What is a subnet mask? What are ports used for in network protocols?

A subnet mask is a bitmask that determines which part of an IP address belongs to the network and which part belongs to the host within that network. It helps divide the IP address into a network prefix and a device identifier. For example, a mask of 255.255.255.0 means the first 24 bits are the network, and the last 8 bits are the host.

Ports in network protocols are used to identify specific processes or services on a device. An IP address points to the device in the network, and a port points to a specific application within that device. For example, port 80 is commonly used for HTTP, and port 443 for HTTPS. This allows a single device to serve multiple network services simultaneously.