What is the maximum number of hosts for a Class B IP address?

For a Class B IP address, the maximum number of hosts is derived from its subnet mask and the number of bits available for host addresses. A Class B address uses the first two octets (16 bits) for the network portion and the last two octets (also 16 bits) for the host portion.

To calculate the maximum number of hosts, you can use the formula (2^{n} - 2), where (n) represents the number of bits allocated for hosts. In Class B, there are 16 bits for hosts, leading to:

[ 2^{16} - 2 = 65,536 - 2 = 65,534 ]

The subtraction of 2 accounts for the network address and the broadcast address, which cannot be assigned to hosts. This calculation confirms that the correct answer is indeed 65,534 hosts for a Class B IP address, making this option the right choice. The other provided options do not match this calculation for a Class B address, highlighting the importance of understanding the subnetting structure in IP addressing.