This question already has an answer here: How does IPv4 Subnetting Work? 5 answers If you click on this link WHO IS query You will see the results from a who is query for a random IP address. On the line "inetnum": "122.4.0.0/14", What does it mean for the prefix to be 14? I am using this as a reference Subnet Mask Cheatsheet While resolving it, I get a very wide range which is something like 122.7.0.0-122.4.0.0 I am not able to understand how the IP range is calculate from the subnet mask and I am only able to find calculators online and not a method to solve it.