Comprehensive Guide to Routing: From Basics to Advanced

Follow :- MAHESH SARJERAO GIRHE

Table of Contents:

1. Introduction to Routing

2. Key Functions and Components of Routing

3. Types of Routing

• Static Routing

• Dynamic Routing

• Default Routing

4. Routing Protocols: A Deep Dive

5. Configurations with Practical Examples

• Static Routing Configuration

• Dynamic Routing Configuration (OSPF)

6. Advanced Topics in Routing

• VLAN Routing

• Policy-Based Routing (PBR)

• NAT Configuration

7. Troubleshooting Routing Issues

8. Routing Table Explained

9. Sample Network Topology

10. Conclusion

1. Introduction to Routing
Routing is the process by which routers determine the best path for forwarding data packets from
one network to another. Routers examine the destination IP address in the packet’s header and
consult their routing tables to decide the most efficient path. Effective routing is essential for
maintaining reliable communication between devices across different networks.

Why is Routing Important?

Routing ensures efficient and seamless communication between devices on different networks.
Without routing, devices within separate networks cannot exchange data.

2. Key Functions and Components of Routing

Routing Table

A router’s routing table is its map to guide the forwarding of data packets. It lists:

• Destination Network: The target network IP.

 • Subnet Mask: Defines the network portion of the IP.

• Next-Hop Address: The next router to forward the packet to.

• Interface: The router’s interface through which the packet will be sent.

• Metric: A value used to determine the best path (lower values are preferred).

Example Routing Table:

Destination Mask Next HopInterface Metric

192.168.1.0 255.255.255.0 10.0.0.2 Gi0/1 10
192.168.2.0 255.255.255.0 Direct Gi0/2 1

Routing Metrics

Metrics are used to determine the “cost” of a route. Common metrics include:

• Hop Count: Used in RIP.

• Cost: Used in OSPF (based on bandwidth).

• Composite Metric: Used in EIGRP (combines bandwidth, delay, reliability, etc.).

3. Types of Routing
Routing can be broadly classified into:

Static Routing

In static routing, network administrators manually configure routes. This is suitable for small and
stable networks where routing paths don’t change frequently.

Advantages:

• Simple and secure.

• No overhead from routing updates.

Disadvantages:

• Doesn’t scale well for large networks.

• No automatic failover.

Static Route Configuration Example:

ip route 192.168.2.0 255.255.255.0 10.0.0.2

Dynamic Routing

Dynamic routing protocols allow routers to automatically learn about network changes and
exchange routing information. This is essential for large networks.

Examples of Dynamic Routing Protocols:

• RIP: Routing Information Protocol.

• OSPF: Open Shortest Path First.

 • EIGRP: Enhanced Interior Gateway Routing Protocol.

• BGP: Border Gateway Protocol.

Advantages:

• Adapts to network changes.

• Scales well for large networks.

Disadvantages:

• Consumes bandwidth for routing updates.

• Requires more resources.

OSPF Dynamic Routing Configuration Example:

router ospf 1
network 192.168.1.0 0.0.0.255 area 0

Default Routing

Default routing is a catch-all route for packets that don’t match any other route in the routing table.

Default Route Configuration Example:

ip route 0.0.0.0 0.0.0.0 10.0.0.1

4. Routing Protocols: A Deep Dive

Distance-Vector Protocols

• Operate based on hop count.

• Example: RIP (Routing Information Protocol).

Link-State Protocols

• Build a complete topology of the network.

• Example: OSPF (Open Shortest Path First).

Hybrid Protocols

• Combine features of distance-vector and link-state protocols.

• Example: EIGRP (Enhanced Interior Gateway Routing Protocol).

Path-Vector Protocols

• Used for inter-domain routing.

• Example: BGP (Border Gateway Protocol).

5. Configurations with Practical Examples

Static Routing Practical Scenario
Network Topology:

• R1 LAN: 192.168.1.0/24

• R2 LAN: 192.168.2.0/24

• WAN: 10.0.0.0/30

Configuration on R1:

ip route 192.168.2.0 255.255.255.0 10.0.0.2

Configuration on R2:

ip route 192.168.1.0 255.255.255.0 10.0.0.1

Dynamic Routing (OSPF) Practical Scenario

Network Topology: Three routers in a triangular configuration.

