What is Subnetting?

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Summary
A simple glossary definition of Subnetting, the practice of dividing a large network into smaller ones.

Subnetting

Definition: Subnetting is the practice of dividing a single, large network into multiple smaller, logically separated networks (called subnets).

Why it matters: Imagine a large office with 1,000 employees. If they were all on one massive network, the sheer amount of background “chatter” between computers (broadcast traffic) would slow everything down. Furthermore, if one computer caught a virus, it could easily spread to all 1,000 machines.

By using subnetting, network administrators can put the 100 sales employees in one subnet, and the 50 IT servers in another subnet. This improves network speed by keeping the chatter contained, and drastically improves security because a virus in the sales subnet cannot easily cross into the IT subnet.

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