Class InterfaceAddress

java.lang.Object

java.net.InterfaceAddress

public final class InterfaceAddress
extends Object

This class represents a Network Interface address. In the case of IPv4, this comprises the IP address, a subnet mask, and a broadcast address if the interface supports broadcast. In the case of IPv6, it comprises the IP address and a network prefix length.

Since:

1.6

See Also:

• NetworkInterface

Method Summary

Modifier and Type	Method	Description
boolean	equals(Object obj)	Compares this object against the specified object.
InetAddress	getAddress()	Returns an InetAddress for this address.
InetAddress	getBroadcast()	Returns an InetAddress for the broadcast address for this InterfaceAddress.
short	getNetworkPrefixLength()	Returns the network prefix length for this address.
int	hashCode()	Returns a hashcode for this Interface address.
String	toString()	Converts this Interface address to a String.

Methods declared in class Object

clone, finalize, getClass, notify, notifyAll, wait, wait, wait

Modifier and Type	Method	Description
protected Object	clone()	Creates and returns a copy of this object.
protected void	finalize()	Deprecated, for removal: This API element is subject to removal in a future version. Finalization is deprecated and subject to removal in a future release.
final Class<?>	getClass()	Returns the runtime class of this Object.
final void	notify()	Wakes up a single thread that is waiting on this object's monitor.
final void	notifyAll()	Wakes up all threads that are waiting on this object's monitor.
final void	wait()	Causes the current thread to wait until it is awakened, typically by being notified or interrupted.
final void	wait(long timeoutMillis)	Causes the current thread to wait until it is awakened, typically by being notified or interrupted, or until a certain amount of real time has elapsed.
final void	wait(long timeoutMillis, int nanos)	Causes the current thread to wait until it is awakened, typically by being notified or interrupted, or until a certain amount of real time has elapsed.

Method Details

getAddress

public InetAddress getAddress()

Returns an InetAddress for this address.

Returns:

the InetAddress for this address.

getBroadcast

public InetAddress getBroadcast()

Returns an InetAddress for the broadcast address for this InterfaceAddress.

Only IPv4 networks have broadcast address therefore, in the case of an IPv6 network, null will be returned.

Some network interfaces do not support broadcasting and may also return null.

Returns:

the InetAddress representing the broadcast address or null if there is no broadcast address.

getNetworkPrefixLength

public short getNetworkPrefixLength()

Returns the network prefix length for this address. This is also known as the subnet mask in the context of IPv4 addresses. Typical IPv4 values would be 8 (255.0.0.0), 16 (255.255.0.0) or 24 (255.255.255.0).

Typical IPv6 values would be 128 (::1/128) or 10 (fe80::203:baff:fe27:1243/10)

Returns:

a short representing the prefix length for the subnet of that address.

equals

public boolean equals(Object obj)

Compares this object against the specified object. The result is true if and only if the argument is not null and it represents the same interface address as this object.

Two instances of InterfaceAddress represent the same address if the InetAddress, the prefix length and the broadcast are the same for both.

Overrides:

equals in class Object

Parameters:

obj - the object to compare against.

Returns:

true if the objects are the same; false otherwise.

See Also:

• hashCode()

hashCode

public int hashCode()

Returns a hashcode for this Interface address.

Overrides:

hashCode in class Object

Returns:

a hash code value for this Interface address.

See Also:

• Object.equals(java.lang.Object)
• System.identityHashCode(Object)

toString

public String toString()

Converts this Interface address to a String. The string returned is of the form: InetAddress / prefix length [ broadcast address ].

Overrides:

toString in class Object

Returns:

a string representation of this Interface address.