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Static routing
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<p>Static routing describes a process by which <a href="/facts/Routing/Ml6MVCaC">routing</a> is configured with fixed values that do not change at runtime unless manually edited. Static routes are used with and without dynamic <a href="/facts/Routing_protocol/LH5U2Qh5">Routing protocols</a> and usually share the same <a href="/facts/Routing_table/tufajWvV">routing table</a> as those protocols. Routes require at least two attributes; the destination and the gateway, but may contain additional attributes such as a <a href="/facts/Metrics_(networking)/cIlvV1oH">metric</a> (sometimes called the <i>administrative distance</i>). Some implementations treat the network address and <a href="/facts/Subnet_mask/s1rQsNDv">subnet mask</a> as separate values, however in practice both of the values have to be considered for any given routing decision to determine the <a href="/facts/Longest_prefix_match/CmE4EM8v">longest prefix match</a>. Static routes together with <i>connected</i> routes and routes from configuration protocols such as <a href="/facts/DHCP/lpASHnhz">DHCP</a> or <a href="/facts/Neighbor_Discovery_Protocol/kEtX2uDb">Router Advertisements</a> provide the routes which are then redistributed using dynamic routing protocols. While static routes are entered into the system and remain there until removed or changed manually, dynamic routing protocols create and delete routes dynamically at runtime without intervention. Thus the term <i>static</i> here refers to the nature of remaining unchanged by the system itself. The most prominent example of a static route is a <a href="/facts/Default_route/qEc68cgL">default route</a> which is often used on devices with a statically configured <a href="/facts/IP_address/z9V22Sw9">IP address</a> to provide the device with access to the rest of the network or the internet by default. In contrast to a so called <i>connected</i> route which is automatically generated upon address assignment based on the used subnet mask, a static route must be manually configured. Due to this the configuration may fail if there is no route to the provided gateway at the time of configuration, other than the connected route which will always succeed as it does not require a gateway. The gateway of a static route need not be an address, but can also specify an interface in most implementations. </p>