IP Subnet Calculator · Practical guide
What Subnet Mask Do You Need for 50 Hosts?
For 50 hosts, use a /26 (255.255.255.192) — 62 usable addresses with room to spare.
At a glance
The Answer: /26, or 255.255.255.192
For 50 hosts you need at least 52 addresses — the 50 devices plus the network and broadcast addresses. Host bits must satisfy 2^h − 2 ≥ 50, and h = 6 works: 2^6 − 2 = 62 usable addresses. With 6 host bits out of 32, the prefix is /26 and the mask is 255.255.255.192. A /27 (30 usable) would be too small; a /25 (126 usable) would waste 76 addresses.
Interactive tool
IP Subnet Calculator
Enter your own values, then compare the result with the examples below.
Subnet Details
Sizing a Subnet to Any Host Count
| Hosts Needed | Prefix | Subnet Mask | Usable Addresses |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | /28 | 255.255.255.240 | 14 |
| 25 | /27 | 255.255.255.224 | 30 |
| 50 | /26 | 255.255.255.192 | 62 |
| 100 | /25 | 255.255.255.128 | 126 |
| 200 | /24 | 255.255.255.0 | 254 |
| 500 | /23 | 255.255.254.0 | 510 |
| 1,000 | /22 | 255.255.252.0 | 1,022 |
Leave Headroom for Growth
Sizing exactly to today's count is a common mistake. If a department has 50 devices now, a /26 fills up the moment it adds a thirteenth printer, camera, or phone. Choosing a /25 (126 usable) costs nothing extra in private address space and avoids a painful renumbering project later. A common guideline is to size for at least 1.5–2× your current device count.
Verify Before You Deploy
Once you've picked a size, confirm the details with the calculator above: enter the network's base IP and prefix to get the exact network address, broadcast address, first and last usable host, and the wildcard mask for ACLs. For 50 hosts starting at 192.168.10.0/26, that's network 192.168.10.0, broadcast 192.168.10.63, and usable range .1 through .62.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does 50 hosts need 52 addresses?
Every subnet reserves its first address as the network address and its last as the broadcast address. So usable capacity is always 2^hostbits minus 2, and 6 host bits (64 total) is the smallest size that covers 50.
Can I use a /27 if I have exactly 30 devices?
Technically yes — a /27 has exactly 30 usable addresses — but you'd have zero room for a single new device. In practice, size up to a /26.
What if I need more than 254 hosts?
Move below /24. A /23 gives 510 usable addresses, a /22 gives 1,022, and each step down doubles capacity. The mask simply extends into the third octet: /23 is 255.255.254.0.
Does subnet size affect speed or security?
Smaller subnets reduce broadcast traffic and contain the blast radius of a compromised device, since broadcast domains stop at subnet boundaries. That's a practical reason not to put an entire organization on one /16.