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SonicOS Enhanced 4.0 Administrator Guide
CHAPTER 19
Chapter 19: Configuring Address Objects

Network > Address Objects

Address Objects are one of four object classes (Address, User, Service, and Schedule) in
SonicOS Enhanced. These Address Objects allow for entities to be defined one time, and to be
re-used in multiple referential instances throughout the SonicOS interface. For example, take
an internal Web-Server with an IP address of 67.115.118.80. Rather than repeatedly typing in
the IP address when constructing Access Rules or NAT Policies, Address Objects allow you to
create a single entity called “My Web Server” as a Host Address Object with an IP address of
67.115.118.80. This Address Object, “My Web Server” can then be easily and efficiently
selected from a drop-down menu in any configuration screen that employs Address Objects as
a defining criterion.

Types of Address Objects

Since there are multiple types of network address expressions, there are currently the following
Address Objects types:
• Host – Host Address Objects define a single host by its IP address. The netmask for a Host
Address Object will automatically be set to 32 bit (255.255.255.255) to identify it as a single
host. For example, “My Web Server” with an IP address of “67.115.118.110” and a default
netmask of “255.255.255.255”
• Range – Range Address Objects define a range of contiguous IP addresses. No netmask
is associated with Range Address Objects, but internal logic generally treats each member
of the specified range as a 32 bit-masked Host object. For example “My Public Servers”
with an IP address starting value of “67.115.118.66” and an ending value of
“67.115.118.90”. All 25 individual host addresses in this range would be comprised by this
Range Address Object.
• Network – Network Address Objects are like Range objects in that they comprise multiple
hosts, but rather than being bound by specified upper and lower range delimiters, the
boundaries are defined by a valid netmask. Network Address Objects must be defined by
the network’s address and a corresponding netmask. For example “My Public Network” with
a Network Value of “67.115.118.64” and a Netmask of “255.255.255.224” would comprise
addresses from 67.115.118.64 through to 67.115.118.95. As a general rule, the first
address in a network (the network address) and the last address in a network (the
broadcast address) are unusable.