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32 Configuring for Internet Access
IP Addresses and the Internet
Conventionally, the Internet (with a capital I) refers the large-scale
interconnected networks across the world that was originally developed
by the US Department of Defense. The Internet uses exclusively the
TCP/IP suite of protocols. The term “internet” (lower case i), however,
refers to any interconnected networks using any protocol. An internet
can be as simple as two hosts on a LAN, or it can be as complex as the
Internet itself.
Every machine on the Internet must have a unique address within that
internet. If your networks are isolated from the Internet, e.g., only
between your two branch offices, 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
For this reason, it is recommended that you choose your network
number from the above list.
You can obtain your IP address from the IANA, from an ISP, or
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.
O NOTE: REGARDLESS OF YOUR PARTICULAR SITUATION, DO NOT CREATE AN
ARBITRARY IP ADDRESS; ALWAYS FOLLOW THE GUIDELINES ABOVE. FOR MORE
INFORMATION ON ADDRESS ASSIGNMENT, REFER TO RFC 1597, ADDRESS