🌐 CIDR Merger (Supernet) Tool
Calculate the smallest supernet set from multiple CIDR blocks with step-by-step binary explanation
Your Result:
5 CIDR Blocks → 2 Optimal Supernets
Example with binary step explanations
📊 Input CIDR Blocks (5 networks)
192.168.2.0/24
192.168.3.0/24
10.0.0.0/16
172.16.0.0/12
Merged Result
Covers first 3 networks
Compression Ratio
5 blocks → 2 supernets
🔢 Step-by-Step Binary Analysis
📈 Optimization Summary
CIDR blocks
Supernets
Routing entries
How to Use This CIDR Merger (Supernet) Tool
How to Use the CIDR Merger Tool
- Enter CIDR Blocks - Paste your network ranges in CIDR notation, one per line or comma-separated
- Choose Output Format - Select detailed explanations, summary only, JSON, or CSV format
- Enable Binary Steps - Check this option to see step-by-step binary calculations
- Validate Input - Leave enabled to catch invalid CIDR notation and formatting errors
- Click Merge - The tool will calculate optimal supernets and display results with explanations
The tool automatically handles various input formats including comma-separated values, line-by-line entries, and mixed formatting. Invalid entries are clearly marked with specific error messages to help you correct any issues.
Input Format Examples
192.168.1.0/24, 192.168.2.0/24, 192.168.3.0/2410.0.0.0/8
172.16.0.0/12
192.168.0.0/16203.0.113.0/24 198.51.100.0/24 203.0.114.0/24
How It Works
How CIDR Supernetting Works
The CIDR Merger tool uses advanced binary analysis to find optimal network aggregation opportunities:
- Parse and Validate - Each CIDR block is converted to its binary network address and verified for correct notation
- Binary Comparison - Networks are compared bit-by-bit to find common prefixes across multiple blocks
- Supernet Calculation - Groups of networks with common prefixes are merged into larger supernets
- Optimization - The algorithm ensures the minimum number of supernets while covering all original address space
- Validation - Results are verified to ensure no address ranges are lost during aggregation
Binary Analysis Process
For each potential merge, the tool:
- Converts IP addresses to 32-bit binary representation
- Identifies the longest common prefix across candidate networks
- Calculates the appropriate subnet mask length for the supernet
- Verifies that the supernet covers all original networks without gaps
Optimization Algorithm
The supernet optimization uses a hierarchical approach that maximizes aggregation while maintaining complete coverage. Networks are sorted by their binary prefixes, and the algorithm recursively identifies merge opportunities at each bit boundary.
When You Might Need This
- • Network administrators merging overlapping subnets for routing table optimization
- • Cloud engineers consolidating VPC CIDR blocks for simpler network management
- • Security teams creating firewall rules for grouped network ranges
- • DevOps professionals optimizing Kubernetes cluster networking configurations
- • ISPs reducing BGP routing table entries through supernet aggregation
- • Enterprise IT departments simplifying VLAN and subnet management
- • Network architects designing efficient routing hierarchies for large organizations
- • Telecommunications companies aggregating customer network blocks
- • Data center operators optimizing internal network segmentation
- • Cybersecurity analysts grouping IP ranges for threat intelligence and monitoring
Frequently Asked Questions
What is CIDR supernetting and how does it work?
CIDR supernetting combines multiple smaller network blocks into larger ones by finding their common binary prefix. For example, 192.168.1.0/24 and 192.168.2.0/24 can be merged into 192.168.0.0/23. The tool calculates the longest common prefix across all input networks and creates the smallest possible supernet set, reducing routing table entries while maintaining complete coverage of the original address space.
Can this tool handle IPv6 CIDR blocks as well as IPv4?
Currently, this tool focuses on IPv4 CIDR blocks for optimal performance and accuracy. IPv6 support requires different binary calculation algorithms due to the 128-bit address space versus IPv4's 32-bit space. For IPv6 supernetting, consider using specialized IPv6 network calculators or command-line tools like ipcalc that support the extended address format.
What happens if I input overlapping or invalid CIDR blocks?
The tool validates all input CIDR blocks and handles overlapping networks intelligently. Invalid CIDR notation is flagged with specific error messages. Overlapping blocks are automatically consolidated - for example, if you input both 192.168.1.0/24 and 192.168.0.0/23, the tool recognizes that the /23 already contains the /24 and will use the larger supernet in the final result.
How accurate is the binary step-by-step explanation feature?
The binary explanations are mathematically precise and show the exact bitwise operations used in supernetting calculations. Each step displays the binary representation of network addresses, identifies common prefixes, and demonstrates how the subnet mask length is determined. This educational feature is particularly valuable for network engineering students and professionals learning CIDR concepts.
What's the maximum number of CIDR blocks this tool can process?
The tool is optimized to handle up to 1000 CIDR blocks efficiently in a single operation. For larger datasets, consider breaking them into smaller batches or using the CSV output format for easier processing. The algorithm complexity scales well with input size, and processing times typically remain under 2 seconds for most practical networking scenarios.