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8. Conclusion

This document defines IP address space for private internets that can be used by any organization without registration with IANA or an Internet registry. The three defined address blocks are:

  • 10.0.0.0 - 10.255.255.255 (10/8 prefix)
  • 172.16.0.0 - 172.31.255.255 (172.16/12 prefix)
  • 192.168.0.0 - 192.168.255.255 (192.168/16 prefix)

The primary benefit of using these address blocks is conservation of globally unique IP address space and providing flexibility for enterprise internal networks. The main cost is the potential need for renumbering if future connection to the public Internet is required.

Enterprises should carefully weigh their current and future needs when deciding whether to use private address space. For enterprises with no plans to connect to the Internet or planning to connect only through Network Address Translation (NAT), private address space provides a practical solution.

Importantly, enterprises using private address space must ensure that these addresses do not leak to the public Internet and must properly configure routers and DNS servers to maintain appropriate separation between private and public address spaces.

As the Internet continues to grow and IPv6 is gradually deployed, the concept of private address space will continue to play an important role in network architecture design.

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