Network Basics Types of Routing Protocols

7 Types of Routing Protocols

Routing is the process of moving information from a source to a destination across the
internetwork. Typically, at least one intermediary node is encountered along the path. Routing takes
place at Layer 3 (the network layer) of the OSI model. Typically, networks employ a combination of
static and dynamic routing. Static routing is preferable for small networks, whereas dynamic routing
is ideal for large networks.

Routing protocols are mechanisms for exchanging routing information between routers to make
routing decisions. Routing protocols can facilitate effective and efficient communication between
computer networks. Regardless of the scale of the network, these protocols facilitate the secure
delivery of data to its destination. Understanding the various categories and types helps determine
which routing method will best meet your goals.

Depending on their properties, routing protocols can be categorized into distinct classes. In
particular, routing protocols can be categorized according to their:

Behavior: Classful (legacy) or classless protocol.

Purpose: Interior Gateway Protocol (IGP) or Exterior Gateway Protocol (EGP).
Operation: Path-vector protocol, distance vector protocol, and link-state protocol.

IPv4 routing protocols are categorized as follows:

RIPv1 (legacy): IGP, distance vector, classful protocol

RIPv2: IGP, distance vector, classless protocol

OSPF: IGP, link-state, classless protocol

IGRP: IGRP (legacy) is Cisco's IGP, distance vector, classy protocol (deprecated from 12.2 IOS
and later)

EIGRP: IGP, distance vector, classless protocol

EGP

BGP: EGP, classless path-vector protocol

 IS-IS: Internet Protocol, link-state, classless

Figure 1. Types of Routing Protocols

This article describes the seven dynamic routing protocol types.

1. Routing Information Protocol (RIP)

The Routing Information System (RIP) was first defined in RFC 1058 as a first-generation routing
protocol for IPv4. RIP is a distance-vector routing protocol that uses the metric hop count. RIP is
straightforward to configure, making it an excellent option for small networks.

RIPv1 possesses the following qualities:

The number of hops is utilized as the path selection metric.

Every 30 seconds, routing updates are transmitted (255.255.255.255).
Greater than 15 hops is considered infinite (too far). This 15th hop router would not transmit the
routing update to the following router.

In 1993, RIPv1 evolved into RIP version 2, a classless routing protocol (RIPv2). RIPv2 brought the
subsequent enhancements:
 Security: It includes an authentication mechanism for securing routing table update
communications between neighbors.
Classless routing protocol support: It supports VLSM and CIDR because routing updates
include the subnet mask.
Improved efficiency: It forwards updates to the multicast address 224.0.0.9 rather than the
broadcast address 255.255.255.255.
Reduced routing entries: Manual route summarization on any interface is supported.

RIP updates are contained in a UDP segment with both the source and destination ports set to UDP
port 520.

The IPv6-enabled version of RIP was introduced in 1997. RIPng is an extension of RIPv2 restricted
to 15 hops, the administrative distance is 120. This hop count limitation renders RIP unsuitable for
larger networks.

2. Open Shortest Path First (OSPF)

Open Shortest Path First (OSPF) is the most prevalent link-state routing protocol. The OSPF Working
Group of the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) designed it. OSPF development began in 1987,
and there are currently two active versions:

OSPFv2: OSPF for IPv4 networks (RFC 1247 and RFC 2328)
OSPFv3: OSPFv3 is the IPv6 version of OSPF (RFC 2740)

OSPFv3 now supports both IPv4 and IPv6 thanks to the Address Families functionality.

OSPF implements the link state routing algorithm and is utilized in medium- to large-sized networks.
OSPF is an intradomain routing protocol that only operates within a specific routing domain. OSPF is
also a hierarchical routing protocol that may be used in a single autonomous system. OSPF
emerged from the intermediate-system-to-system (IS-IS) routing protocol of the Open Systems
Interconnection (OSI) reference model. OSPF enables multipath routing and uses one or more
routing metrics, including dependability, bandwidth, latency, load, and maximum transmission unit
(MTU). If OSPF utilizes many metrics, it also allows type-of-service (TOS) requests for traffic
differentiation.

OSPF, is a link-state, interior gateway, and classless protocol that uses the shortest path first (SPF)
algorithm to ensure efficient data transmission. Internally, this type maintains numerous databases
containing topology tables and network-wide information. Typically, the data is derived from link
state advertising transmitted by individual routers. The advertising, which resembles reports,
provides thorough details of the path's length and the resources that may be necessary.

OSPF utilizes the Dijkstra algorithm to recalculate paths when topology changes occur. It also
employs authentication procedures to maintain the security of its data throughout network
modifications and intrusions. Due to its scalability, OSPF may be advantageous for both small and
large network enterprises.

