Default route · Floating route · Recursive route · Fully specified route.

What is a static route?

A static route is manually configured by the administrator. The router does not learn it dynamically and does not update it automatically.

ip route <destination-net> <subnet-mask> <next-hop | interface>

Default route (0.0.0.0/0)

Used when the router has no more specific route in the routing table. Matches all destinations – also called gateway of last resort.

ip route 0.0.0.0 0.0.0.0 192.168.1.1

When to use: toward the internet, in stub networks, when there is only one way out of the network.

Floating static routes

A floating static route is a backup route that is only used if the primary route disappears – achieved by configuring a higher Administrative Distance than the primary route.

ip route 10.10.0.0 255.255.0.0 192.168.1.2 5

• AD = 5 (higher than the dynamic primary)
• CCNA key point: low AD = preferred route · high AD = backup

Recursive vs fully specified

Recursive: the router must resolve the next-hop recursively in the routing table.

ip route 10.20.0.0 255.255.255.0 192.168.1.2

• Next-hop IP only; the router finds the outgoing interface itself; most used on CCNA

Fully specified: the router gets both next-hop IP and interface.

ip route 10.20.0.0 255.255.255.0 GigabitEthernet0/0 192.168.1.2

• No extra lookup; more explicit; less common on CCNA

Type	Next-hop IP	Interface	Extra lookup
Recursive	✅	❌	✅
Fully specified	✅	✅	❌

CCNA memory rule

Default route     → 0.0.0.0/0
Floating route    → higher AD
Recursive         → next-hop only
Fully specified   → everything at once

Verification

show ip route
show running-config | section ip route