What is the purpose of a subnet in hierarchical addressing?

• A. To further divide the network address into smaller segments
• B. To connect to the internet
• C. To support more host addresses
• D. To define the default gateway

Answer: (A)

Subnets let you break a big network into smaller, logical pieces. In hierarchical addressing, this division creates multiple subnetworks within a single larger network, so routers can route traffic using the network prefix rather than every individual host. Subnetting borrows bits from the host portion to form new network bits, producing smaller subnets with their own address ranges. This containment of broadcasts and more focused routing make the network easier to manage and the routing tables more scalable. It isn’t primarily about connecting to the internet, increasing the total number of hosts, or defining a default gateway.