This N10-009 practice question tests your understanding of networking concepts. Match the stated requirement to the specific cloud service, access model, or configuration option — many options are valid in isolation but not for this scenario. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
A network administrator is configuring IP addresses for a new subnet. The network address is 192.168.1.0 with a subnet mask of 255.255.255.240. How many usable host addresses are available on this subnet?
14
A /28 subnet yields 16 addresses; after removing the network and broadcast addresses, 14 host addresses remain usable.
16
Why wrong: 16 is the total number of addresses in the subnet, including the network and broadcast addresses, not the usable count.
30
Why wrong: 30 usable hosts would correspond to a /27 subnet (255.255.255.224).
62
Why wrong: 62 usable hosts would correspond to a /26 subnet (255.255.255.192).
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
14
The subnet mask 255.255.255.240 (or /28) provides 16 total addresses per subnet. The network address (192.168.1.0) and the broadcast address (192.168.1.15) are reserved, leaving 16 - 2 = 14 usable host addresses. This is calculated as 2^(32-28) - 2 = 2^4 - 2 = 16 - 2 = 14.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
14
Why this is correct
A /28 subnet yields 16 addresses; after removing the network and broadcast addresses, 14 host addresses remain usable.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
16
Why it's wrong here
16 is the total number of addresses in the subnet, including the network and broadcast addresses, not the usable count.
30
Why it's wrong here
30 usable hosts would correspond to a /27 subnet (255.255.255.224).
62
Why it's wrong here
62 usable hosts would correspond to a /26 subnet (255.255.255.192).
Common exam traps
The trap here is that candidates often forget to subtract the network and broadcast addresses, selecting the total number of addresses (16) instead of the usable host count (14).
Detailed technical explanation
The subnet mask 255.255.255.240 has 28 bits set to 1, meaning 4 bits are available for host addresses. The formula 2^h - 2 (where h = number of host bits) yields 14 usable addresses. In real-world scenarios, this /28 subnet is commonly used for small VLANs or point-to-point links where only a few devices are needed, and the reserved network and broadcast addresses are defined by RFC 950.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
A network engineer segments a warehouse floor into three subnets: 20 scanners, 5 printers, and 2 management hosts. Picking the wrong mask wastes addresses or leaves too few usable hosts. Exam questions test whether you can apply CIDR notation, calculate block size, and identify the correct usable-host range for a given prefix.
What to study next
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FAQ
Networking Concepts — This question tests Networking Concepts — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: 14 — The subnet mask 255.255.255.240 (or /28) provides 16 total addresses per subnet. The network address (192.168.1.0) and the broadcast address (192.168.1.15) are reserved, leaving 16 - 2 = 14 usable host addresses. This is calculated as 2^(32-28) - 2 = 2^4 - 2 = 16 - 2 = 14.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 11, 2026
This N10-009 practice question is part of Courseiva's free CompTIA certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the N10-009 exam.
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