Which description best matches Class C networks?

• A. They provide a large number of networks with up to 254 hosts per network
• B. They provide a large number of networks with up to 65,534 hosts per network
• C. They provide a small number of networks with many hosts per network
• D. They provide private addresses only

Answer: (A)

Class C networks use a 24-bit network portion with an 8-bit host portion, so the default mask is 255.255.255.0. This means each network can have up to 2^8 minus 2 usable addresses, which is 254 hosts. Because the network part covers three octets, there are many possible network identifiers, each supporting up to 254 hosts. That combination—many networks, each with a small to moderate number of hosts—fits the description well.

This contrasts with Class B, which would allow many networks with up to 65,534 hosts per network, and Class A, which would mean a small number of networks each capable of many hosts. Private-address-only describes a property not tied to Class C specifically, since private blocks exist within multiple classes.