Routers - Default Route vs Gateway ip?

Node Man

Hi Everyone,
What is the difference between a routers default route and a gateway ip? Both need to be set up or unknown addresses will be discarded?

Thank you

networker050184

A default route is the gateway of last resort. This is the least specific route in the routing table so is the last path taken if there is no more specific destination in the table.

There is a difference between setting a default route via a static route (or learning dynamically) and using the 'ip default-gateway' command. The latter is used if the router is not routing IP and is used as if the router itself were an IP end host.

Node Man

So a default ip, insteaded of flooding to all ports, makes a hail-mary pass and hopes the packet will reach its destination?

networker050184

Default route would be a less ambiguous term to use, but yes. Its where traffic is sent if there is no specific route in the table for the destination. Usually the default route would point out of your WAN link towards the internet, or maybe to a core or edge router with more routing information available.