3. Interior Gateway Routing Protocol (IGRP)

In 1984, Cisco created the Interior Gateway Routing Protocol (IGRP) to address issues with RIP in
large networks. IGRP is a distance vector protocol, however, it employs several routing metrics (not
just hop count) to compute the destination's distance. Hold-downs, split horizons, and poison-
reverse updates are IGRP features aimed at improving network stability. IGRP should only be utilized
if your current environment consists solely of IGRP and you do not wish to add another routing
protocol.

The IGRP protocol offers the following routing goals:

The capacity to manage many "types of services" with a single set of data
Routing loop prevention
Routing stability, even in extremely large or complex networks
Low overhead, indicating that IGRP should not consume more bandwidth than it needs for its
own operation
Rapid reaction to varying network structure
Split traffic along parallel routes when their desirability is equal.
Consideration of error rates and traffic levels on various paths

IGRP is a distance-vector protocol in which routers (commonly referred to as gateways) only

exchange routing information with neighboring routers. IGRP outperforms RIP in terms of metrics. It
utilizes many of RIP's fundamental functionalities but increases the maximum number of hops
supported to 100. Consequently, it may function better on larger networks. IGRP compares network
parameters such as capacity, dependability, and load to function. This type automatically updates
when modifications, such as route modifications, occur. This aids in the prevention of routing loops,
which are faults that result in an infinite loop of data transfer. The new IGRP measures include the
following:

Bandwidth of the path section with the smallest bandwidth. The transmission rate in bits per
second.

Topological delay time. The time it would take for a packet to reach its destination if the
network were not crowded. If there is network traffic on the network, you may experience
additional delays.

Dependability of the route. Indicates the path's reliability based on the number of packets that
really arrive at the destination, relative to the total number of packets transmitted.

Path occupancy of the channel. Indicates the percentage of bandwidth currently in use. This
value will fluctuate frequently as network traffic fluctuates.

Using a complex algorithm, IGRP evaluates these parameters and determines the optimal route, as
represented by the smallest metric value.

Hold-downs, Split horizons, and Poison-reverse updates are further significant stability
characteristics of IGRP.

Hold-downs: Used to prevent a regular update message from reestablishing a route that may
have previously become invalid. When a network link fails, surrounding routers will detect the
absence of regularly scheduled updates and determine that the link is no longer operational.
The network will subsequently begin to propagate messages informing users that this router is
not operating. If this convergence takes too long, another router on the network may indicate
that this router is still operating normally. This gadget may be broadcasting inaccurate route
information. A hold-down instructs the network's routers to delay for a period of time any
modifications that could disrupt the routes. The hold-down duration is calculated to be only
marginally longer than the time required to update the entire network with a route change.

Split horizons: Used to prevent routing loops from occurring between two routers. It is never
advantageous to relay route information back in the direction from whence a packet was sent.

Poison-reverse updates: Used to reduce loops between many routers. When the metric rises
dramatically, it may suggest a routing loop. The router is subsequently placed on hold-down by
sending it a poison-reverse update.
Utilizing timers and variables containing time intervals is another characteristic of IGRP's stability.
Included among the timers are as follows:

Update Timer: The update timer specifies how frequently update messages are transmitted.
The IGRP default update interval is 90 seconds.

Invalid Timer: The invalid timer specifies how long a router will wait before declaring a route
invalid if it is not receiving routing update messages. The default value for the IGRP invalid
timer is three times the update timer.

Hold-time Period: The hold-time period (also known as the hold-down period) will indicate the
duration of the hold-down period. The default hold-time for IGRP is three times the update
interval plus ten seconds.

Flush Timer: The flush timer specifies the amount of time that must elapse before a route is
removed from a routing database. The default value of the IGRP flush timer is seven times the
update interval.

Sleep Timer: The sleep timer specifies how long update messages will be delayed. The sleep
value should be less than the update timer; otherwise, the routing tables will never be
synchronized.

4. Enhanced Interior Gateway Routing Protocol

(EIGRP)
EIGRP, or Enhanced Interior Gateway Routing Protocol, is a distance vector routing protocol used in
IP, AppleTalk, and NetWare networks. EIGRP is a proprietary Cisco protocol that was developed to
succeed the earlier IGRP protocol in 1992. Similar to RIPv2, EIGRP added support for VLSM and
CIDR. EIGRP enhances productivity, lowers routing changes, and facilitates secure message
exchange.

