RE: Network problems - please help. - explanation

[tcooper hns com]

The point is that the first octet is 127.  Class A addresses have a natural
subnet mask which is 8 bits long.  The first octet is the network part of
the address, with the last three octets being the host part.

This means that the 127 network is one big stinkin' segment, with valid
addresses ranging from 127.0.0.1 all the way up to 127.255.255.254.  A
total of  16,777,216 hosts.  That network would be big enough to support an
individual IP address for every man, woman, child and toaster in the
Washington DC metropolitan area, with a few addresses to spare, and NO
routers required.