Understanding The Routing

Table
Part 1: The Routing Table Structure
Part 2: The Lookup Process

Part 1: The Routing Table

Structure

Directly Connected Networks

172.16.1.0/24

172.16.3.0/24

.1 fa0

172.16.4.0/24

.1 fa0
.1
s0

172.16.2.0/24

.1 fa0

.2

.1

s0

s1

Router A

Router B

192.168.1.0/24

.2
s0

Router C

RouterB#show ip route
Codes: C - connected, S - static, I - IGRP, R - RIP, M - mobile, B - BGP
D - EIGRP, EX - EIGRP external, O - OSPF, IA - OSPF inter area
N1 - OSPF NSSA external type 1, N2 - OSPF NSSA external type 2
E1 - OSPF external type 1, E2 - OSPF external type 2, E - EGP
i - IS-IS, L1 - IS-IS level-1, L2 - IS-IS level-2, ia - IS-IS inter
area
* - candidate default, U - per-user static route, o - ODR
P - periodic downloaded static route
Gateway of last resort is not set
RouterB#
3

Directly Connected Networks

RouterB#debug ip routing
RouterB(config)#interface s 1
RouterB(config-if)#ip add 192.168.1.1 255.255.255.0
RouterB(config-if)#no shutdown
00:59:48: %LINK-3-UPDOWN: Interface Serial1, changed state to up
00:59:48: %LINEPROTO-5-UPDOWN: Line protocol on Interface Serial1, changed state
to up
00:59:48: RT: add 192.168.1.0/24 via 0.0.0.0, connected metric [0/0]
00:59:48: RT: interface Serial1 added to routing table
RouterB(config-if)#end
RouterB#undebug all
All possible debugging has been turned off
RouterB#

Directly Connected Networks

RouterB#show ip route
Codes: C - connected, S - static, I - IGRP, R - RIP, M - mobile, B - BGP
<text omitted>
Gateway of last resort is not set
C
192.168.1.0/24 is directly connected, Serial1
RouterB#

Creating a Parent/Child Route

RouterB(config)#interface fastethernet 0
RouterB(config-if)#ip add 172.16.3.1 255.255.255.0
RouterB(config-if)#no shutdown
01:21:11: RT: add 172.16.3.0/24 via 0.0.0.0, connected metric [0/0]
01:21:11: RT: interface FastEthernet0 added to routing table
RouterB(config-if)#end
RouterB#undebug all
All possible debugging has been turned off
RouterB#
RouterB#show ip route
Codes: C - connected, S - static, I - IGRP, R - RIP, M - mobile,
<text omitted>
Gateway of last resort is not set
172.16.0.0/24 is subnetted, 1 subnets
C
172.16.3.0 is directly connected, FastEthernet0
C
192.168.1.0/24 is directly connected, Serial1
RouterB#
6

Parent, Child, Ultimate Routes

172.16.1.0/24

172.16.3.0/24

.1 fa0

172.16.4.0/24

.1 fa0
172.16.2.0/24

.1
s0

Router A

.1 fa0

.2

.1

s0

s1

Router B

192.168.1.0/24

.2
s0

Router C

So far on Router B:
Parent Route:
Child Route:
Ultimate Route:

C
C

172.16.0.0/24 is subnetted, 1 subnets

172.16.3.0 is directly connected, FastEthernet0
192.168.1.0/24 is directly connected, Serial1

Creating Another Child Route

RouterB(config)#inter s 0
RouterB(config-if)#ip add 172.16.2.2 255.255.255.0
RouterB(config-if)#end
RouterB#show ip route
Codes: C - connected, S - static, I - IGRP, R - RIP, M - mobile, B - BGP
<text omitted>
Gateway of last resort is not set
172.16.0.0/24 is subnetted, 2 subnets
C
172.16.2.0 is directly connected, Serial0
C
172.16.3.0 is directly connected, FastEthernet0
C
192.168.1.0/24 is directly connected, Serial1
RouterB#

