Which IP address class is used for large networks?

Class A IP addresses are specifically designed for large networks. This class has a range that starts from 1.0.0.0 to 126.255.255.255, allowing for a massive number of hosts on each network. With Class A, the first octet (the first 8 bits) is used for the network portion, which means that it can accommodate over 16 million hosts in a single network, making it ideal for organizations that require extensive IP addressing.

Given their vast address space, Class A addresses are often used by large corporations, government entities, and Internet Service Providers (ISPs) that need to assign many IP addresses to a substantial number of devices and users. The significant number of available addresses allows these organizations to manage their extensive networks without running out of IPs.

In contrast, other classes like Class B and Class C are meant for medium and small networks respectively, with their corresponding limitations in terms of the number of usable IP addresses. Class D is not used for standard network addressing; instead, it is reserved for multicast groups.