Class E IP Address
Class E IP Address Definition
A Class E IP address is a type of IPv4 address from a legacy classification system used to organize IP networks. Class E ranges from 240.0.0.0 to 255.255.255.254 and supports 268,435,456 theoretical addresses. This class was never assigned for public use. Instead, it was intended for experimental use and reserved for possible future adoption.
The class-based IP classification system was largely replaced in the early 1990s by CIDR (Classless Inter-Domain Routing). That’s because the new system is more efficient and flexible, allowing for more precise allocation of IP addresses. In rare cases, Class E IP addresses can still be found on private legacy systems that were configured specifically to work with them.
How Class E IP Addresses Work
Like all IPv4 addresses, Class E IPs use 32 bits divided into four octets. These IP addresses were intended for testing in laboratory environments without conflicting with the live public internet.
Most operating systems and routers are configured to discard Class E traffic, apart from one widely recognized exception: 255.255.255.255. This is known as the “limited broadcast” address. It sends a message to every device on a local network to request an IP address when a user first logs on. Since routers don’t forward limited broadcast traffic beyond a local network, it prevents the broadcast from overwhelming the wider internet.
Class E IP Addresses vs Other IP Addresses
| IP range | Hosts per network | Number of networks | Use cases | |
| Class A IP Address | 0.0.0.0 to 127.255.255.255 | 16,777,214 | 128 (126 usable) | Large organizations and ISPs |
| Class B IP Address | 128.0.0.0 to 191.255.255.255 | 65,534 (65,534 usable) | 16,384 | Medium to large organizations and ISPs |
| Class C IP Address | 192.0.0.0 to 223.255.255.255 | 254 | 2,097,152 | LANs, office networks, and small websites |
| Class D IP Address | 224.0.0.0 to 239.255.255.255 | Not applicable | Not applicable | Multicasting (video conferencing, gaming) |
| Class E IP Address | 240.0.0.0 to 255.255.255.255 | Not applicable | Not applicable | Experimental, not intended for public use |
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FAQ
Class E IP addresses are reserved for experimental use by the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF). Most modern operating systems and routers are programmed to discard them, which means Сlass E IP addresses don’t work on the public internet without special configuration.
Class D and E IP addresses serve different purposes. Class D IP addresses are used for multicasting, sending data to multiple devices at once. Class E IP addresses are reserved for experimental use and aren’t intended for production networks.
An example of a Сlass E IP address is 245.120.45.1, since it falls within the Сlass E range of 240.0.0.0 to 255.255.255.255. Routers block traffic to and from this range, so it can’t be used on the internet.
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