Same structure no matter the source of

route
RouterB#show ip route
Codes: C - connected, S - static, I - IGRP, R - RIP, M - mobile, B - BGP
<text omitted>
Gateway of last resort is not set
172.16.0.0/24 is subnetted, 4 subnets
S
172.16.4.0 is directly connected, Serial1
R
172.16.1.0 [120/1] via 172.16.2.1, 00:00:08, Serial0
C
172.16.2.0 is directly connected, Serial0
C
172.16.3.0 is directly connected, FastEthernet0
10.0.0.0/16 is subnetted, 1 subnets
S
10.1.0.0 is directly connected, Serial1
C
192.168.1.0/24 is directly connected, Serial1
S
192.168.100.0/24 is directly connected, Serial1
RouterB#

Static Routes and Recursive Lookups

172.16.1.0/24

.1 fa0
.1
s0

172.16.2.0/24

172.16.3.0/24

172.16.4.0/24

.1 fa0

.1 fa0

.2

.1

s0

s1

Router A

Router B

192.168.1.0/24

.2
s0

Router C

RouterA#show ip route
Codes: C - connected, S - static, I - IGRP, R - RIP, M - mobile, B - BGP
<text omitted>
Gateway of last resort is not set
172.16.0.0/24 is subnetted, 2 subnets
C
172.16.1.0 is directly connected, FastEthernet0
C
172.16.2.0 is directly connected, Serial0
RouterA#
RouterA(config)#ip route 172.16.3.0 255.255.255.0 172.16.2.2
03:12:45: RT: add 172.16.3.0/24 via 172.16.2.2, static metric [1/0]
RouterA(config)#
10

Static Routes and Recursive Lookups

RouterA#show ip route
Codes: C - connected, S - static, I - IGRP, R - RIP, M - mobile, B - BGP
<text omitted>
Gateway of last resort is not set
172.16.0.0/24
C
172.16.1.0
C
172.16.2.0
S
172.16.3.0
RouterA#

is subnetted, 3 subnets
is directly connected, FastEthernet0
is directly connected, Serial0
[1/0] via 172.16.2.2

First lookup of 172.16.3.0:

S
172.16.3.0 [1/0] via 172.16.2.2
Second lookup of 172.16.2.0:
C
172.16.2.0 is directly connected, Serial0

11

Static Routes without Recursive Lookup

172.16.1.0/24

.1 fa0
.1
s0

172.16.2.0/24

172.16.3.0/24

172.16.4.0/24

.1 fa0

.1 fa0

.2

.1

s0

s1

Router A

192.168.1.0/24

Router B

.2
s0

Router C

RouterB(config)#ip route 172.16.1.0 255.255.255.0 serial 0

05:05:30: RT: add 172.16.1.0/24 via 0.0.0.0, static metric [1/0]
RouterB(config)#
RouterB#show ip route
Codes: C - connected, S - static, I - IGRP, R - RIP, M - mobile, B - BGP
<text omitted>
Gateway of last resort is not set
172.16.0.0/24 is subnetted, 3 subnets
S
172.16.1.0 is directly connected, Serial0
C
172.16.2.0 is directly connected, Serial0
C
172.16.3.0 is directly connected, FastEthernet0
C
192.168.1.0/24 is directly connected, Serial1
RouterB#
12

Static Routes and Administrative Distance

You might have also noticed that the routing table states that this static route is directly connected.
S
172.16.1.0 is directly connected, Serial0

In the case of a static route, directly connected means that the static
route was configured with an exit interface.
This does not mean that it is a directly connected network like an
interface on the router.
Like all static routes, the default administrative distance of this static
route is still 1.
Only directly connected interfaces, (which have a code of C in the
routing table) can have an administrative distance of 0.
Although it is possible to modify the administrative distance of static
and dynamic routes, they cannot be given the administrative distance
of 0.
Likewise, directly connected interfaces can only have an administrative
distance of 0.
13