Configuration on R1:

router ospf 1
network 192.168.1.0 0.0.0.255 area 0
network 10.0.0.0 0.0.0.3 area 0

6. Advanced Topics in Routing

VLAN Routing

VLAN routing allows routing between multiple VLANs using subinterfaces.

Example Configuration:

interface GigabitEthernet0/0.10
encapsulation dot1Q 10
ip address 192.168.10.1 255.255.255.0

Policy-Based Routing (PBR)

Policy-Based Routing enables routing based on the source IP address or application type.

Example Configuration:

route-map PBR permit 10

match ip address 101
set ip next-hop 10.0.0.2

NAT Configuration

Network Address Translation (NAT) is used to map private IP addresses to public ones.

Example Configuration:

ip nat inside source list 1 interface GigabitEthernet0/1 overload

7. Troubleshooting Routing Issues
Ping

Testing network connectivity.

ping 192.168.1.1

Traceroute

Tracing the path a packet takes through the network.

traceroute 192.168.2.1

Debugging

Viewing real-time logs to troubleshoot routing issues.

debug ip ospf events

8. Routing Table Explained

The routing table contains several types of routes:

• Directly Connected Routes: Automatically added when an interface is active.

• Static Routes: Manually configured by administrators.

• Dynamic Routes: Learned from routing protocols.

9. Sample Network Topology

Diagram: A network of three routers connected in a triangular topology, using OSPF for routing.
Each router has LAN subnets attached to it, and the routing table dynamically learns the optimal
path for packets.

10. Conclusion
This guide provides a comprehensive overview of routing, from the basics of routing tables to
advanced topics such as VLAN routing and Policy-Based Routing (PBR). By mastering these concepts,
you will be well-prepared for managing complex networks.

Enable Mode and Privileged Mode Configuration

When working with routers and switches, the basic modes in Cisco devices include User Mode,
Privileged Mode, and Global Configuration Mode.

1. User Mode:

• This is the first mode you enter when you access a Cisco device. It only allows limited
commands, primarily for viewing the device’s configuration.

• Prompt: Router>

2. Privileged Mode:
 • This mode allows you to view and configure the router. To access Privileged Mode, use the
enable command.

• Prompt: Router#

• Command: enable

3. Global Configuration Mode:

• To configure the device, enter the global configuration mode from Privileged Mode by typing
configure terminal.

• Command: configure terminal

• Prompt: Router(config)#

Basic Configuration Commands:

1. Set the hostname:

hostname Router1

2. Set the password for access:

enable secret your_password

3. Configure an interface (e.g., GigabitEthernet0/1):

interface GigabitEthernet0/1
ip address 192.168.1.1 255.255.255.0
no shutdown

4. Configure routing (e.g., OSPF):

router ospf 1
network 192.168.1.0 0.0.0.255 area 0

This document serves as a detailed guide to understanding and configuring routing on Cisco devices,
with examples and troubleshooting tips to aid in mastering network routing concepts.

To expand this guide to cover a more comprehensive 10-page document, I will elaborate on the
following sections, adding more technical depth, examples, and advanced topics. Here’s how I would
approach this expansion:

Expanded Topics for 10 Pages

1. Introduction to Routing (Expanded)

What is Routing?
Routing is the process of determining the best path for data packets to travel across networks.
Routers use routing tables and protocols to make decisions on how to forward packets from one
device to another.

Types of Routing

• Interior Routing: Routing within a single network (e.g., RIP, OSPF, EIGRP).

• Exterior Routing: Routing between different networks (e.g., BGP).

Routing in Large Networks

In large networks, dynamic routing is preferred as static routing does not scale well. Dynamic
routing protocols learn about the network topology and adjust routes automatically, ensuring
efficient and scalable routing.

2. Routing Concepts (Expanded)

Routing Process

The router performs the following steps:

1. Receives an incoming packet.

2. Looks up the destination address in its routing table.

3. Determines the next hop and the outgoing interface.

4. Forwards the packet to the next device on the path.

Routing Table Details

A routing table is made up of entries, and each entry defines a route to a network. The routing table
contains:

• Destination IP Address

• Subnet Mask

• Next-Hop IP Address

• Exit Interface: The outgoing port/interface.

