What are the categories of ip addresses? Briefly describe the range of values for the first octet of each classified address.

Based on the classification of IP addresses, IP addresses can be categorized into five classes: class A, class B class C class D, and class E. The class A address is the first octet of the first byte.

1. Class A Addresses: Class A addresses start with the high 0 of the first byte and range from 1.000 to 126255255255.The network portion of a Class A address has only the first byte and can support up to 16.77 million+ hosts. Typically, Class A addresses are assigned for use by large networking organizations or international organizations.

2. Class B address: Class B address is started from the high 10 of the first byte and ranges from 128.000 to 191255255255. the network portion of a Class B address has the first two bytes and can support up to 60,000+ hosts. a Class B address is generally assigned for use by mid-sized network organizations.

3. Class C Addresses: Class C addresses start with the high 110 of the first byte and range from 192.000 to 223255255255. the network portion of a Class C address has the first three bytes and can support up to 254 hosts. class C addresses are generally assigned for use by small network organizations.

4. Class D address: Class D address is started by the high 1110 of the first byte and ranges from 224.000 to 23925525525555. class D address is used for multicast (Multicast) communication, which is the simultaneous sending of packets to a group of target devices.

5. Class E Addresses: Class E addresses begin with the high bit 1111 of the first byte and range from 240.000 to 255255255255. Class E addresses are reserved for special purposes and are not currently used. In addition to these five classes of IP addresses, there are some special IP addresses that require special attention:

-127.001 is a local loopback address used to test that the network adapter is working properly.

-0.000 is for an unspecified address that can be used as a listening address for the server.

-255.255255255 is the broadcast address, which is used to send packets to all devices in the network.