Static Routes via Ethernet Interfaces

172.16.1.0/24

172.16.3.0/24

.1 fa0

172.16.4.0/24

.1 fa0
.1
fa1

172.16.2.0/24

.1 fa0

.2

.1

fa1

s1

Router A

192.168.1.0/24

.2
s0

Router B

Router C

RouterB(config)#ip route 172.16.1.0 255.255.255.0 172.16.2.1

RouterB(config)#end
RouterB#show ip route
Codes: C - connected, S - static, I - IGRP, R - RIP, M - mobile, B - BGP
<text omitted>
Gateway of last resort is not set
172.16.0.0/24 is subnetted, 3 subnets
S
172.16.1.0/24 [1/0] via 172.16.2.1
C
172.16.2.0 is directly connected, FastEthernet1
C
172.16.3.0 is directly connected, FastEthernet0
C
192.168.1.0/24 is directly connected, Serial1
RouterB#
14

Static Routes via Ethernet Interfaces

RouterB(config)#ip route 172.16.1.0 255.255.255.0 fastethernet 1 172.16.2.1
RouterB(config)#end
RouterB#show ip route
Codes: C - connected, S - static, I - IGRP, R - RIP, M - mobile, B - BGP
<text omitted>
Gateway of last resort is not set
172.16.0.0/24 is subnetted, 3 subnets
S
172.16.1.0/24 [1/0] via 172.16.2.1 FastEthernet1
C
172.16.2.0 is directly connected, FastEthernet1
C
172.16.3.0 is directly connected, FastEthernet0
C
192.168.1.0/24 is directly connected, Serial1
RouterB#

15

VLSM
172.16.3.0/24

.1 fa0
172.16.1.4/30

.5

.9

s0

s1

172.16.1.8/30

Router X

RouterX#show ip route
Codes: C - connected, S - static, I - IGRP, R - RIP, M - mobile, B - BGP
<text omitted>
Gateway of last resort is not set
172.16.0.0/16 is
C
172.16.1.4/30
C
172.16.1.8/30
C
172.16.3.0/24
RouterX#

variably subnetted, 3 subnets, 2 masks

is directly connected, Serial0
is directly connected, Serial1
is directly connected, FastEthernet0

16

Part 2: The Lookup Process

Subnet Mask = # of bits that must match

Figure 2
IP Packet
192.168.1.10

11000000

10101000

00000001

00001010

16 bits must match, but only one bit matches.

Parent
Route

172.16.0.0

10101100

00010000

00000000

00000000

RouterA#show ip route
Codes: C - connected, S - static, I - IGRP, R - RIP, M - mobile, B - BGP
<text omitted>
Gateway of last resort is not set
172.16.0.0/24 is subnetted, 3 subnets
C
172.16.1.0 is directly connected, FastEthernet0
C
172.16.2.0 is directly connected, Serial0
R
172.16.3.0 [120/1] via 172.16.2.2, 00:00:00, Serial0
R
192.168.1.0/24 [120/1] via 172.16.2.2, 00:00:00, Serial0
RouterA#
18

Subnet Mask = # of bits that must match

Figure 3
IP Packet

192.168.1.10

11000000

10101000

00000001

00001010

These 24 bits match!

Ultimate
Route

192.168.1.0

11000000

10101000

00000001

00000000

RouterA#show ip route
Codes: C - connected, S - static, I - IGRP, R - RIP, M - mobile, B - BGP
<text omitted>
Gateway of last resort is not set
172.16.0.0/24 is subnetted, 3 subnets
C
172.16.1.0 is directly connected, FastEthernet0
C
172.16.2.0 is directly connected, Serial0
R
172.16.3.0 [120/1] via 172.16.2.2, 00:00:00, Serial0
R
192.168.1.0/24 [120/1] via 172.16.2.2, 00:00:00, Serial0
RouterA#
19

Parent then Children

IP Packet

172.16.3.10

10101100

00010000

00000011

00001010

00000000

00000000

These 16 bits match!

