🌐 Static Routing — Practical + Interview Guide
📌 What is Static Routing?
Static routing is a method where routes are manually configured on routers to define how packets should reach different networks.
👉 Simple:
“Router ko manually batate hain traffic kahan bhejna hai.”
🎯 What You Will Learn
- Communication between different networks
- How routers forward packets
- Real-world routing logic
🧪 Lab Setup (in Cisco Packet Tracer)
🔹 Topology
PC1 --- Router1--- Router2 --- PC2
Lab Topology & IP Addressing Plan
Step 1 — Build topology in Packet Tracer
- Drag 2 x Router 2911 and 2 x PC
- Connect PC1 → Router1 with Copper Straight-Through
- Connect Router1 → Router2 with Copper Cross-Over (or Serial DCE)
- Connect Router2 → PC2 with Copper Straight-Through
Step 2 — Configure IP addresses
Router 1:
Router> enable Router# configure terminal Router(config)# hostname R1 R1(config)# interface GigabitEthernet 0/0 R1(config-if)# ip address 192.168.1.1 255.255.255.0 R1(config-if)# no shutdown R1(config-if)# exit R1(config)# interface GigabitEthernet 0/1 R1(config-if)# ip address 10.0.0.1 255.255.255.252 R1(config-if)# no shutdown R1(config-if)# end
Router 2:
Router> enable Router# configure terminal Router(config)# hostname R2 R2(config)# interface GigabitEthernet 0/0 R2(config-if)# ip address 10.0.0.2 255.255.255.252 R2(config-if)# no shutdown R2(config-if)# exit R2(config)# interface GigabitEthernet 0/1 R2(config-if)# ip address 192.168.3.1 255.255.255.0 R2(config-if)# no shutdown R2(config-if)# end
Step 3 — Add Static Routes ⭐ (Most important!)
ip route [destination network] [subnet mask] [next-hop IP] On Router 1 — tell it how to reach Network 3: R1(config)# ip route 192.168.3.0 255.255.255.0 10.0.0.2
On Router 2 — tell it how to reach Network 1: R2(config)# ip route 192.168.1.0 255.255.255.0 10.0.0.1
Step 4 — Configure PCs
On PC1 → Desktop → IP Configuration:
IP: 192.168.1.10, Mask: 255.255.255.0, Gateway: 192.168.1.1
On PC2 → Desktop → IP Configuration:
IP: 192.168.3.10, Mask: 255.255.255.0, Gateway: 192.168.3.1
Step 5 — Test with Ping
- On PC1 → Desktop → Command Prompt:
- ping 192.168.3.10
- You should see 4 replies ✅
Might be possible first time when you will ping it will only 2 replies came and others packets loss but second time if you try definitely ping successfully and winner winner !!
Verify on Router
R1# show ip route R1# show running-config
Common mistakes to avoid:
- Forgetting no shutdown on interfaces
- Wrong next-hop IP (must be the directly connected neighbor's IP)
- Missing the return route (both routers need static routes!)
- Wrong subnet mask in the ip route command
