ZyXEL Communications FMG3025-D10A User Manual

Page of 316
Appendix A IP Addresses and Subnetting
FMG3024-D10A / FMG3025-D10A Series User’s Guide
250
Configuring IP Addresses
Where you obtain your network number depends on your particular situation. If the ISP or your 
network administrator assigns you a block of registered IP addresses, follow their instructions in 
selecting the IP addresses and the subnet mask.
If the ISP did not explicitly give you an IP network number, then most likely you have a single user 
account and the ISP will assign you a dynamic IP address when the connection is established. If this 
is the case, it is recommended that you select a network number from 192.168.0.0 to 
192.168.255.0. The Internet Assigned Number Authority (IANA) reserved this block of addresses 
specifically for private use; please do not use any other number unless you are told otherwise. You 
must also enable Network Address Translation (NAT) on the Device. 
Once you have decided on the network number, pick an IP address for your Device that is easy to 
remember (for instance, 192.168.1.1) but make sure that no other device on your network is using 
that IP address.
The subnet mask specifies the network number portion of an IP address. Your Device will compute 
the subnet mask automatically based on the IP address that you entered. You don't need to change 
the subnet mask computed by the Device unless you are instructed to do otherwise.
Private IP Addresses
Every machine on the Internet must have a unique address. If your networks are isolated from the 
Internet (running only between two branch offices, for example) you can assign any IP addresses to 
the hosts without problems. However, the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA) has 
reserved the following three blocks of IP addresses specifically for private networks:
• 10.0.0.0     — 10.255.255.255
• 172.16.0.0   — 172.31.255.255
• 192.168.0.0 — 192.168.255.255
You can obtain your IP address from the IANA, from an ISP, or it can be assigned from a private 
network. If you belong to a small organization and your Internet access is through an ISP, the ISP 
can provide you with the Internet addresses for your local networks. On the other hand, if you are 
part of a much larger organization, you should consult your network administrator for the 
appropriate IP addresses.
Regardless of your particular situation, do not create an arbitrary IP address; always follow the 
guidelines above. For more information on address assignment, please refer to RFC 1597, Address 
Allocation for Private Internets and RFC 1466, Guidelines for Management of IP Address Space.
IP Address Conflicts
Each device on a network must have a unique IP address. Devices with duplicate IP addresses on 
the same network will not be able to access the Internet or other resources. The devices may also 
be unreachable through the network. 
Conflicting Computer IP Addresses Example
More than one device can not use the same IP address. In the following example computer has a 
static (or fixed) IP address that is the same as the IP address that a DHCP server assigns to