Which IPv4 address class allows a total of 65,534 hosts per network?

The correct choice is Class B, which accommodates a total of 65,534 hosts per network. This is based on the way the Class B address space is structured. Class B addresses have a default subnet mask of 255.255.0.0, or /16, which allocates 16 bits for the network portion and 16 bits for host addresses.

In this configuration, the number of possible addresses for hosts is calculated using the formula 2^n - 2, where 'n' is the number of bits available for hosts. In a Class B network, there are 16 bits available for host addresses. Therefore, you calculate 2^16 - 2, which equals 65,534. The subtraction of 2 accounts for the network address (all zeros in the host portion) and the broadcast address (all ones in the host portion), which cannot be assigned to individual hosts.

In contrast, Class A supports a much larger number of hosts per network due to having 24 bits for host addresses, and Class C is designed for smaller networks with only 254 hosts available (8 bits for hosts). Class D is reserved for multicast groups and does not provide host capabilities, so it does not apply to