QID:NA604 query

[havenlad]

host IP 10.0.0.249
subnet mask 255.255.255.0
Question is what should the default gateway be

With this mask, the range is 10.0.0.0 to 255
.0 should be the gateway and 255 the broadcast

Why then does the explanation say 10.0.0.0 cannot be used as a host (the question was regarding the gateway, not the host) and it says the gateway would be 254.  Why would you have a default gateway as 254 on this mask - that would be madness and a waste of hosts!!!

[forumsupport]

.0 is the network address. How can you assign it to the default gateway? Default gateway is the router interface that is connected to this network. It has to be a valid host address on this network.

The word "Host" does not always mean a PC. It may also be a router.

[havenlad]

Aggghhh - almost the same silly question as the other one - sorry again