Parent
Route

172.16.0.0

10101100

00010000

RouterA#show ip route
Codes: C - connected, S - static, I - IGRP, R - RIP, M - mobile, B BGP
<text omitted>
Gateway of last resort is not set
172.16.0.0/24 is subnetted, 3 subnets
C
172.16.1.0 is directly connected, FastEthernet0
C
172.16.2.0 is directly connected, Serial0
R
172.16.3.0 [120/1] via 172.16.2.2, 00:00:00, Serial0
R
192.168.1.0/24 [120/1] via 172.16.2.2, 00:00:00, Serial0
RouterA#
20

Figure 6 (child routes shown in different order than with show ip route)
IP Packet

172.16.3.10

10101100

00010000

00000011

00001010

These 24 bits match!

Child
Route

172.16.3.0

10101100

00010000

00000011

00000000

Child
Route

172.16.1.0

10101100

00010000

00000001

00000000

Child
Route

172.16.2.0

10101100

00010000

00000010

00000000

RouterA#show ip route
Codes: C - connected, S - static, I - IGRP, R - RIP, M - mobile, B - BGP
<text omitted>
Gateway of last resort is not set
172.16.0.0/24 is subnetted, 3 subnets
C
172.16.1.0 is directly connected, FastEthernet0
C
172.16.2.0 is directly connected, Serial0
R
172.16.3.0 [120/1] via 172.16.2.2, 00:00:00, Serial0
R
192.168.1.0/24 [120/1] via 172.16.2.2, 00:00:00, Serial0
RouterA#
21

The Default Route

RouterB(config)#ip route 0.0.0.0 0.0.0.0 serial1
RouterB(config)#end
RouterB#show ip route
Codes: C - connected, S - static, I - IGRP, R - RIP, M - mobile, B - BGP
<text omitted>
Gateway of last resort is 0.0.0.0 to network 0.0.0.0
172.16.0.0/24 is subnetted, 3 subnets
R
172.16.1.0 [120/1] via 172.16.2.1, 00:00:13, Serial0
C
172.16.2.0 is directly connected, Serial0
C
172.16.3.0 is directly connected, FastEthernet0
C
192.168.1.0/24 is directly connected, Serial1
S*
0.0.0.0/0 is directly connected, Serial1
RouterB#

22

Classful Routing Behavior

RouterB#show running-config
Building configuration...
Current configuration:
!
version 11.2
!
<text omitted>
!
no ip classless
!
<text omitted>

23

Classful Routing Behavior

IP Packet

172.16.4.10

10101100

00010000

00000100

00001010

No match!
Child
Route

172.16.3.0

10101100

00010000

00000011

00000000

Child
Route

172.16.1.0

10101100

00010000

00000001

00000000

Child
Route

172.16.2.0

10101100

00010000

00000010

00000000

RouterB#show ip route
Gateway of last resort is 0.0.0.0 to network 0.0.0.0
172.16.0.0/24 is subnetted, 3 subnets
R
172.16.1.0 [120/1] via 172.16.2.1, 00:00:13, Serial0
C
172.16.2.0 is directly connected, Serial0
C
172.16.3.0 is directly connected, FastEthernet0
C
192.168.1.0/24 is directly connected, Serial1
S*
0.0.0.0/0 is directly connected, Serial1
RouterB#
24

Classful Routing Behavior

Routing Behavior: classful (no ip classless)
Packets Destination IP Address: 172.16.4.10
RouterB#show ip route
Codes: C - connected, S - static, I - IGRP, R - RIP,
<text omitted>
Gateway of last resort is 0.0.0.0 to network 0.0.0.0
1.
2.
3.
4.

Match
No Match
No Match
No Match

5. Drop Packet

172.16.0.0/24 is subnetted, 3 subnets

R
172.16.1.0 [120/1] via 172.16.2.1, 00:00:13, Serial0
C
172.16.2.0 is directly connected, Serial0
C
172.16.3.0 is directly connected, FastEthernet0
C
192.168.1.0/24 is directly connected, Serial1
S*
0.0.0.0/0 is directly connected, Serial1
RouterB#

25

Classless Routing Behavior

RouterB#show running-config
Building configuration...
Current configuration:
!
version 11.3
!
<text omitted>
!
ip classless
!
<text omitted>

