COMPUTER NETWORK LAB REPORT
Implementation of Static Routing
1. Objectives
The primary objectives of this laboratory session are:
• To understand the fundamental concept of static routing and how routers forward packets
without dynamic protocols.
• To manually configure static routes on two Cisco routers using Cisco Packet Tracer.
• To establish IP connectivity between two separate LAN networks ([Link]/24 and
[Link]/24) through a WAN link.
• To verify successful end-to-end communication using ICMP ping tests between hosts on
different networks.
• To analyze the advantages and limitations of static routing in comparison with dynamic routing
protocols.
2. Devices and Software
Software: Network Simulation Tool (e.g., Cisco Packet Tracer) Hardware
Devices:
• Routers (2): Router0 and Router1
• Switches (2): Switch1 and Switch2 (Layer 2)
• End Devices (4): PC0, PC1, PC2, PC3
• Cabling: Copper Straight-Through Cables (connecting PCs to Switches and Switches to
Routers) and Cross- Over/Serial Cables (connecting Router0 to Router1)
3. Diagram:
4. Network Topology Description
The lab topology consists of two isolated Local Area Networks (LANs) interconnected through two
routers. The logical layout is as follows:
• Network A (Left Segment): PC0 ([Link]) and PC1 ([Link]) are connected to Switch1,
which uplinks to the LAN port (Gi0/0) of Router0.
• WAN Link: Router0's WAN port (Gi0/1 — [Link]) connects directly to Router1's WAN port
(Gi0/1 — [Link]) using a /30 subnet to minimize address waste.
• Network B (Right Segment): PC2 ([Link]) and PC3 ([Link]) are connected to
Switch2, which uplinks to the LAN port (Gi0/0) of Router1.
Without static routes configured, Router0 has no knowledge of the [Link]/24 network, and
Router1 has no knowledge of the [Link]/24 network. Static routes must be added to bridge this
knowledge gap.
5. IP Addressing Table
Device Interface IP Address Default Gateway
PC0 NIC [Link] / [Link]
[Link]
PC1 NIC [Link] / [Link]
[Link]
Router0 Gi0/0 (LAN) [Link] / —
[Link]
Router0 Gi0/1 (WAN) [Link] / —
[Link]
Router1 Gi0/1 (WAN) [Link] / —
[Link]
Router1 Gi0/0 (LAN) [Link] / —
[Link]
PC2 NIC [Link] / [Link]
[Link]
PC3 NIC [Link] / [Link]
[Link]
6. Step-by-Step Configuration
6.1 Step 1 – Configuring IP Addresses on PCs
Each PC was assigned a static IP address, subnet mask, and default gateway via the Desktop > IP
Configuration panel in Packet Tracer:
• PC0: IP [Link], Mask [Link], Gateway [Link] •
PC1: IP [Link], Mask [Link], Gateway [Link] •
PC2: IP [Link], Mask [Link], Gateway [Link] •
PC3: IP [Link], Mask [Link], Gateway [Link]
6.2 Step 2 – Configuring Router0 Interfaces and Static Route The
following CLI commands were entered on Router0:
Router0> enable
Router0# configure terminal
Router0(config)# interface GigabitEthernet0/0
Router0(config-if)# ip address [Link] [Link]
Router0(config-if)# no shutdown
Router0(config-if)# exit
Router0(config)# interface GigabitEthernet0/1
Router0(config-if)# ip address [Link] [Link]
Router0(config-if)# no shutdown
Router0(config-if)# exit
Router0(config)# ip route [Link] [Link] [Link]
Router0(config)# end
Router0# write memory
6.3 Step 3 – Configuring Router1 Interfaces and Static Route
Similarly, the following commands were entered on Router1:
Router1> enable
Router1# configure terminal
Router1(config)# interface GigabitEthernet0/1
Router1(config-if)# ip address [Link] [Link]
Router1(config-if)# no shutdown
Router1(config-if)# exit
Router1(config)# interface GigabitEthernet0/0
Router1(config-if)# ip address [Link] [Link]
Router1(config-if)# no shutdown
Router1(config-if)# exit
Router1(config)# ip route [Link] [Link] [Link]
Router1(config)# end
Router1# write memory
7. Verification and Test Results
After completing the configuration, connectivity was verified using ICMP ping commands from the PC
command prompt within Packet Tracer.
Source Destination Protocol Result
PC0 ([Link]) PC2 ([Link]) ICMP ✔ Successful
PC0 ([Link]) PC3 ([Link]) ICMP ✔ Successful
PC1 ([Link]) PC2 ([Link]) ICMP ✔ Successful
PC1 ([Link]) PC3 ([Link]) ICMP ✔ Successful
The simulation confirmed that packets successfully traversed the WAN link between both routers,
validating that the manually configured static routes are functioning correctly.
8. Analysis and Discussion
The results demonstrate that static routing, when correctly configured, enables reliable inter-network
communication. The key observations from this experiment are:
• Bidirectional routes are mandatory: A static route must be configured on both routers. If only
Router0 has the route to [Link]/24, packets reach their destination but replies cannot
return — causing one-way communication.
• The /30 WAN subnet ([Link]) efficiently uses only 2 host addresses for the point-
topoint link, conserving IP address space.
• Default gateways on PCs are essential: Without the correct gateway, PCs cannot forward
packets destined for remote networks to the router.
• Static routing does not scale: In large networks, adding a new subnet would require updating
static routes on all affected routers, which is error-prone and time-consuming.
9. Conclusion
This laboratory experiment demonstrated the successful implementation of static routing across two
geographically separate network segments using Cisco Packet Tracer. By manually entering ip route
commands on Router0 and Router1, full bidirectional IP connectivity was achieved between the
[Link]/24 and [Link]/24 networks.
Static routing is a foundational networking concept that every network engineer must understand. While
it lacks the automatic adaptability of dynamic routing protocols, its simplicity, determinism, and low
overhead make it ideal for small or highly controlled network environments. This exercise reinforced
the importance of accurate IP addressing, proper interface activation, and symmetrical routing
configuration.