/16 network like 172.172.1.255 means braoadcast address of network 172.172.1.0/24.

Hope this helps you!!

Regards,

Venkat Koyi