Match each basic IPv4 concept to its most accurate role.
Drag a concept onto its matching description — or click a concept then click the description.
Defines network versus host portions of the address
Next hop used for off-subnet traffic
Address used to reach all hosts in the local broadcast domain
Address identifying an individual device in the subnet
⚠ Common exam trap
Do not confuse the subnet mask's role with that of the default gateway. The subnet mask helps identify the network, while the default gateway enables communication outside the local subnet.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
IP address: Unique identifier for a device on an IP network
An IP address uniquely identifies a device on an IP network. A subnet mask separates the network and host portions of an IP address, enabling devices to determine if a destination is local or remote. A default gateway is the router IP that forwards traffic to other networks when the destination is not on the local subnet. A DNS server translates domain names into IP addresses, allowing devices to reach websites by name.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
IP address: Unique identifier for a device on an IP network
Why this is correct
An IPv4 address is a logical 32-bit identifier assigned to each network interface that uniquely identifies that device within a given IP network. It consists of a network portion and a host portion, with the boundary determined by the subnet mask, and it enables packets to be delivered across interconnected networks using routing protocols. This uniqueness is what allows data to reach the correct destination rather than another device on the same or different subnet.
Subnet mask: Determines which part of an IP address is the network and which is the host
Why this is correct
A subnet mask is a 32-bit value that works in conjunction with an IPv4 address to distinguish the network portion from the host portion, using contiguous 1s followed by 0s in its binary representation. By performing a logical AND between the IP address and the subnet mask, a device can determine the network address and decide whether a destination is local or remote. The mask also defines the size of the broadcast domain and how many host addresses are available within that subnet.
Default gateway: IP address of the router that forwards traffic to other networks
Why this is correct
The default gateway is the IP address assigned to the router interface on the local subnet that acts as the exit point for all traffic destined to remote networks. When a host determines that the destination IP address is not on the same subnet, it encapsulates the packet in a frame addressed to the default gateway's MAC address, which then routes the packet onward. This configuration is essential for any device that needs to communicate beyond its directly connected network.
DNS server: Resolves domain names to IP addresses
Why this is correct
A DNS server performs the critical task of resolving human-friendly domain names such as www.cisco.com into the numeric IP addresses that routers and switches use to forward traffic. Without DNS, users would need to memorize and enter raw IPv4 addresses for every destination, which is impractical and error-prone. The resolution process relies on hierarchical queries that eventually return the authoritative A or AAAA record for the requested host.
Visual reference
Quick reference
| Class | First Octet Range | Default Mask | Networks | Hosts per Network |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | 1–126 | /8 (255.0.0.0) | 126 | 16,777,214 |
| B | 128–191 | /16 (255.255.0.0) | 16,384 | 65,534 |
| C | 192–223 | /24 (255.255.255.0) | 2,097,152 | 254 |
| D | 224–239 | N/A | Multicast groups | — |
| E | 240–255 | N/A | Reserved / experimental | — |
127.x.x.x is reserved for loopback. Modern networks use CIDR (classless) rather than classful addressing.
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Last reviewed: Apr 12, 2026
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