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CIDR /16Link-Local (APIPA)Link-Local / APIPA Auto-Configuration

169.254.0.0/16 Subnet Calculator & Range | ipcalc.net

Complete subnet breakdown for 169.254.0.0/16 (Link-Local / APIPA Auto-Configuration): Netmask 255.255.0.0, host range 169.254.0.1 - 169.254.255.254, usable hosts: 65,534.

Enter any notation: 192.168.1.1/24, 10.0.0.1 255.255.255.0, or plain IP

Subnet Mask Prefix: /16Netmask: 255.255.0.0
Presets:

32-Bit Subnet Boundary Visualizer

Click any bit position to adjust the CIDR prefix boundary

Network (16 bits)
Host (16 bits)
Octet 1169Mask: 255
11111111
Octet 2254Mask: 255
11111111
Octet 30Mask: 0
00000000
Octet 40Mask: 0
00000000
Usable Hosts
65,534
Total IPs: 65,536
Network Address
169.254.0.0
Prefix: /16
Usable Host Range
169.254.0.1
169.254.255.254
Broadcast Address
169.254.255.255
Subnet Broadcast

Detailed Subnet Breakdown

Link-Local (APIPA)
Subnet Mask
255.255.0.0
Wildcard Mask (Cisco ACL)
0.0.255.255
Hexadecimal IP / Mask
0xA9FE0000 / 0xFFFF0000
Integer / Decimal IP
2851995648
IP Class & Routing
Class B • Classless Inter-Domain Routing (CIDR)
Reverse DNS (in-addr.arpa)
0.0.254.169.in-addr.arpa
Cisco IOS Command Templates
ip address 169.254.0.0 255.255.0.0
access-list 1 permit 169.254.0.0 0.0.255.255

Technical Subnet Specifications

Prefix Length/16
Dotted Decimal Subnet Mask255.255.0.0
Wildcard Mask (Inverse)0.0.255.255
Total Available IP Addresses65,536
Usable Host Capacity65,534 hosts
Network Bits vs Host Bits16 Network / 16 Host
Binary Subnet Mask11111111.11111111.00000000.00000000

Cisco IOS Configuration

Copy-paste templates for Cisco router and switch interface setup:

! Configure Interface

interface GigabitEthernet0/0/1

ip address 169.254.0.1 255.255.0.0

no shutdown

! Access-Control List

access-list 10 permit 169.254.0.0 0.0.255.255

Tip: Wildcard mask is computed by inverting the subnet mask (~mask).

Typical Network Use Cases for /16

A /16 network block provides 65,536 total IP addresses with 65,534 usable host interfaces.

Designated Role: Class B Enterprise Network (65,534 usable).

Frequently Asked Questions: /16 (255.255.0.0)

Authoritative answers to common /16 subnetting, host capacity, and networking questions.

Q1How many usable hosts are in a /16 subnet?
A /16 subnet provides 65,534 usable host IP addresses out of 65,536 total addresses. In IPv4 networking, 2 addresses are reserved: the network address (169.254.0.0) and the directed broadcast address (169.254.255.255). Formula: 2^(32 - 16) - 2 = 65,534 usable hosts.
Q2What is the subnet mask and wildcard mask for /16?
The dotted-decimal subnet mask for a /16 prefix is 255.255.0.0. The corresponding wildcard mask (used in Cisco ACLs and OSPF network statements) is 0.0.255.255. In binary, the subnet mask consists of 16 network bits (1s) followed by 16 host bits (0s).
Q3What are the network, broadcast, and usable IP ranges for 169.254.0.0/16?
For the 169.254.0.0/16 subnet: the Network Address is 169.254.0.0, the Broadcast Address is 169.254.255.255, and the usable host range extends from 169.254.0.1 through 169.254.255.254. Any host interface configured in this subnet must have an IP within this range and netmask 255.255.0.0.
Q4What is a /16 subnet typically used for in network design?
A /16 subnet is typically deployed for class b enterprise network (65,534 usable). In enterprise and cloud environments (such as AWS VPCs or Azure VNets), /16 allocations provide the optimal balance between host capacity and address conservation.
Q5What does /16 mean in CIDR notation?
Classless Inter-Domain Routing (CIDR) notation expresses the subnet mask as a forward slash followed by the prefix length. A /16 prefix indicates that the first 16 bits of the 32-bit IPv4 address are locked for network identification, leaving the remaining 16 bits available for addressing host interfaces.