exit interface in static ip routing

[smitaghosh]

hello,

the command for static ip route says" next hop or exit interface".when do we use the exit interface?can we not use it in lan?is it only used in wan?can u answer my queries?

smita.

[lgijssel]

You can use static routes pointing to any interface you have.

When you use a static route that points to an interface, it is automatically redistributed in your dynamic (RIP, EIGRP, OSPF,..) routing protocol. This is not the case when you let the route point to an IP adress.

I could also imagine that you use an interface as the next hop when this interface is the terminating point for your routing domain, i.e when the network beyond this interface it not managed by you.

[raffski]

If you had several routers on a LAN segment, and wanted to spec a static route, you would spec the next hop address, not the exit interface, so the traffic would go directly where you wanted it to. This is one case where you would use next hop as opposed to exit interface. The routing protocol costs are different also depending on which one you use. Can't remember what they are though.