BCA-302 COMPUTER NETWORKS
UNIT 2 – IP ROUTING & STATIC/DEFAULT ROUTING
Comprehensive Exam-Oriented Study Notes
Prepared for BCA Students | Academic Reference Material
BCA-302 Computer Networks | Unit 2: IP Routing & Static Routing | Page 1 of 10
1. CLEAR DEFINITION
IP Routing is the process by which a router forwards data packets from a source network to a
destination network by examining the destination IP address and consulting a routing table to
determine the best path. It operates at Layer 3 (Network Layer) of the OSI model and uses logical IP
addresses to make forwarding decisions across interconnected networks.
Static Routing is a manual routing technique in which a network administrator explicitly configures
fixed paths (routes) in the router's routing table using the ip route command, without the use of any
dynamic routing protocol. These routes remain unchanged unless modified manually.
Default Routing (also called the Gateway of Last Resort) is a special static route that matches any
destination not found in the routing table. It is represented as [Link]/0 and is typically used in stub
routers and edge devices that have only one exit point to the internet or upstream network.
2. AIM & PURPOSE
Core Objective:
• Enable communication between different networks by directing traffic along optimal paths.
• Provide network administrators with precise, manual control over traffic flow in small or secure
networks.
• Use Default Routing to simplify configurations on stub routers with a single uplink.
Why We Use Static/Default Routing:
• Predictable and deterministic — path never changes without admin intervention.
• No overhead of routing protocol messages (RIP, OSPF) — saves bandwidth.
• More secure — no route information is advertised to neighbours.
• Default route simplifies edge/stub router configuration dramatically.
• Ideal for small networks with few routers and simple topologies.
3. DIAGRAM / NETWORK TOPOLOGY
The following ASCII diagram illustrates a two-router static routing scenario. Router R1 connects
LAN A ([Link]/24) to Router R2, which connects LAN B ([Link]/24) via a serial WAN link
([Link]/30).
NETWORK TOPOLOGY DIAGRAM
[PC-A] [Link]
|
[R1] f0/0: [Link] s0/0: [Link]
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| WAN LINK (Serial)
[R2] s0/0: [Link] f0/0: [Link]
|
[PC-B] [Link]
Diagram Legend / Explanation:
• PC-A sends a packet destined for [Link].
• R1 receives the packet on interface f0/0 and looks up [Link]/24 in its routing table.
• R1 forwards the packet out its serial interface s0/0 toward R2 (next-hop: [Link]).
• R2 receives it on s0/0, consults its routing table, and forwards it out f0/0 to PC-B.
• The reverse path is configured symmetrically (R2 has a static route to [Link]/24 via
[Link]).
Routing Table Visual for R1:
Code Network Mask Next-Hop Interface
C [Link] /24 directly conn. f0/0
C [Link] /30 directly conn. s0/0
S [Link] /24 [Link] s0/0
(C = Connected, S = Static)
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4. HOW IT WORKS — WORKING PRINCIPLE
4.1 IP Routing Process (General)
1. A source host creates a packet with a destination IP address and sends it to its default gateway
(router interface).
2. The router receives the packet on an ingress interface and extracts the destination IP address.
3. The router performs a Longest Prefix Match (LPM) lookup in its routing table.
4. If a matching route is found, the router encapsulates the packet in a new Layer-2 frame and
forwards it out the appropriate egress interface.
5. If no match is found and a default route exists, the packet is forwarded to the gateway of last
resort.
6. If no match and no default route, the packet is dropped and an ICMP 'Destination Unreachable'
message is sent back to the source.
4.2 Static Routing — Step-by-Step
7. Admin identifies all remote networks that each router cannot reach directly.
8. Admin manually enters the ip route <network> <mask> <next-hop | exit-interface> command on
each router.
9. The router installs the static route into its routing table with administrative distance (AD) = 1.
10. When a matching packet arrives, the router uses the configured next-hop IP or exit interface to
forward traffic.
11. If the link fails, the route remains in the table (no automatic removal) — a key limitation.
4.3 Default Routing — Step-by-Step
12. Admin configures: ip route [Link] [Link] <next-hop> on the stub/edge router.
13. When the router receives a packet whose destination does not match any specific route, it
matches [Link]/0 (the catch-all).
14. The packet is forwarded to the configured next-hop (e.g., ISP router or upstream router).
15. This eliminates the need to configure individual static routes for every remote network.
5. CHARACTERISTICS / FEATURES
5.1 Static Routing
• Administrative Distance (AD) = 1 (highly trusted, second only to directly connected routes).
• Routes are persistent — they survive router reboots.
• No routing protocol overhead — zero bandwidth consumed for updates.
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• Fully deterministic — traffic always follows the configured path.
• Does NOT adapt to topology changes — manual reconfiguration required.
• Supports both next-hop IP and exit-interface specification.
• Can be redistributed into dynamic routing protocols if needed.
5.2 Default Routing
• Represented as [Link]/0 — matches any destination not explicitly listed.
• Also known as the 'Gateway of Last Resort'.
• Configured using a wildcard mask of [Link].
• Ideal for stub networks (networks with a single exit point).
• Reduces routing table size significantly.
• Can forward all unknown traffic to an ISP or hub router.
