What subnet mask is typically associated with Class C IP addresses?

Class C IP addresses are defined by having their first three octets identify the network part of the address, leaving the last octet for device identification within that network. The standard subnet mask for Class C addresses is 255.255.255.0. This subnet mask allows for a total of 256 addresses (0-255 in the last octet), but only 254 of those are usable for hosts since one address is reserved for the network itself and another for the broadcast address.

The other subnet masks listed do not correspond to Class C addresses. For instance, 255.255.0.0 is used for Class B addresses, accommodating a larger number of networks and hosts per network. The mask 255.0.0.0 is associated with Class A addresses, which are designed for extremely large networks. Finally, 255.255.255.255 is a broadcast address used for sending packets to all hosts on the local network, not a typical subnet mask. Therefore, 255.255.255.0 is the correct and typical subnet mask for Class C IP addressing.