A router is a device that decides where to send a data packet in order to get it one step closer to its destination, and then sends it there.
In order to make this decision, the router looks at the destination address on the packet and then consults a list of rules programmed into the router by the person who set it up.
If there is no explicit rule covering this packet - if the router hasn't been programmed with a rule on how to route packets to this particular destination - then the router send the packet to the default route.
In other words, the default route is the destination that a packet is sent to if the router doesn't have instructions to send it somewhere else.
As an example, consider a simple home router that connects your home network to the internet. This router will have two routing rules - one for computers on your internal network, and a default route. The default route will send packets upstream to your ISP. So any packet that's not going to another computer at your house will always be sent out to the Internet.
HTH,
Gdunge
0.0.0.0: The wildcard used to say "any" network not already in the routing table
The reserved address block for default routing is typically the address 0.0.0.0/0 in IPv4. This block is used to specify that a packet should be forwarded to the default gateway when there is no specific route for the destination address. In IPv6, the equivalent is ::/0. Default routing is essential for directing traffic outside of a local network when no more specific route exists.
There are primarily three types of routing: static routing, dynamic routing, and default routing. Static routing involves manually setting routes in the routing table, while dynamic routing uses protocols (like RIP, OSPF, or BGP) to automatically adjust routes based on network changes. Default routing is a simplified method that directs packets to a predefined route when no specific route is available. Each type serves different network needs and complexities.
30 Seconds
Rip V2, EIGRP
Every 30 seconds by default in RIP version 1.
EIGRP
RIP version 2, EIGRP
The router discards the packet.The router forwards the packet out the interface indicated by the default route entry.
IP base support static routing and default routing but ip services supports dynamic routing like ospf ,bgp and eigrp.
Every 20 Milliseconds it updates.
A default route is considered a gateway of last resort; meaning all ip packets that don't have a match in the routing table of a router will be forwarded to the default route. An ultimate route is a route in the routing table of a router that indicates both the next hop ip address and the exit interface.