26

Classless Routing Behavior

IP Packet

172.16.4.10

10101100

00010000

00000100

00001010

No match!
Child
Route

172.16.3.0

10101100

00010000

00000011

00000000

Child
Route

172.16.1.0

10101100

00010000

00000001

00000000

Child
Route

172.16.2.0

10101100

00010000

00000010

00000000

RouterB#show ip route
Gateway of last resort is 0.0.0.0 to network 0.0.0.0
172.16.0.0/24 is subnetted, 3 subnets
R
172.16.1.0 [120/1] via 172.16.2.1, 00:00:13, Serial0
C
172.16.2.0 is directly connected, Serial0
C
172.16.3.0 is directly connected, FastEthernet0
C
192.168.1.0/24 is directly connected, Serial1
S*
0.0.0.0/0 is directly connected, Serial1
RouterB#
27

Classless Routing Behavior

Routing Behavior: classless (ip classless)
Packets Destination IP Address: 172.16.4.10
RouterB#show ip route
Codes: C - connected, S - static, I - IGRP, R - RIP,
<text omitted>
Gateway of last resort is 0.0.0.0 to network 0.0.0.0
1.
2.
3.
4.

Match
No Match
No Match
No Match

5. Match!

172.16.0.0/24 is subnetted, 3 subnets

R
172.16.1.0 [120/1] via 172.16.2.1, 00:00:13, Serial0
C
172.16.2.0 is directly connected, Serial0
C
172.16.3.0 is directly connected, FastEthernet0
C
192.168.1.0/24 is directly connected, Serial1
S*
0.0.0.0/0 is directly connected, Serial1
RouterB#

28

Classless and Classful Routing Behavior

Changing the default routing behavior, whether classful or classless, is simple. The command to enable
classless routing behavior is:
RouterB(config)#ip classless
RouterB(config)#
The command to disable classless routing behavior, in other words, enable classful routing behavior is:
RouterB(config)#no ip classless
RouterB(config)#
Use show running-config to verify which command is in affect.

29

/16 Classful Routes

172.16.1.0/24

.1 fa0
.1

172.16.2.0/24

s0

172.16.3.0/24

172.16.4.0/24

.1 fa0

.1 fa0

.2

.1

s0

s1

192.168.1.0/24

172.16.10.0/24 lo1

.2

172.16.20.0/24 lo2

s0

172.16.30.0/24 lo3
172.16.40.0/24 lo4

RouterC(config)#interface
RouterC(config-if)#ip add
RouterC(config-if)#exit
RouterC(config)#interface
RouterC(config-if)#ip add
RouterC(config-if)#exit

loopback1
172.20.0.1 255.255.0.0
loopback2
172.30.0.1 255.255.0.0

RouterC#show ip inter brief

Interface
IP-Address
FastEthernet0
172.16.4.1
Loopback1
172.20.0.1
Loopback2
172.30.0.1
Serial0
192.168.1.2
RouterC#

OK?
YES
YES
YES
YES

Method
NVRAM
manual
manual
NVRAM

Status
up
up
up
up

Protocol
up
up
up
up

30

/16 Classful Routes

172.16.1.0/24

.1 fa0
.1
s0

172.16.2.0/24

172.16.3.0/24

172.16.4.0/24

.1 fa0

.1 fa0

.2

.1

s0

s1

192.168.1.0/24

172.16.10.0/24 lo1

.2

172.16.20.0/24 lo2

s0

172.16.30.0/24 lo3
172.16.40.0/24 lo4

Codes: C - connected, S - static, I - IGRP, R - RIP, M - mobile, B - BGP

<text omitted>
Gateway of last resort is not set
172.16.0.0/16 is variably subnetted, 6 subnets, 2 masks
C
172.16.4.0/24 is directly connected, FastEthernet0
S
172.16.0.0/16 is directly connected, Serial0
C
172.20.0.0/16 is directly connected, Loopback1
C
172.30.0.0/16 is directly connected, Loopback2
C
192.168.1.0/24 is directly connected, Serial0
RouterC#

