[comp.protocols.tcp-ip] subnet and supernet?

jerry@oliveb.UUCP (Jerry F Aguirre) (05/14/87)

4.3BSD provides for a "subnet" mask to make the network part of an
address larger, stealing bits from the host part.  Usefull if you have
a type A or B address and wish to have several separate networks.  I am
faced with the opposite problem; type C address merging into one large
network.

Does anyone know if it works to use the subnetmask to make the host part
of the address larger?  (Superneting?) Could I use a type C address and
a netmask of:

	0xFFFF0000	(255.255.0.0)

or even:

	0xFF000000	(255.0.0.0)

so that the routing would assume that the other hosts shared the same
network?  Has anyone tried this?  Any reason it shouldn't be done?