What CIDR range characteristic allows for more addresses?

The characteristic of CIDR (Classless Inter-Domain Routing) that allows for more addresses is related to the size of the number following the slash in the CIDR notation. In CIDR notation, the number represents the subnet mask, which indicates how many bits are used for the network portion of the address.

A smaller number after the slash means that fewer bits are allocated to the network portion, leaving more bits available for the host addresses. For example, in a /16 CIDR notation, 16 bits are used for the network portion, allowing 16 bits for host addresses, which results in 2^16 (or 65,536) possible addresses. Conversely, a /24 notation uses 24 bits for the network and only leaves 8 bits for the hosts, yielding only 256 addresses.

Therefore, smaller values in CIDR notation lead to a greater range of potential addresses available within that allocated block. This relationship is fundamental to understanding IP address allocation and subnetting in networking.