• Route Source: Static or dynamic.

Example:

Destination Subnet Mask Next HopMetric Source

192.168.1.0 255.255.255.0 10.0.0.2 10 Static
192.168.2.0 255.255.255.0 10.0.0.3 20 OSPF

3. Routing Protocols (Detailed)

Distance-Vector Protocols

Distance-vector protocols calculate the best path based on distance. Each router advertises its entire
routing table to neighboring routers.

• Routing Information Protocol (RIP):

 • Max 15 hops.

• Suitable for small networks.

• Configuration:

router rip
version 2
network 192.168.1.0

• Enhanced Interior Gateway Routing Protocol (EIGRP):

• Hybrid protocol, using both distance-vector and link-state concepts.

• Supports variable-length subnet masks (VLSM).

• Configuration:

router eigrp 100

network 192.168.1.0 0.0.0.255

Link-State Protocols

Link-state protocols create a map of the network topology and determine the shortest path based on
the state of each link.

• Open Shortest Path First (OSPF):

• Uses cost (bandwidth) as its metric.

• Efficient for large networks.

• Configuration:

router ospf 1
network 192.168.1.0 0.0.0.255 area 0

4. Advanced Routing Topics (Expanded)

VLAN Routing (Inter-VLAN Routing)

When you have multiple VLANs on a network, you need a Layer 3 device (such as a router or Layer 3
switch) to route traffic between them. This is called Inter-VLAN Routing.

Example Configuration on Router:

interface GigabitEthernet0/0.10
encapsulation dot1Q 10
ip address 192.168.10.1 255.255.255.0

• Router-on-a-Stick: A configuration where a single router interface is configured as

subinterfaces, each corresponding to a different VLAN.
Policy-Based Routing (PBR)

PBR allows the network administrator to route traffic based on policies, such as source address,
destination address, or even the application generating the traffic.

Example Configuration:

route-map PBR permit 10

match ip address 101
set ip next-hop 10.0.0.2

NAT (Network Address Translation)

NAT is used to translate private IP addresses to public IP addresses, allowing multiple devices within
a private network to share a single public IP address.

• Overloading (PAT): Multiple private IPs mapped to one public IP.

• Static NAT: One-to-one mapping of private and public IPs.

Example NAT Configuration:

ip nat inside source list 1 interface GigabitEthernet0/1 overload

5. Troubleshooting Routing (Expanded)

Common Routing Issues

• Routing Loops: Caused by improper configurations or incorrect routing tables.

• Incorrect Metric: Can lead to suboptimal routing.

• Route Flapping: A route that constantly alternates between available and unavailable.

• Incorrect Routing Table: Can prevent packets from being routed to the correct destination.

Tools for Troubleshooting

• Ping: Verifies connectivity.

• Traceroute: Displays the route packets take.

• Show Commands:

• show ip route: Displays the routing table.

• show ip protocols: Displays routing protocol settings.

• show ip interface brief: Displays interface information.

Example of troubleshooting:

show ip route
show ip ospf neighbor

6. Advanced Routing Features

Route Redistribution
Route redistribution is the process of sharing routes between different routing protocols. For
instance, redistributing OSPF routes into EIGRP.

Example Redistribution Command:

router ospf 1
redistribute eigrp 100 metric 10

Load Balancing

Load balancing allows traffic to be distributed across multiple routes. It is commonly used when
there are multiple equal-cost paths to a destination.

Example:

ip route 192.168.2.0 255.255.255.0 10.0.0.1

ip route 192.168.2.0 255.255.255.0 10.0.0.2

IPv6 Routing

IPv6 routing follows the same principles as IPv4, but with IPv6 addresses and specific IPv6 routing
protocols like OSPFv3 and EIGRP for IPv6.