EIGRP presents the following features:

Rapid convergence: In the majority of instances, it is the quickest IGP to converge since it
maintains other pathways, allowing for nearly instantaneous convergence. If a primary route
fails, the router might use an alternate route. The changeover to the alternate route is
instantaneous and requires no interaction with other routers.
 Bounded triggered updates: This type of update does not transmit frequent updates. Only
updates to the routing table are propagated whenever a change occurs. This decreases the
network load imposed by the routing protocol. Bound triggered updates allow EIGRP to only
deliver updates to neighbors that require them. It uses less bandwidth, particularly in big
networks with several routes.

Management of the topology table: Maintains in a topology table all routes received from
neighbors, not only the optimal ones. DUAL can inject backup routes into the EIGRP topology
table.

Hello keepalive mechanism: A periodic exchange of a short Hello message is used to maintain
adjacencies between routers. This results in a minimal utilization of network resources during
regular operation, as opposed to frequent updates.

Multiple network layer protocol support: EIGRP is the only protocol that supports protocols
other than IPv4 and IPv6, including legacy IPX and AppleTalk, because it employs Protocol
Dependent Modules (PDM).

EIGRP possesses a variety of characteristics that make it an effective, intelligent, and potent routing
protocol, such as the Reliable Transport Protocol (RTP) and a Diffusing Update Algorithm (DUAL). To
accelerate the convergence process, routes are adjusted. to improve the efficiency of packet
transmissions. The downside of EIGRP is that it is a Cisco-proprietary protocol. Only Cisco routers
will be able to interact via EIGRP if your network has routers from multiple suppliers. Non-Cisco
routers will be unable to use or understand EIGRP.

5. Exterior Gateway Protocol (EGP)

The Exterior Gateway Protocol (EGP) was a routing protocol used to connect autonomous systems
on the Internet from the mid-1980s to the mid-1990s when it was replaced by the Border Gateway
Protocol (BGP). EGP was created by Bolt, Beranek, and Newman in the early 1980s. It was first
mentioned in RFC 827 and stated formally in RFC 904. RFC 1772 outlined an EGP to BGP migration
path. EGP does not utilize routing metrics; instead, it merely tracks which networks are currently
accessible via a given router.

Included in the routing table for the EGP protocol are:

Network addresses of nearby devices

Route costs
 Identified routers

EGP maintains network databases close to one another to route the various paths data may travel to
reach its destination. The databases then distribute the information to the connected routers so that
all routers' tables are current. The updated routing tables can assist in determining the optimal data
route.

This protocol has gone out of favor since it cannot operate in multipath networking situations. The
EGP protocol functions by maintaining a database of neighboring networks and the possible routing
pathways to reach them. These route details are transmitted to connected routers. Once it comes,
the devices can update their routing tables and select network paths based on more accurate
information.

6. Border Gateway Protocol (BGP)

BGP is an alternative exterior gateway protocol that was created to replace EGP. BGP employs the
optimal path selection technique for data package transfers, making it a distance vector protocol.
To automatically find the optimal route, BGP refers to the following variables:

Adjacent IP addresses
Router designation
Path distance
Origin type

The BGP Best Path Selection Algorithm is utilized to determine the optimal paths for data packet
transfers. If no special parameters have been configured, BGP will select routes with the shortest
path to the destination.

BGP enables administrators to modify transfer routes based on their requirements and provides
extensive security measures to ensure that only authorized routers can exchange data and
information. The algorithm for selecting the optimal route path can be modified by modifying the
BGP cost community attribute. BGP is able to make routing decisions based on factors including
weight, local preference, locally generated, AS Path length, origin type, multi-exit discriminator, eBGP
over iBGP, IGP metric, router ID, cluster list, and neighbor IP address.

BGP only transmits updated routing table data when a change occurs. Therefore, there is no auto-
discovery of topology changes, and the user must manually set up BGP. Regarding security, the BGP
protocol can be verified so that only authorized routers can exchange data.

BGP was chosen over OSPF because BGP allows device designers and owners greater flexibility and
control than OSPF. BGP processes include options for which routes should be broadcast and which
alerts the device will accept. It provides extra options for route choosing. This allows us greater
flexibility to avoid overloading specific lines that OSPF would automatically presume to be the
fastest path.

7. Intermediate System-to-Intermediate System

(IS-IS)
The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) designed IS-IS, which is documented in ISO
10589. The original version of this link-state routing protocol, known as DECnet Phase V, was
created by Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC). Radia Perlman was the IS-IS routing protocol's
principal designer.

IS-IS was originally built for the OSI protocol suite and not TCP/IP. Later, Integrated IS-IS or Dual IS-IS
added IP network capability. IS-IS was formerly known as the routing protocol used mostly by ISPs
and carriers, although enterprise networks are increasingly adopting it.

