Subnetting can feel overwhelming for students. What’s your secret to making it simpler and even enjoyable? Any favorite methods, tools, or analogies to share?
Making Subnetting Fun and Easy
- Thread starter precious
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This may sound a little trite, but there's no substitute for practice, practice, and more practice!!!
Make sure they are as fluid with decimal-to-binary, and binary-to-decimal, as they are with 1+1=2!!!!
Absolutely NO use of any digital resources to support the learning!!! In my, never-to-be humble opinion,
the initial learning MUST BE manual in its entirety!!!! Call me ole (not the same as old) school, but this approach works!!!!
Before there's any actual subnetting performed, they must be able to write the equivalent binary of a dotted-decimal IP address! MUST!!! No ifs, ands,, whats, or buts about it!!!! Until this is MASTERED, the concept of subnetting SHOULD NOT be discussed.
Subnetting is challenging. Anyone who has come up through the networking ranks will readily admit that. However, no one came into the networking space knowing how to perform this task!!!
That mastery of writing the binary and decimal equivalents may sound trivial, but that's almost the silver bullet in getting to the finish line with subnetting. Without that ability, I truly feel that the learner, and the educator, are both kidding themselves that this concept will be digested.
I don't know a lot, but I KNOW my prescription works!!!!
I like your points.....
and honestly, binary fluency is the real MVP. Now, where's my whistle for these subnetting bootcamp recruits?
I've got a backup whistle if you're unable to locate yoursI like your points.....
Perfect! Just make sure it’s loud enough to wake up their IP brains!I've got a backup whistle if you're unable to locate yours
I can't leave off this particular subject without, really mentioning the Magic Number method, which comes from the CCNA instruction materials. I know the purists like the idea of teaching binary, followed by nifty techniques like "binary bucks", "pipes and bubbles" or the like that rely on binary. But for me, I use Magic Number to make sure I don't spend too much time on subnetting questions for the Net+.
Thanks for sharing the video............I love it; anything that keeps us from getting lost in binary mazes is a win in my book.
"I know the purists like the idea of teaching binary". Why don't you just mention my name!!!!
No need to be diplomatic
I've not heard of any "binary bucks"! Nor have I heard of any "pipes and bubbles".
Are you sure we're talking about the same thing - subnetting? I've been around
this stuff since I had a full head of hair, and I've not heard a whisper about either of
these techniques - not that it would matter anyway!
I never heard of Magic Number until your post. It looks like a shortcut, and there
will be NO shortcuts permitted when learning this concept! That means, NO use of
this Magic Number!!! I don't want to sound too much like a Lt. Col. but, are we clear
I don't educate to be successful at attaining a passing score on an exam!!! My focus is
on getting folks prepared to perform in the practical world. It just doesn't reflect well
on the networking certification, when the candidate is asked, during the interview, for
the command that will display the routing table on a Cisco router, and he/she can't
provide the answer. Oh, but that same candidate has a certification that suggest that
he/she should know!
I'm going to sleep now, cause I can sense my blood pressure starting to move in an
unhealthy direction
Happy 2025!!!!
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If I'm going to mention you, you don't have to worry. I do know where the @ is."I know the purists like the idea of teaching binary". Why don't you just mention my name!!!!
No need to be diplomatic
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It sounds like I might have to do a little train the trainer on these two techniques. I actually am quite serious; they are valid teaching strategies in helping students understand the concept of subnetting.
Well, I have. to say that would be your loss. If it's good enough for Cisco, it's good enough for me.I never heard of Magic Number until your post. It looks like a shortcut, and there
will be NO shortcuts permitted when learning this concept! That means, NO use of
this Magic Number!!! I don't want to sound too much like a Lt. Col. but, are we clear
Actually, It is a very practical skill to know. It does help you to properly lay out a subnet in such a way that you don't have to sit around and try to mathematically derive everything. I've personally used Magic Number in a number of routing problems - in the real world. It works quite well. Might be time for ol' Trevor to update some of his foundational skills, maybe?
I recommend a healthy diet and exercise. Even a gentleman of your years can benefit from a good walk outside. Stress is a killer, trust me on this.I'm going to sleep now, cause I can sense my blood pressure starting to move in an
unhealthy direction
Is this Magic Number approach supposed to be able to help the learner with the elevated concept of VLSM as well?
By simplifying the process of subnetting and making the calculation more intuitive, it can give learners a clearer understanding of how to divide IP address spaces efficiently.
Is this Magic Number approach supposed to simplify the process of subnetting? I'm certainly all in favor of any procedure that will make any concept more intuitive!!!
Exactly!......It makes subnetting feel like less of a mystery by offering a more straightforward approach.
Then it appears that I was a little bit hasty in my pushback on this Magic Number thingy. I'll now have to reverse my mindset, and take a look at it.
I'm still amazed that I've never even heard of Magic Number!!!
It's always interesting to come across new concepts..... This community is such a great place for us to share our experiences
I totally agree!!!
Being able to post a question out here, and receive a high-level response, that
will save me days of research, is truly a testament to this community being, as you
say, such a great place!!!
See now am confident to have a like minded who likes posting am confident to do so I know I have your back