OSPF Default Route
With this simple topology of 2 Cisco routers, we will configure default route in OSPF.
The scenario is interface loopback 0 on R1 (100.100.100.1) will not advertised into OSPF, R2 will reach it through the default route.
First of all, we will configure on R2 :
R2(config)#interface e0/0
R2(config-if)#ip address 10.10.10.2 255.255.255.252
R2(config-if)#no shutR2(config)#interface loopback 0
R2(config-if)#ip address 2.2.2.2 255.255.255.255
R2(config-if)#no shutR2(config)#router ospf 1
R2(config-router)#network 10.10.10.0 0.0.0.3 area 0
R2(config-router)#network 2.2.2.2 0.0.0.0 area 0
Now move to R1, we don’t advertise loopback 0 (100.100.100.1) into OSPF because we want to reach it by default route from R2 :
R1(config)#interface e0/0
R1(config-if)#ip address 10.10.10.1 255.255.255.252
R1(config-if)#no shutR1(config)#interface loopback 0
R1(config-if)#ip address 100.100.100.1 255.255.255.255
R1(config-if)#no shutR1(config)#interface loopback 1
R1(config-if)#ip address 1.1.1.1 255.255.255.255
R1(config-if)#no shutR1(config)#router ospf 1
R1(config-router)#network 10.10.10.0 0.0.0.3 area 0
R1(config-router)#network 1.1.1.1 0.0.0.0 area 0
Now let’s check from R2 :
R2#sh ip route
--<output omitted>--Gateway of last resort is not set1.0.0.0/32 is subnetted, 1 subnets
O 1.1.1.1 [110/11] via 10.10.10.1, 00:01:45, Ethernet0/0
2.0.0.0/32 is subnetted, 1 subnets
C 2.2.2.2 is directly connected, Loopback0
10.0.0.0/8 is variably subnetted, 2 subnets, 2 masks
C 10.10.10.0/30 is directly connected, Ethernet0/0
L 10.10.10.2/32 is directly connected, Ethernet0/0
R2#ping 100.100.100.1
Type escape sequence to abort.
Sending 5, 100-byte ICMP Echos to 100.100.100.1, timeout is 2 seconds:
.....
Success rate is 0 percent (0/5)
Well, we can’t ping to loopback 0 of R1.
Let’s add configuration on R1 :
R1(config)#router ospf 1
R1(config-router)#default-information originate alwaysNow let’s check on R2 :
R2#sh ip route
--<output omitted>--Gateway of last resort is 10.10.10.1 to network 0.0.0.0O*E2 0.0.0.0/0 [110/1] via 10.10.10.1, 00:00:17, Ethernet0/0
1.0.0.0/32 is subnetted, 1 subnets
O 1.1.1.1 [110/11] via 10.10.10.1, 00:03:12, Ethernet0/0
2.0.0.0/32 is subnetted, 1 subnets
C 2.2.2.2 is directly connected, Loopback0
10.0.0.0/8 is variably subnetted, 2 subnets, 2 masks
C 10.10.10.0/30 is directly connected, Ethernet0/0
L 10.10.10.2/32 is directly connected, Ethernet0/0R2#ping 100.100.100.1
Type escape sequence to abort.
Sending 5, 100-byte ICMP Echos to 100.100.100.1, timeout is 2 seconds:
!!!!!
Success rate is 100 percent (5/5), round-trip min/avg/max = 1/1/2 ms
Well, R2 has default route now and can reach loopback 0 of R1 (100.100.100.1).
Let’s try another way, remove previous configuration on R1 “default-information originate always” and add configuration “default-information originate”.
R1(config)#router ospf 1
R1(config-router)#no default-information originate always
R1(config-router)#default-information originateCheck again on R2 :
R2#sh ip route
--<output omitted>--Gateway of last resort is not set1.0.0.0/32 is subnetted, 1 subnets
O 1.1.1.1 [110/11] via 10.10.10.1, 00:04:55, Ethernet0/0
2.0.0.0/32 is subnetted, 1 subnets
C 2.2.2.2 is directly connected, Loopback0
10.0.0.0/8 is variably subnetted, 2 subnets, 2 masks
C 10.10.10.0/30 is directly connected, Ethernet0/0
L 10.10.10.2/32 is directly connected, Ethernet0/0R2#ping 100.100.100.1
Type escape sequence to abort.
Sending 5, 100-byte ICMP Echos to 100.100.100.1, timeout is 2 seconds:
.....
Success rate is 0 percent (0/5)
Hmmm.. the default route is disappear and R2 can’t reach 100.100.100.1.
Now add configuration on R1 :
R1(config)#ip route 0.0.0.0 0.0.0.0 loopback 0Now R1 has a default route through interface loopback 0 :
R1#sh ip route
--<output omitted>--Gateway of last resort is 0.0.0.0 to network 0.0.0.0S* 0.0.0.0/0 is directly connected, Loopback0
1.0.0.0/32 is subnetted, 1 subnets
C 1.1.1.1 is directly connected, Loopback1
2.0.0.0/32 is subnetted, 1 subnets
O 2.2.2.2 [110/11] via 10.10.10.2, 00:06:27, Ethernet0/0
10.0.0.0/8 is variably subnetted, 2 subnets, 2 masks
C 10.10.10.0/30 is directly connected, Ethernet0/0
L 10.10.10.1/32 is directly connected, Ethernet0/0
100.0.0.0/32 is subnetted, 1 subnets
C 100.100.100.1 is directly connected, Loopback0
Let’s check again on R2 :
R2#sh ip route
--<output omitted>--Gateway of last resort is 10.10.10.1 to network 0.0.0.0O*E2 0.0.0.0/0 [110/1] via 10.10.10.1, 00:01:21, Ethernet0/0
1.0.0.0/32 is subnetted, 1 subnets
O 1.1.1.1 [110/11] via 10.10.10.1, 00:07:10, Ethernet0/0
2.0.0.0/32 is subnetted, 1 subnets
C 2.2.2.2 is directly connected, Loopback0
10.0.0.0/8 is variably subnetted, 2 subnets, 2 masks
C 10.10.10.0/30 is directly connected, Ethernet0/0
L 10.10.10.2/32 is directly connected, Ethernet0/0
R2#ping 100.100.100.1
Type escape sequence to abort.
Sending 5, 100-byte ICMP Echos to 100.100.100.1, timeout is 2 seconds:
!!!!!
Success rate is 100 percent (5/5), round-trip min/avg/max = 1/3/9 ms
The default route on R2 comes up again and R2 can reach 100.100.100.1 again.
- In OSPF, the “default-information originate” command will not advertise to any other routers without a default route in the routing table.
- When added the “always” keyword , it tells the router to advertise a default route to other routers even if you don’t have a default route in the routing table.
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