Module java.base
Package java.net

Class Inet4Address

java.lang.Object
java.net.InetAddress
java.net.Inet4Address
All Implemented Interfaces:
Serializable
public final class Inet4Address extends InetAddress
This class represents an Internet Protocol version 4 (IPv4) address. Defined by RFC 790: Assigned Numbers, RFC 1918: Address Allocation for Private Internets, and RFC 2365: Administratively Scoped IP Multicast

Textual representation of IPv4 addresses

Textual representation of IPv4 address used as input to methods takes one of the following forms:
  • d.d.d.d
  • d.d.d
  • d.d
  • d

When four parts are specified, each is interpreted as a byte of data and assigned, from left to right, to the four bytes of an IPv4 address.

When a three part address is specified, the last part is interpreted as a 16-bit quantity and placed in the right most two bytes of the network address. This makes the three part address format convenient for specifying Class B network addresses as 128.net.host.

When a two part address is supplied, the last part is interpreted as a 24-bit quantity and placed in the right most three bytes of the network address. This makes the two part address format convenient for specifying Class A network addresses as net.host.

When only one part is given, the value is stored directly in the network address without any byte rearrangement.

These forms support parts specified in decimal format only. For example, the following forms are supported by methods capable of parsing textual representations of IPv4 addresses: 

 // Dotted-decimal 'd.d.d.d' form with four part address literal
 InetAddress.getByName("007.008.009.010"); // ==> /7.8.9.10
 InetAddress.getByName("127.0.1.1");       // ==> /127.0.1.1

 // Dotted-decimal 'd.d.d' form with three part address literal,
 // the last part is placed in the right most two bytes
 // of the constructed address
 InetAddress.getByName("127.0.257"); // ==> /127.0.1.1

 // Dotted-decimal 'd.d' form with two part address literal,
 // the last part is placed in the right most three bytes
 // of the constructed address
 Inet4Address.ofLiteral("127.257"); // ==> /127.0.1.1

 // 'd' form with one decimal value that is stored directly in
 // the constructed address bytes without any rearrangement
 Inet4Address.ofLiteral("02130706689"); // ==> /127.0.1.1

For methods that return a textual representation as output value, the first form, i.e. a dotted-quad string, is used.

The Scope of a Multicast Address

Historically the IPv4 TTL field in the IP header has doubled as a multicast scope field: a TTL of 0 means node-local, 1 means link-local, up through 32 means site-local, up through 64 means region-local, up through 128 means continent-local, and up through 255 are global. However, the administrative scoping is preferred. Please refer to RFC 2365: Administratively Scoped IP Multicast
Since:
1.4
External Specifications
See Also: