diff --git a/deploy.sh b/deploy.sh
index 951c985..a0adec2 100644
--- a/deploy.sh
+++ b/deploy.sh
@@ -615,13 +615,12 @@ if [ "$external_access_method" -eq 2 ] || [ "$external_access_method" -eq 3 ]; t
         echo "$(echo "ibase=2; $octet1" | bc).$(echo "ibase=2; $octet2" | bc).$(echo "ibase=2; $octet3" | bc).$(echo "ibase=2; $octet4" | bc)"
     }
 
-    # Function to add a binary value to a binary IP string
-    add_binary_to_ip() {
-        local bin_ip=$1
-        local bin_add=$2  # e.g., "1010" for 10, "1100100" for 100
-
-        # Pad the binary addition to 8 bits (e.g., "1010" → "00001010")
-        bin_add=$(printf "%08d" "$bin_add")
+    # Function to add a number to an IP address (returns IP string)
+    add_to_ip() {
+        local ip=$1
+        local num=$2
+        local bin_ip=$(ip_to_bin "$ip")
+        local bin_add=$(printf "%08d" "$(echo "obase=2; $num" | bc)")
 
         # Split the IP into 4 octets (8 bits each)
         local octet1=${bin_ip:0:8}
@@ -629,7 +628,7 @@ if [ "$external_access_method" -eq 2 ] || [ "$external_access_method" -eq 3 ]; t
         local octet3=${bin_ip:16:8}
         local octet4=${bin_ip:24:8}
 
-        # Add the binary value to the last octet
+        # Add the number to the last octet
         local new_octet4=$((2#$octet4 + 2#$bin_add))
 
         # Handle overflow (if new_octet4 > 255)
@@ -642,20 +641,83 @@ if [ "$external_access_method" -eq 2 ] || [ "$external_access_method" -eq 3 ]; t
         # Update the last octet
         octet4=$(printf "%08d" "$(echo "obase=2; $new_octet4" | bc)")
 
-        # Reconstruct the binary IP string
-        echo "${octet1}${octet2}${octet3}${octet4}"
+        # Reconstruct the binary IP string and convert to IP
+        bin_to_ip "${octet1}${octet2}${octet3}${octet4}"
     }
 
-    # Function to subtract 1 from a binary IP string
-    subtract_one_from_ip() {
-        local bin_ip=$1
-        local dec_ip=$((2#${bin_ip:0:8} * 256**3 + 2#${bin_ip:8:8} * 256**2 + 2#${bin_ip:16:8} * 256 + 2#${bin_ip:24:8}))
-        dec_ip=$((dec_ip - 1))
-        printf "%08d%08d%08d%08d" \
-            "$(echo "obase=2; ($dec_ip >> 24) & 255" | bc)" \
-            "$(echo "obase=2; ($dec_ip >> 16) & 255" | bc)" \
-            "$(echo "obase=2; ($dec_ip >> 8) & 255" | bc)" \
-            "$(echo "obase=2; $dec_ip & 255" | bc)"
+    # Function to subtract a number from an IP address (returns IP string)
+    subtract_from_ip() {
+        local ip=$1
+        local num=$2
+        local bin_ip=$(ip_to_bin "$ip")
+        local bin_sub=$(printf "%08d" "$(echo "obase=2; $num" | bc)")
+
+        # Split the IP into 4 octets (8 bits each)
+        local octet1=${bin_ip:0:8}
+        local octet2=${bin_ip:8:8}
+        local octet3=${bin_ip:16:8}
+        local octet4=${bin_ip:24:8}
+
+        # Subtract the number from the last octet
+        local new_octet4=$((2#$octet4 - 2#$bin_sub))
+
+        # Handle underflow (if new_octet4 < 0)
+        if [ "$new_octet4" -lt 0 ]; then
+            new_octet4=$((new_octet4 + 256))
+            octet3=$((2#$octet3 - 1))  # Borrow from the third octet
+            octet3=$(printf "%08d" "$(echo "obase=2; $octet3" | bc)")  # Convert back to 8-bit binary
+        fi
+
+        # Update the last octet
+        octet4=$(printf "%08d" "$(echo "obase=2; $new_octet4" | bc)")
+
+        # Reconstruct the binary IP string and convert to IP
+        bin_to_ip "${octet1}${octet2}${octet3}${octet4}"
+    }
+
+    # Function to compare two IP addresses (returns 0 if ip1 <= ip2, 1 if ip1 > ip2)
+    compare_ips() {
+        local ip1=$1
+        local ip2=$2
+        local bin1=$(ip_to_bin "$ip1")
+        local bin2=$(ip_to_bin "$ip2")
+
+        if [ "$bin1" = "$bin2" ]; then
+            return 0  # equal
+        fi
+
+        # Compare as 32-bit binary numbers
+        for i in {0..31}; do
+            local bit1=${bin1:$i:1}
+            local bit2=${bin2:$i:1}
+
+            if [ "$bit1" -lt "$bit2" ]; then
+                return 0  # ip1 < ip2
+            elif [ "$bit1" -gt "$bit2" ]; then
+                return 1  # ip1 > ip2
+            fi
+        done
+
+        return 0  # equal (shouldn't reach here)
+    }
+
+    # Function to check if an IP is within a range
+    is_ip_in_range() {
+        local ip=$1
+        local start=$2
+        local end=$3
+
+        compare_ips "$ip" "$start"
+        local ip_ge_start=$?
+
+        compare_ips "$ip" "$end"
+        local ip_le_end=$?
+
+        if [ "$ip_ge_start" -eq 0 ] && [ "$ip_le_end" -eq 0 ]; then
+            return 0  # in range
+        else
+            return 1  # out of range
+        fi
     }
 
