Which of the following correctly defines a Class B IP address?

A Class B IP address is defined by its range, which spans from 128.0.0.0 to 191.255.255.255. The specific range of 172.16.x.x to 172.31.x.x falls within the Class B category, representing one of the private IP address ranges as designated by the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA). This range allows for a substantial number of hosts, making Class B suitable for medium to large-sized networks.

To clarify the context of the other options:

• The starting address of 10.x.x.x corresponds to a Class A IP address, which is primarily used for large networks as it allows for a larger number of hosts.

• The range starting with 192.x.x.x is indicative of Class C addresses, which are typically used for smaller networks due to their limited host capacity.

• An IP starting with 169.254.x.x is part of the link-local range, used for automatic private IP addressing when no DHCP server is available, and is not classified as Class B.

Thus, the identification of the Class B IP address by the range provided in option B is accurate and reflects the correct classification of IP addresses.