Why can’t you have ip addresses without subnet masks? Couldn’t the whole internet be on a single network? Would be horrible for a number of reasons, but everything could still work.
Your question is already answered here, but it also reduces traffic by keeping packets within a network defined by the subnet mask. It establishes guardrails so packet broadcasts aren’t sent everywhere.
The Internet is a single network. But not all of it can communicate with other parts without the right access permissions. Subnet masks are one very basic aspect of that access control.
Why can’t you have ip addresses without subnet masks? Couldn’t the whole internet be on a single network? Would be horrible for a number of reasons, but everything could still work.
Your question is already answered here, but it also reduces traffic by keeping packets within a network defined by the subnet mask. It establishes guardrails so packet broadcasts aren’t sent everywhere. The Internet is a single network. But not all of it can communicate with other parts without the right access permissions. Subnet masks are one very basic aspect of that access control.
It is about security.
So you can differentiate between the outside network and the local network. And even divide 2 local networks as well.
Would it be possible? Sure. Just like it would be possible to have no speed limits for cars.