What is the Difference Between Subnetting and Supernetting?

The main difference between subnetting and supernetting lies in the way they manage IP addresses in a network.

Subnetting:

• Subnetting is the process of dividing a single large network into multiple smaller subnetworks, known as subnets.
• This technique helps to increase the efficiency of routing and reduce the size of routing tables.
• Subnetting is implemented via Variable-length Subnet Masking (VLSM).
• In subnetting, network addresses' bits are increased.

Supernetting:

• Supernetting is the opposite of subnetting, where multiple small networks are combined into a larger network, called a Supernetwork or Supernet.
• This technique is mainly used for route summarization, which simplifies the routing process and reduces the size of routing tables.
• Supernetting is implemented via Classless Interdomain Routing (CIDR).
• In supernetting, host addresses' bits are increased.

In summary, subnetting and supernetting are techniques used to organize IP addresses in a logical order based on the situation. Subnetting divides a large network into smaller subnets, while supernetting combines small networks into a larger one. These strategies are used to increase IP address availability and decrease IP address depletion.

Comparative Table: Subnetting vs Supernetting

The main differences between subnetting and supernetting are as follows:

In summary, subnetting divides a network into smaller subnetworks, while supernetting combines smaller subnetworks into a larger network. Both techniques are used to organize IP addresses in a logical order and have different purposes, with subnetting focusing on network management and security, and supernetting focusing on routing optimization and IP address conservation.