VLSM Tutorial with Examples

VLSM is a process of dividing an IP network into the subnets of different sizes without wasting IP
addresses. When we perform Subnetting, all subnets have the same number of hosts, this is known as
FLSM (Fixed length subnet mask). In FLSM all subnets use same subnet mask, this lead to inefficiencies.
Basic of Network Addressing
In real life scenario, some subnets may require large number of host addresses while other may require
only few addresses.
For example, assume that you are a network administrator at ABC Software. Company has three
departments connected with wan links.

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Development department has 74 computers.

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Production department has 52 computers.

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Administrative department has 28 computers.

All departments are connected with each other via wan link.
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Each wan link requires two IP addresses.

With FLSM, to accumulate this requirement we have two choices, either purchase a class B IP address or
purchase at least two class C IP addresses.

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 a) First choice (purchase a class B IP address)
172.168.1.0/23
Subnetting of this address would give us 128 subnets and 510 hosts in each subnet. Our network requires
only 6 subnets and 160 addresses. We would have to pay for 65356 addresses while you need only 160
addresses. Every IP address adds more dollars in company bill. Would you consider this address space for
company?
b) Second choice (purchase at least two Class C IP addresses)
192.168.1.0/25
192.168.2.0/26
Subnetting of first address 192.168.1.0/25 would give us 2 subnets and 126 hosts in each subnet.
Subnetting of second address 192.168.2.0/26 would give us 4 subnets and 62 hosts in each subnet.

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Collectively we are getting 6 subnets and 500 hosts from these two address spaces. We are still wasting

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more than 300 IP address, and we would have to purchase two address spaces.

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Variable Length Subnet Mask
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Variable Length Subnet Mask (VLSM) extends classic Subnetting. VLSM is a process of breaking down
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subnets into the smaller subnets, according to the need of individual networks. In above example
company has requirement of 6 subnets and 160 host addresses. With VSLM you can fulfill this
requirement with single class C address space.
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VLSM Subnetting
In VLSM Subnetting, we do Subnetting of subnets according the network requirement.
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Steps for VLSM Subnetting

i. Find the largest segment. Segment which need largest number of hosts address.
ii. Do Subnetting to fulfill the requirement of largest segment.
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iii. Assign the appropriate subnet mask for the largest segment.
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iv. For second largest segments, take one of these newly created subnets and apply a different, more
appropriate, subnet mask to it.
v. Assign the appropriate subnet mask for the second largest segment.
vi. Repeat this process until the last network.
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VLSM Example
Now you know the steps of VLSM Subnetting. Let's understand it with above example. Our company
requires 6 subnets and 160 hosts.

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 Step 1:- Oder all segments according the hosts requirement (Largest to smallest).
Subnet Segment Hosts
1 Development 74
2 Production 52
3 Administrative 28
4 Wan link 1 2
5 Wan link 2 2
6 Wan link 3 2

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Step 2:- Do subnetting for largest segment. Our largest segment needs 74 host addresses. /25 provide us

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two subnets with 126 hosts in each subnet.

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192.168.1.0/25
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Subnet Subnet 1
Network ID 192.168.1.0
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First host address 192.168.1.1

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Last host address 192.168.1.126

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Broadcast ID 192.168.1.127
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Step 3:- Assign subnet mask to the largest segment. As you can see in above table, subnet 1 fulfills our
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largest segment requirement. Assign it to our segment.

Segment Development
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Requirement 74
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CIDR /25
Subnet mask 255.255.255.128
Network ID 192.168.1.0
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First host 192.168.1.1

Last host 192.168.1.126
Broadcast ID 192.168.1.127

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 Step 4:- Do subnetting for second largest segment from next available subnet. Next segment requires 52
host addresses. Subnetting of /26 will give us two subnets with 62 hosts in the subnet.
/26 provide us 4 subnets with 62 hosts in each subnet.
192.168.1.0/26
Segment Production
Requirement 52
CIDR /26
Subnet mask 255.255.255.192
Network ID 192.168.1.128
First host 192.168.1.129
Last host 192.168.1.190

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Broadcast ID 192.168.1.191

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Step 5:- Our next segment requires 28 hosts. Subnetting of /27 will give us two subnets with 30 hosts in
the subnet. rs e
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192.168.1.0/27
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Subnets 1 to 6 [address from 0 to 191] are already occupied by previous segments. We can assign subnet
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7 to this segment.
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Segment Administrative
Requirement 28
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CIDR /27
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Subnet mask 255.255.255.224

Network ID 192.168.1.192
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First host 192.168.1.193

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Last host 192.168.1.222

Broadcast ID 192.168.1.223
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Step 6:- Our last three segments require 2 hosts per subnet. Do subnetting for these.
192.168.1.0/30

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 Wan Link 1
Segments Wan Link 1
Requirement 2
CIDR /30
Subnet mask 255.255.255.252
Network ID 192.168.1.224
First hosts 192.168.1.225
Last hosts 192.168.1.226
Broadcast ID 192.168.1.227

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Wan Link 2

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Segments Wan Link 2

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Requirement 2

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CIDR /30
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Subnet mask 255.255.255.252
Network ID 192.168.1.228
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First hosts 192.168.1.229

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Last hosts 192.168.1.230

Broadcast ID 192.168.1.231
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Wan link 3
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Segments Wan Link 3

Requirement 2
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CIDR /30
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Subnet mask 255.255.255.252

Network ID 192.168.1.232
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First hosts 192.168.1.233

Last hosts 192.168.1.234
Broadcast ID 192.168.1.235

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 We have assigned IP addresses to all segments, still we have 20 addresses available. This is the magic of
VLSM.

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