31

Static Routes to Supernets

RouterB(config)#ip route 172.0.0.0 255.0.0.0 serial1
RouterB(config)#ip route 160.0.0.0 240.0.0.0 serial1
RouterB(config)#end
RouterB#show ip route
Codes: C - connected, S - static, I - IGRP, R - RIP, M - mobile, B - BGP
<text omitted>
Gateway of last resort is 0.0.0.0 to network 0.0.0.0
172.16.0.0/24 is subnetted, 3 subnets
R
172.16.1.0 [120/1] via 172.16.2.1, 00:00:20, Serial0
C
172.16.2.0 is directly connected, Serial0
C
172.16.3.0 is directly connected, FastEthernet0
C
192.168.1.0/24 is directly connected, Serial1
S
172.0.0.0/8 is directly connected, Serial1
S
160.0.0.0/4 is directly connected, Serial1
S*
0.0.0.0/0 is directly connected, Serial1
RouterB#

32

Supernets
IP Packet

172.16.4.10

10101100

00010000

00000100

00001010

No match!
Child
Route

172.16.3.0

10101100

00010000

00000011

00000000

Child
Route

172.16.1.0

10101100

00010000

00000001

00000000

Child
Route

172.16.2.0

10101100

00010000

00000010

00000000

RouterB#show ip route
172.16.0.0/24 is subnetted, 3 subnets
R
172.16.1.0 [120/1] via 172.16.2.1, 00:00:20, Serial0
C
172.16.2.0 is directly connected, Serial0
C
172.16.3.0 is directly connected, FastEthernet0
C
192.168.1.0/24 is directly connected, Serial1
S
172.0.0.0/8 is directly connected, Serial1
S
160.0.0.0/4 is directly connected, Serial1
S*
0.0.0.0/0 is directly connected, Serial1
RouterB#
33

Supernets 172.0.0.0 best match

IP Packet

172.16.4.10

10101100

00010000

00000100

00001010

Longest-bit-match! (11 bits match, 8 bits minimum)

Supernet

172.0.0.0/8

10101100

00000000

00000000

00000000

Supernet

160.0.0.0/4

10100000

00000000

00000000

00000000

Default

0.0.0.0/0

00000000

00000000

00000000

00000000

RouterB#show ip route
172.16.0.0/24 is subnetted, 3 subnets
R
172.16.1.0 [120/1] via 172.16.2.1, 00:00:20, Serial0
C
172.16.2.0 is directly connected, Serial0
C
172.16.3.0 is directly connected, FastEthernet0
C
192.168.1.0/24 is directly connected, Serial1
S
172.0.0.0/8 is directly connected, Serial1
S
160.0.0.0/4 is directly connected, Serial1
S*
0.0.0.0/0 is directly connected, Serial1
RouterB#
34

Supernets 160.0.0.0 best match

IP Packet

172.16.4.10

10101100

00010000

00000100

00001010

Longest-bit-match! (4 bits)
Supernet

160.0.0.0/4

10100000

00000000

00000000

00000000

Default

0.0.0.0/0

00000000

00000000

00000000

00000000

RouterB#show ip route
172.16.0.0/24 is subnetted, 3 subnets
R
172.16.1.0 [120/1] via 172.16.2.1, 00:00:20, Serial0
C
172.16.2.0 is directly connected, Serial0
C
172.16.3.0 is directly connected, FastEthernet0
C
192.168.1.0/24 is directly connected, Serial1
S
160.0.0.0/4 is directly connected, Serial1
S*
0.0.0.0/0 is directly connected, Serial1
RouterB#

35

The last of the Supernets 0.0.0.0/0

IP Packet

172.16.4.10

10101100

00010000

00000100

00001010

Match! Zero bits needed to match, which still makes it a

match!
Default

0.0.0.0/0

00000000

00000000

00000000

00000000

RouterB#show ip route
172.16.0.0/24 is subnetted, 3 subnets
R
172.16.1.0 [120/1] via 172.16.2.1, 00:00:20, Serial0
C
172.16.2.0 is directly connected, Serial0
C
172.16.3.0 is directly connected, FastEthernet0
C
192.168.1.0/24 is directly connected, Serial1

S*
0.0.0.0/0 is directly connected, Serial1
RouterB#

36