When using subnetting, what is the effect on the number of possible host addresses?

When subnetting is applied to an IP address space, it effectively subdivides a larger network into smaller, more manageable segments, known as subnets. While subnetting helps in organizing a network and improving performance through better isolation of traffic, it also has a direct impact on the number of usable host addresses within those subnets.

By borrowing bits from the host portion of the address to create subnet identifiers, the total number of bits left for hosts is reduced. This means that as you create more subnets by subnetting, you will have fewer addresses available for individual hosts in each subnet. Therefore, the total number of usable host IPs decreases as the network is divided.

In contrast, while subnetting creates isolated broadcast domains, that is not directly related to the number of usable host addresses. The misconception that subnetting could increase the number of host addresses arises from misunderstanding; it actually has the opposite effect. Furthermore, the assertion that subnetting only applies to Class A addresses is incorrect, as subnetting can be applied to any class of IP addresses (Class A, B, or C) to better manage network resources.