How many /14 networks fit
| Parent block | Relationship |
|---|---|
| /8 | 64 × /14 fit inside one /8 |
| /16 | One /14 covers 4 × /16 |
| /24 | One /14 covers 1,024 × /24 |
With 256 addresses per node (a /24 per node, GKE's default for up to 110 pods), a /14 supports 1,024 nodes: 262,144 ÷ 256.
Worked example: 10.6.211.40/14
A GKE pod has the IP 10.6.211.40 and the cluster's pod range is shown as a /14. Which /14 is it, and how far does it reach?
- The mask is 255.252.0.0. The second octet (252) is the "interesting" one — the first that is not 255.
- Block size = 256 − 252 = 4. Networks start at multiples of 4 in the second octet: 0, 4, 8, …
- The second octet of 10.6.211.40 is 6. 6 ÷ 4 = 1 remainder 2, so the block starts at 1 × 4 = 4.
- Network = 10.4.0.0 (octets after the second become 0). Broadcast = 4 + 4 − 1 = 7, giving 10.7.255.255 (octets after it become 255).
- Usable hosts: 10.4.0.1 to 10.7.255.254, which is 218 − 2 = 262,142 addresses.
Same thing in binary (network bits | host bits):
Address 00001010.000001|10.11010011.00101000 Mask 11111111.111111|00.00000000.00000000 Network 00001010.000001|00.00000000.00000000
Where /14 is used in real networks
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GKE default pod range
When you create a VPC-native GKE cluster without choosing a pod range, Google Cloud allocates a /14. Each node takes a /24 from it by default, so the cluster tops out at 1,024 nodes. Plan this with the GKE max pods calculator.
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Four VPCs in one summary
Four /16 VPCs in a row (10.4, 10.5, 10.6, 10.7) summarise to
10.4.0.0/14.
Common /14 mistakes
- Accepting GKE's default /14 pod range for every cluster. Ten clusters eat ten /14s — 40 /16s of your private space — even if each runs only a few nodes. Pick a smaller range sized to the real node count.
- Writing
10.2.0.0/14. The second octet must be a multiple of 4, so the block is really 10.0.0.0/14.
/14 FAQ
How many hosts are in a /14?
262,142 usable: 2^18 = 262,144 addresses minus network and broadcast.
How many nodes can a GKE cluster with a /14 pod range have?
1,024 with the default /24 per node. If you lower max pods per node to 32 (a /26 per node), the same /14 supports 4,096 nodes.
How many /24s are in a /14?
1,024. Going from /14 to /24 adds 10 bits: 2^10 = 1,024.