7. Routing Security (Expanded)

Routing Protocol Security

• OSPF Authentication: Prevents unauthorized OSPF routers from participating in the OSPF
domain.

ip ospf authentication key mykey

• EIGRP Authentication: Prevents unauthorized EIGRP routers from exchanging routing

information.

key-chain MYCHAIN
key 1
key-string mypassword

Access Control Lists (ACLs) in Routing

ACLs can be used to filter traffic based on IP address or other criteria, and they can control routing
behavior.

Example Configuration:

ip access-list extended ACL1

permit ip 192.168.1.0 0.0.0.255 any

8. Routing with MPLS (Multi-Protocol Label Switching)

MPLS is used in large-scale networks to efficiently route traffic and support high-performance
routing.

• MPLS Labels: MPLS assigns labels to packets to facilitate faster and more efficient routing.

• Configuration Overview: MPLS is configured between routers and requires certain

interfaces to be MPLS-enabled.

9. Routing in SDN (Software-Defined Networking)

SDN is revolutionizing network management by allowing centralized control of the routing
infrastructure.

• Control Plane and Data Plane Separation: SDN separates the control plane (decision-
making) from the data plane (forwarding).

• SDN Routing: Uses protocols like OpenFlow to define routing behavior.

10. Case Studies (Expanded)

Case Study 1: Inter-VLAN Routing Implementation

A scenario where a company needs to configure Inter-VLAN routing to allow communication

between different departments with separate VLANs.

Case Study 2: OSPF Configuration in a Large Network

Detailed configuration and optimization of OSPF in a large network to ensure redundancy and load
balancing.

Conclusion
This expanded guide offers an in-depth look at routing, starting from the basics and progressing to
advanced topics such as MPLS, SDN, and security considerations. By mastering these concepts and
configurations, you will have a solid foundation for managing and troubleshooting complex network
environments.

This detailed approach, including troubleshooting, security, advanced features, and real-world case
studies, will fill up the required pages while providing substantial knowledge on routing and related
technologies.

11. Routing Algorithms (Extended)

Bellman-Ford Algorithm

This is the algorithm used in Distance-Vector protocols like RIP. It calculates the shortest path by
repeatedly updating the route information based on distance metrics. While simple, it has
limitations, such as slow convergence and susceptibility to routing loops.

Dijkstra’s Algorithm
Dijkstra’s algorithm is used by Link-State protocols like OSPF. It calculates the shortest path based
on the link cost and creates a detailed map of network topology, allowing routers to make more
intelligent routing decisions. It is more efficient and faster compared to the Bellman-Ford approach.

Example of Dijkstra Algorithm

If a router has three available paths, A (cost 10), B (cost 20), and C (cost 15), Dijkstra will calculate
the shortest cost path, which would be A (cost 10).

12. Route Summarization

What is Route Summarization?

Route summarization is a technique used to reduce the size of routing tables by combining several
network addresses into a single summary address. This helps improve network performance and
efficiency by reducing the number of routes that need to be stored.

Benefits of Route Summarization

• Reduces the size of the routing table.

• Decreases the amount of routing protocol overhead.

• Helps minimize the chances of routing loops.

Example

If you have the following networks:

• 192.168.1.0/24

• 192.168.2.0/24

• 192.168.3.0/24
These can be summarized as:

• 192.168.0.0/22

Configuration Example for OSPF:

router ospf 1
network 192.168.0.0 0.0.3.255 area 0

13. Classless Routing

Classless Inter-Domain Routing (CIDR)

CIDR is a method of allocating IP addresses and routing IP packets, which helps in the efficient use of
IP address space. It uses a prefix (e.g., 192.168.1.0/24) instead of relying on the traditional class-
based system (A, B, C).

Benefits of CIDR

• Eliminates wasteful IP allocation.

• Provides more flexibility in addressing.

• Reduces the size of routing tables.

Example:
CIDR allows more flexible IP address assignments and more precise routing. For instance, if a
company needs more than 100 IP addresses but less than 255, it can use a subnet mask of
255.255.255.128, represented as /25.

14. Subnetting and Supernetting

Subnetting

Subnetting involves dividing an IP network into smaller networks, called subnets, to improve
network management and security.

