Prestige 2602H/HW Series User’s Guide

told otherwise. Let's say you select 192.168.1.0 as the network number; which covers 254 individual addresses, from 192.168.1.1 to 192.168.1.254 (zero and 255 are reserved). In other words, the first three numbers specify the network number while the last number identifies an individual computer on that network.

Once you have decided on the network number, pick an IP address that is easy to remember, for instance, 192.168.1.1, for your Prestige, but make sure that no other device on your network is using that IP address.

The subnet mask specifies the network number portion of an IP address. Your Prestige will compute the subnet mask automatically based on the IP address that you entered. You don't need to change the subnet mask computed by the Prestige unless you are instructed to do otherwise.

4.5.1.1 Private IP Addresses

Every machine on the Internet must have a unique address. If your networks are isolated from the Internet, for example, 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

You can obtain your IP address from the IANA, from an ISP or it can be 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.

Note: Regardless of your particular situation, do not create an arbitrary IP address; always follow the guidelines above. For more information on address assignment, please refer to RFC 1597, Address Allocation for Private Internets and RFC 1466, Guidelines for Management of IP Address Space.

4.5.2 RIP Setup

RIP (Routing Information Protocol) allows a router to exchange routing information with other routers. The RIP Direction field controls the sending and receiving of RIP packets. When set to:

•Both - the Prestige will broadcast its routing table periodically and incorporate the RIP information that it receives.

•In Only - the Prestige will not send any RIP packets but will accept all RIP packets received.

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Chapter 4 LAN Setup