Maximize subnets or hosts?

As a general rule, when you have questions that ask for a mask that gives you X networks and X hosts, which should you maximize? I just got this question from subnettingquestions.com this morning:

You are designing a subnet mask for the 172.23.0.0 network. You want 70 subnets with up to 300 hosts per subnet. What subnet mask should you use?

Answer: 255.255.254.0

My first instinct was to borrow 1 bit to give you the 70 subnets. Was the "up to 300 hosts" supposed to tip me off to the fact that I should maximize for subnets? I have subnettingquestions.com set as my home page btw. If you make yourself answer a question every time you open IE, you get in alot of practice

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Comments

jamesleecoleman

I always go for the X amount of hosts first. When I find that, then I usually have my answer.

DevilWAH

xenodamus wrote: »

As a general rule, when you have questions that ask for a mask that gives you X networks and X hosts, which should you maximize? I just got this question from subnettingquestions.com this morning:

You are designing a subnet mask for the 172.23.0.0 network. You want 70 subnets with up to 300 hosts per subnet. What subnet mask should you use?

Answer: 255.255.254.0

My first instinct was to borrow 1 bit to give you the 70 subnets. Was the "up to 300 hosts" supposed to tip me off to the fact that I should maximize for subnets? I have subnettingquestions.com set as my home page btw. If you make yourself answer a question every time you open IE, you get in alot of practice

that question is saying ensure each subnet can support up to 300 hosts.
so you want to have 70+ subnets each with 300+ hosts. This is an "and" situation.

And nice idea to set it as home page

blackninja

"You are designing a subnet mask for the 172.23.0.0 network. You want 70 subnets with up to 300 hosts per subnet. What subnet mask should you use?"

The only answer to that question is: 255.255.254.0

#of subnets----# of hosts

255.255.254.0 ----128

510
255.255.252.0 ----64

1022
255.255.248.0 ----32

2046

In questions: Always go for the subnets first, the hosts usually fall right, if the correct number of subnets are picked.

They are always going to ask for a number of networks and hosts that is do-able (is that even a word?).

xenodamus

Crap...I think this was just a brainfart moment. Borrowing 1 bit makes no sense. Must have been too early for subnetting this morning lol. Thanks for the help, though.