Start with one simple subnet
A small home can begin with a subnet such as 192.168.10.0/24. It normally provides 254 host addresses; .0 identifies the network and .255 is broadcast.
| Example range | Purpose |
|---|---|
| 192.168.10.1 | Default gateway |
| .2–.49 | Reservations for switches, APs and NAS |
| .50–.199 | DHCP clients |
| .200–.239 | Lab or temporary static devices |
Prefer DHCP reservations
Reserve the MAC address of a NAS or AP on the router so addressing stays in one source of truth. If a device needs a static address, keep it outside the pool and record its gateway, mask and DNS settings.
Separate DNS failure from Internet failure
- Test the local gateway.
- Test an external IP such as
1.1.1.1. - If IP works but names fail, inspect DNS configuration and server health.
Address register Record device name, MAC, reservation, VLAN, location, management URL and change date. Do not store passwords in this sheet.
Avoid overlap
Two sites using the same common subnet can conflict across a VPN or double-NAT link. If remote access matters, avoid the most common factory-default subnet.