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6. TYPES / CLASSIFICATION OF ROUTING
Type Sub-Types / Protocols Description
Static Routing Standard Static / Default / Summary Manually configured, fixed paths.
/ Floating Static
Dynamic RIP, EIGRP, OSPF, BGP, IS-IS Automatic path discovery using
Routing protocols.
Default Routing [Link]/0 catch-all route Forwards unknown destinations to
gateway.
Policy-Based Route Maps, PBR Routes based on policy, not just
Routing destination.
6.1 Floating Static Route
A Floating Static Route is a backup static route with a higher Administrative Distance (AD > 1). It only
activates when the primary route (static or dynamic) fails. Example:
ip route [Link] [Link] [Link] 1 ! Primary (AD=1)
ip route [Link] [Link] [Link] 5 ! Floating backup (AD=5)
7. CISCO IOS COMMANDS & CONFIGURATION
7.1 Basic Static Route Command Syntax
Router(config)# ip route <dest-network> <subnet-mask> <next-hop-IP | exit-
interface>
7.2 Scenario: Configure Static Routes on R1
Network: R1 ([Link]/24 — [Link]/30) ↔ R2 ([Link]/30 — [Link]/24)
On Router R1:
R1> enable
R1# configure terminal
R1(config)# ip route [Link] [Link] [Link]
R1(config)# end
R1# write memory
On Router R2:
R2> enable
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R2# configure terminal
R2(config)# ip route [Link] [Link] [Link]
R2(config)# end
R2# write memory
7.3 Default Route Configuration
Router(config)# ip route [Link] [Link] <ISP-next-hop-IP>
Example (edge router pointing to ISP):
Edge(config)# ip route [Link] [Link] [Link]
7.4 Verification Commands
Command Purpose
show ip route Display the full routing table
show ip route static Show only static routes (marked 'S')
show ip route [Link] Check specific route details
ping [Link] Test end-to-end reachability
traceroute [Link] Trace hop-by-hop path to destination
show running-config | include ip route View configured static routes
debug ip routing Real-time routing table changes (use carefully)
7.5 Removing a Static Route
Router(config)# no ip route [Link] [Link] [Link]
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8. COMPARISON TABLE
Static Routing vs Dynamic Routing
Parameter Static Routing Dynamic Routing
Configuration Manual (admin configures each Automatic (protocol discovers
route) routes)
Scalability Low — impractical for large High — scales to
networks enterprise/internet
CPU / Memory Usage Very low Higher (runs routing protocol
processes)
Bandwidth Usage Zero (no update packets) Periodic or event-driven update
traffic
Convergence None — no auto-recovery on link Fast to moderate (protocol-
failure dependent)
Admin. Distance 1 (static), 0 (connected) RIP=120, OSPF=110, EIGRP=90
Security More secure — no route Less secure — routes can be
advertisements spoofed
Best For Small, stub, or secure networks Large, dynamic, complex
networks
Fault Tolerance None (manual fix required on Built-in (re-routes around failures)
failure)
Example Protocols N/A (manual command) RIP, EIGRP, OSPF, BGP
9. ADVANTAGES & DISADVANTAGES
9.1 Advantages of Static / Default Routing
• Full administrative control over routing paths.
• No routing protocol bandwidth overhead — ideal for low-bandwidth WAN links.
• Lower CPU and memory consumption on routers.
• Enhanced security — no routing updates broadcast to neighbours.
• Default route drastically simplifies stub router configuration.
• Highly predictable — easier to troubleshoot in simple topologies.
• Administrative Distance of 1 — preferred over dynamic routes.
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9.2 Disadvantages of Static / Default Routing
• Does not adapt to network failures — manual intervention required.
• Administratively intensive — every route must be entered on every router.
• Prone to human error — misconfigured routes cause routing loops or black holes.
• Not scalable — impractical for networks with hundreds of routers.
• Requires thorough topology knowledge from the administrator.
• No load balancing (unless multiple equal-cost static routes are configured).
10. REAL-WORLD APPLICATIONS
Application Area How Static/Default Routing Is Used
Small Office Networks Static routes connect 2–3 routers without the complexity of OSPF
or EIGRP.
ISP Edge (Stub Default route ([Link]/0) points all traffic to the ISP's upstream
Networks) router.
Data Centre Design Static routes used between distribution and core layers for
controlled traffic flow.
VPN Tunnels Static routes direct traffic through GRE or IPSec tunnels to remote
sites.
Lab & Academic Used in Cisco Packet Tracer / GNS3 labs to teach foundational
Networks routing concepts.
Backup / Failover Routes Floating static routes (high AD) act as backup when primary
dynamic route fails.
Internet Edge Routers Default route sends all non-local traffic to the internet
gateway/firewall.
Military / Secure Static routing used to prevent route information leakage to
Networks unauthorised devices.
QUICK EXAM REVISION — KEY POINTS
Key Facts to Remember:
16. Static route AD = 1; Dynamic (OSPF) = 110; RIP = 120.
17. Default route command: ip route [Link] [Link] <next-hop>
18. Default route is also called 'Gateway of Last Resort'.
19. 'S' in routing table = Static route; 'C' = Connected.
20. Floating static: use higher AD than primary protocol (e.g., AD=5 vs OSPF AD=110
would not float — use AD=120).
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21. Verify with: show ip route static
22. Ping and traceroute are the primary tools for testing static routes.
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