What does dotted decimal notation represent in networking?

Dotted decimal notation is a method used to represent IP addresses in a format that is easy for humans to read and understand. Each part of the IP address is separated by a dot and corresponds to an 8-bit binary number, which means each part can range from 0 to 255. This is why it is correct to say that each number represents a byte value, as an 8-bit binary value is equivalent to one byte.

The notation effectively converts the binary representation of IP addresses into a more manageable format, allowing network administrators to easily identify devices on a network. Each of the four numbers in the dotted decimal format represents one of the four bytes that make up an IPv4 address. This conversion is essential for everyday networking, as it simplifies the process of using IP addresses in configurations, troubleshooting, and documentation.