IP address range
A continuous interval of IP addresses.
Definition
An IP range describes addresses between a first and last value. A CIDR block is one common way to express an aligned range. Databases may split a network into many smaller ranges when the location, operator or classification data changes.
Worked example
IPQuery’s directory groups exported records into IPv4 /8 and /16 profiles and substantive IPv6 /32 profiles. A profile’s data-range count measures intersecting CSV records, not unique users or announced routes.
- Normalized network
8.8.0.0/16- Addresses in the block
- 65,536
- Data ranges in this profile
- 77
- First address
- 8.8.0.0
- Last address
- 8.8.255.255
Address count is the mathematical block size. Data ranges are intersecting exported records. Neither is a count of active hosts.
Interpretation
The boundaries in a geolocation database need not match registry allocations or live BGP announcements. The profile labels explain whether a value is a source range, an aggregate prefix or a selected example.
Matching rules and limits