Static routes are useful if you want to do any of the following on your network:

• Eliminate routing traffic, which increases the bandwidth available for data.
• Limit user access to one portion of the network. For example, if a static route for a network is configured on a router, any packets that are received by the router are forwarded only to the destination network specified by that static route.
• Gain access to isolated areas of the network, which is useful if dealing with legacy network topologies.
• Gain access to a network more than 15 hops away.
• Use a static route as a backup route to dynamic routes.

IMPORTANT: Use this procedure to configure static routes when the next hop router is on the same LAN as the router you are configuring. When the next hop router is across a WAN connection, refer to "Configuring Static Routes for WAN Connections.”

How to Configure a LAN Static Route

To configure a static route for a LAN, complete the following steps:

1. Load NIASCFG, then select the following parameter path:

   Select Configure NIAS > Protocols and Routing > Protocols > TCP/IP

2. Configure the following static route parameters:

   • LAN Static Routing---Enables LAN static routing on the router.

     Select this field, then select Enabled.

   • LAN Static Routing Table---Entry point to the LAN static route configuration parameters.

     Press Ins and configure the following parameters:

     Route to Network or Host---Destination at the other end of the static route, which can be a single IP host or an IP network (that is, a group of hosts). Or, you can select Default Route. If the router must forward a packet for which it can find no destination in its routing table, it sends the packet to the address specified by the next hop for the default route. This type of "blind forwarding" keeps a packet on the network until a router can forward it to its final destination.

     IP Address of Network/Host---Enter the address of the destination network or host. To select from a list of symbolic network or host names and addresses, press Ins. The list of symbolic network names and addresses comes from the SYS:\ETC\NETWORKS file. The list of symbolic host names and addresses comes from the SYS:\ETC\HOSTS file.

     Subnetwork Mask---If the destination is an IP network, the subnet mask of that network.

     Next Hop Router on Route---Explicit destination of the next hop.

     Enter the IP address of the next-hop router. To select from a list of symbolic hostnames and addresses, press Ins.

     Metric for this route---Number of hops to the destination. This metric is directly proportional to the cost of the route. Given two routes to the same destination, the router chooses the lower-cost route.

     If you want to use the static route as a backup route to a dynamic route, select a value that is higher than the cost associated with the dynamic route. This selection ensures that the dynamic route remains the preferred route under typical conditions.

     Do not set this metric value to 16 unless you want to disable the route.

     Type of route---Specify whether the static route is Active or Passive. This parameter specifies whether the next hop router for this route actively advertises the route to this network.

     Usually, static routes are not advertised and are categorized as passive routes. When a route is marked as active, TCP/IP expects the next hop router to advertise the route regularly. If a router stops advertising an active route, TCP/IP assumes the route is no longer available and deletes it from the routing table.

     If the static route is active and the router discovers a lower-cost dynamic route to the same destination, it uses the lower-cost route instead of the active static route. If the lower-cost route becomes unavailable, the router returns to using the active static route.

     If you want to use the static route as a backup route, select Active.

     A passive static route is always used, regardless of whether the router discovers a lower-cost route to the same destination.

3. Press Esc twice, then select Yes to save your changes.

4. If you want to disable the routing protocol on this interface to reduce routing traffic, complete the following steps:

   1. Select the following:

      Select Bindings > an existing binding

   2. Select RIP Bind Options.

      Select Status > Disabled

   3. Press Esc, then select OSPF Bind Options.

      Select Status > Disabled

5. If your router has multiple interfaces and you want to disable them, repeat Step 4.

6. Press Esc until you are prompted to save your changes, then select Yes.

7. Press Esc to return to the Internetworking Configuration menu.

8. If you want these changes to take effect immediately, select Reinitialize System and select Yes to activate your changes.