Example:

• Network: 192.168.1.0/24

• Subnet Mask: 255.255.255.192 (or /26)

• Subnet 1: 192.168.1.0/26

• Subnet 2: 192.168.1.64/26

Supernetting

Supernetting involves combining multiple networks into a larger network. This is particularly useful
for routing efficiency and minimizing the size of routing tables.

Example of Supernetting:
If you have networks like 192.168.1.0/24 and 192.168.2.0/24, you can supernet them into one
network: 192.168.0.0/23.

15. VLSM (Variable Length Subnet Mask)

What is VLSM?

VLSM allows you to create subnets of different sizes within the same network, offering greater
flexibility than traditional fixed-size subnetting.

Example of VLSM:

• Network: 192.168.1.0/24

• Subnets:

• 192.168.1.0/26

• 192.168.1.64/27

• 192.168.1.96/28

Advantages of VLSM:

• More efficient use of IP address space.

• More flexible network design.

• Better allocation of resources.

16. BGP (Border Gateway Protocol) and External Routing
What is BGP?

BGP is an exterior gateway protocol used to exchange routing information between different
autonomous systems (ASes) on the internet. It is the protocol that drives internet routing.

How BGP Works:

BGP uses path vectors to determine the best path to a destination. Each AS has a unique ASN
(Autonomous System Number), and BGP exchanges routing updates between ASes.

Key Concepts:

• AS Path: List of ASes a route has passed through.

• Prefix Length: BGP prefers more specific (longer) prefixes.

• Next-Hop Attribute: Indicates the next hop IP address for a route.

BGP Configuration Example:

router bgp 65001

network 192.168.1.0 mask 255.255.255.0
neighbor 192.168.2.2 remote-as 65002

17. Routing with MPLS (Multi-Protocol Label Switching)

MPLS Overview

MPLS is a high-performance routing technique used in large-scale networks. Instead of routing data
based on IP addresses, MPLS labels are used, allowing packets to be forwarded along pre-
determined paths without the need for IP routing at each hop.

MPLS Labels

Each packet is assigned a label that is used to forward the packet through the network. These labels
are used to make routing decisions and can be swapped as packets travel from one router to
another.

Configuration Example for MPLS:

mpls ip
interface GigabitEthernet0/0
mpls ip

Advantages of MPLS

• Fast and efficient routing.

• Supports Quality of Service (QoS) and traffic engineering.

• Scalable for large networks.

18. Quality of Service (QoS) in Routing

What is QoS?
QoS refers to the set of technologies used to manage network traffic and ensure the performance of
critical applications. In routing, QoS is used to prioritize traffic such as voice or video over less time-
sensitive data like emails.

Types of QoS:

• Traffic Shaping: Regulating the flow of traffic into the network to prevent congestion.

• Traffic Policing: Monitoring traffic and enforcing limits.

• Priority Queuing: Giving higher priority to certain types of traffic (e.g., VoIP).

Example Configuration:

policy-map QoSPolicy
class Voice
priority 512
class Data
bandwidth 256

19. Load Balancing and Redundancy in Routing

What is Load Balancing?

Load balancing in routing refers to the practice of distributing traffic evenly across multiple routes
or paths to optimize resource utilization, minimize congestion, and improve network performance.

Types of Load Balancing:

• Equal-Cost Load Balancing (ECLB): Routes with the same metric are used for load
balancing.

• Unequal-Cost Load Balancing (UCLB): Routes with different metrics are used for load
balancing, though the protocol (e.g., EIGRP) needs to support this feature.

Configuration for EIGRP Load Balancing:

router eigrp 100

variance 2

Redundancy Protocols:

• Hot Standby Router Protocol (HSRP): Allows multiple routers to work together to present
the illusion of a single router to clients.

• Virtual Router Redundancy Protocol (VRRP): Similar to HSRP but supports multiple
routers as backups.

20. Routing Security Best Practices

Protecting Routing Protocols:

• OSPF Authentication: To ensure that only authorized routers exchange routing

information.

• EIGRP Authentication: Used to secure the EIGRP protocol.

 • BGP Authentication: MD5 authentication for secure BGP sessions.

Example Command for securing OSPF:

interface FastEthernet0/1
ip ospf authentication message-digest
ip ospf message-digest-key 1 md5 mypassword

Access Control Lists (ACLs) for Routing:

ACLs can restrict access to routing updates, allowing only trusted devices to participate in routing.