     # Calculate network and broadcast addresses using binary operations
@@ -689,40 +751,33 @@ if [ "$external_access_method" -eq 2 ] || [ "$external_access_method" -eq 3 ]; t
     echo "  Broadcast Address: $broadcast_address"
 
     # Calculate DHCP start: network_address + 10
-    dhcp_start_bin=$(add_binary_to_ip "$network_bin" "1010")  # 10 in binary
+    dhcp_start=$(add_to_ip "$network_address" 10)
 
     # Ensure DHCP start is not before network+1
-    if [ "$(bin_to_ip "$dhcp_start_bin")" = "$(bin_to_ip "$network_bin")" ]; then
-        dhcp_start_bin=$(add_binary_to_ip "$network_bin" "1")  # network + 1
+    network_plus_1=$(add_to_ip "$network_address" 1)
+    compare_ips "$dhcp_start" "$network_plus_1"
+    if [ $? -eq 1 ]; then  # if dhcp_start < network_plus_1
+        dhcp_start="$network_plus_1"
     fi
 
     # Calculate DHCP end: dhcp_start + 100
-    dhcp_end_bin=$(add_binary_to_ip "$dhcp_start_bin" "1100100")  # 100 in binary
+    dhcp_end=$(add_to_ip "$dhcp_start" 100)
 
     # Ensure DHCP end is not after broadcast-1
-    broadcast_minus_1_bin=$(subtract_one_from_ip "$broadcast_bin")
-    if [ "$(printf "%d" "$(bin_to_ip "$dhcp_end_bin" | tr '.' ' ')")" -ge "$(printf "%d" "$(bin_to_ip "$broadcast_bin" | tr '.' ' ')")" ]; then
-        dhcp_end_bin="$broadcast_minus_1_bin"
+    broadcast_minus_1=$(subtract_from_ip "$broadcast_address" 1)
+    compare_ips "$dhcp_end" "$broadcast_minus_1"
+    if [ $? -eq 1 ]; then  # if dhcp_end > broadcast_minus_1
+        dhcp_end="$broadcast_minus_1"
     fi
 
     # Exclude local IP from range
-    localip_dec=$(printf "%d" "$(bin_to_ip "$localip_bin" | tr '.' ' ')")
-    dhcp_start_dec=$(printf "%d" "$(bin_to_ip "$dhcp_start_bin" | tr '.' ' ')")
-    dhcp_end_dec=$(printf "%d" "$(bin_to_ip "$dhcp_end_bin" | tr '.' ' ')")
-
-    if [ "$localip_dec" -ge "$dhcp_start_dec" ] && [ "$localip_dec" -le "$dhcp_end_dec" ]; then
+    is_ip_in_range "$localip" "$dhcp_start" "$dhcp_end"
+    if [ $? -eq 0 ]; then
         echo "Local IP is in DHCP range. Adjusting..."
-        if [ $((localip_dec - dhcp_start_dec)) -lt $((dhcp_end_dec - localip_dec)) ]; then
-            dhcp_start_bin=$(add_binary_to_ip "$localip_bin" "1")  # Move start above local IP
-        else
-            dhcp_end_bin=$(subtract_one_from_ip "$localip_bin")   # Move end below local IP
-        fi
+        # For simplicity, move the start up by 1
+        dhcp_start=$(add_to_ip "$localip" 1)
     fi
 
-    # Convert to IP format
-    dhcp_start=$(bin_to_ip "$dhcp_start_bin")
-    dhcp_end=$(bin_to_ip "$dhcp_end_bin")
-
     # Validate DHCP range
     if [ -z "$dhcp_start" ] || [ -z "$dhcp_end" ]; then
         echo "Error: Invalid DHCP range calculated. DHCP start or end is empty. Aborting."