Example ACL Command:

access-list 100 permit ip 192.168.1.0 0.0.0.255 any

A comprehensive list of commands commonly used in routing:

1. Basic Configuration Commands

• enable - Enter privileged EXEC mode.

• configure terminal or conf t - Enter global configuration mode.

• hostname <name> - Set the router’s hostname.

• interface <interface> - Enter interface configuration mode.

• ip address <ip address> <subnet mask> - Configure the IP address on an interface.

• no shutdown - Enable the interface.

• show running-config - Display the current configuration.

2. Routing Protocols Configuration

RIP (Routing Information Protocol)

• router rip - Enter RIP configuration mode.

• network <network address> - Enable RIP on specified network.

• version <1 or 2> - Set the RIP version.

• no auto-summary - Disable auto summarization.

OSPF (Open Shortest Path First)

• router ospf <process-id> - Enter OSPF configuration mode.

• network <ip-address> <wildcard-mask> area <area-id> - Define OSPF networks and assign
areas.

• ip ospf hello-interval <seconds> - Set the OSPF hello interval.

• ip ospf dead-interval <seconds> - Set the OSPF dead interval.

EIGRP (Enhanced Interior Gateway Routing Protocol)

• router eigrp <autonomous-system-number> - Enter EIGRP configuration mode.

• network <network-address> - Enable EIGRP on the specified network.

• variance <value> - Enable unequal-cost load balancing.

• no auto-summary - Disable automatic summarization.

• show ip eigrp neighbors - Display EIGRP neighbors.

BGP (Border Gateway Protocol)

• router bgp <AS-number> - Enter BGP configuration mode.

• neighbor <ip-address> remote-as <AS-number> - Configure a BGP neighbor.

• network <network-address> mask <subnet-mask> - Advertise a network in BGP.

• show ip bgp - Display the BGP routing table.

3. Static Routing Commands

• ip route <destination-network> <subnet-mask> <next-hop> - Configure a static route.

• show ip route - Display the routing table.

• clear ip route * - Clear all routes from the routing table.

4. Advanced Routing Commands

• ip routing - Enable IP routing.

• router rip / router ospf <process-id> / router eigrp <AS-number> - Enter the routing
protocol configuration mode.

• ip route <destination-network> <subnet-mask> <next-hop-ip> - Configure a static route.

5. Route Redistribution Commands

• redistribute <protocol> - Redistribute routes between different routing protocols (e.g.,
redistribute ospf, redistribute rip).

• redistribute static - Redistribute static routes into dynamic protocols.

6. ACL and Security Commands (for Routing)

• access-list <list-number> permit <protocol> <source-ip> <wildcard-mask> <destination-ip>
- Configure an access control list (ACL).

• ip access-group <acl-number> in - Apply an ACL to an interface.

• ip ospf authentication message-digest - Enable OSPF authentication.

7. Troubleshooting Commands
• ping <ip-address> - Ping a device to test connectivity.

• traceroute <destination-ip> - Trace the route taken by packets to a destination.

 • show ip route - View the routing table.

• show ip protocols - Display routing protocol information.

• show ip ospf - Display OSPF details.

• show ip eigrp neighbors - Display EIGRP neighbor information.

• show ip bgp - Display BGP routing information.

• debug ip routing - Display routing debug information.

8. OSPF Specific Commands

• show ip ospf interface - Show OSPF interface details.

• show ip ospf neighbor - Show OSPF neighbor relationships.

• clear ip ospf process - Reset OSPF process.

9. EIGRP Specific Commands

• show ip eigrp topology - Display EIGRP topology information.

• show ip eigrp interfaces - Show EIGRP interfaces.

• clear ip eigrp neighbors - Reset EIGRP neighbors.

10. BGP Specific Commands

• show ip bgp summary - Display BGP summary information.

• show ip bgp neighbors - Display BGP neighbor status.

• clear ip bgp * - Clear BGP session.

These commands will help you configure, verify, and troubleshoot routing protocols, static routes,
and more advanced networking features on routers.