IS-IS protocol employs a modified form of the Dijkstra algorithm. Typically, the protocol groups
routers together to build bigger domains and connects routers for data transport. IS-IS employs
these two network types frequently:

Network Service Access Point (NSAP): Similar to an IP address, a network service access
point (NSAP) identifies a service access point in systems that employ the open system
interconnection (OSI) concept.

Network Entity Title(NET): This facilitates the identification of specific network routers within
bigger computer networks.

What is a Routing Protocol?

A protocol that is used for identifying or publicizing network paths is referred to as a "routing
protocol." A routing protocol specifies how routers exchange information that enables them to pick
routes between network nodes. Routers direct Internet traffic so that data packets are sent from
router to router through the Internet's networks until they reach their destination machine.
Algorithms governing routing determine the precise route chosen. Each router is only aware of
networks that are physically connected to it. A routing protocol distributes this information initially
with its close neighbors and later with the rest of the network. Thus, routers obtain information
about the network topology. A routing protocol enables the network to dynamically adapt to
changing conditions; without it, all routing decisions must be made statically in advance. Thanks to
the capacity of routing protocols to dynamically adapt to changing conditions, the Internet offers
fault tolerance and high availability.

Routers utilize dynamic routing protocols to allow the transmission of routing information between
routers. The objective of dynamic routing protocols comprises the discovery of remote networks,
the maintenance of up-to-date routing information, the selection of the optimal way to destination
networks, and the capacity to discover a new optimal path if the present path is no longer available.
While dynamic routing protocols require less administrative overhead than static routing, they
nonetheless demand a portion of a router's resources, including CPU time and network link
bandwidth, for protocol execution.

The discovery of remote networks and the maintenance of reliable network information are the
responsibilities of routing protocols. When there is a change in topology, routing protocols notify the
entire routing domain. Convergence is the process of bringing all routing tables to a consistent state
when all routers in the same routing domain or area have complete and accurate network
information. Certain routing protocols converge more quickly than others.

Classifications for routing protocols include classful or classless, distance vector or link-state, and
Interior Gateway Protocol or Exterior Gateway Protocol.

Distance vector protocols utilize routers as "sign posts" on the way to the final destination. The only
information a router has about a distant network is the distance or metric required to reach it, as
well as the way or interface used to reach it. Distance vector routing techniques lack a true network
topology diagram.

By collecting data from all of the other routers, a router configured with a link-state routing protocol
is able to construct a comprehensive network topology by collecting data from all of the other
routers.

Routing protocols use metrics to identify the optimal or shortest path to a destination network.
Various routing protocols may have distinct metrics. Generally, a lower metric indicates a superior
path. Hops, bandwidth, delay, reliability, and load can be used to determine a metric's value.
Multiple routes to the same network may be learned by routers via both static and dynamic routing
protocols. When multiple routing sources provide information on a target network, routers use the
administrative distance value to select which source to use. Along with static routes and directly
connected networks, each dynamic routing protocol has a distinct administrative value. The less
administrative value a route source has, the more desired it is. Directly connected networks are
always preferable over static and dynamic routing methods.

Among the objectives of dynamic routing protocols are as follows:

Maintaining current route information

Discovering distant networks
Locating a new optimal path if the present one is no longer accessible
Determining the optimal route to destination networks

The principal components of dynamic routing protocols are listed below:

Algorithm: An algorithm is a finite list of steps that are utilized to complete a task. Routing
protocols utilize algorithms to facilitate routing information and to determine the optimal path.
Routing Protocol Messages: Messages are used by routing protocols to discover neighboring
routers, communicate routing information, and conduct other network-related duties, such as
learning and maintaining accurate network information.
Data Structures: Routing protocols generally utilize tables or databases to perform their tasks.
This data is maintained in RAM.

In general, the following describes the operations of a dynamic routing protocol:

1. The router transmits and receives routing messages on its interfaces.

2. The router exchanges routing messages and routing data with other routers employing the
same routing protocol.
3. Routers share routing information to gain knowledge of distant networks.
4. When a router detects a change in topology, the routing protocol might broadcast this
information to other routers.

Dynamic routing protocols are more expensive in terms of CPU and bandwidth usage and less
secure as compared to default and static routing.
 Features RIP V1 RIP V2 IGRP OSPF E

Classful/Classless Classful Classless Classful Classless Cla

Com
Composite
Metric Hop Hop Bandwidth Ban
Bandwidth, Delay
D

30
Periodic 30 seconds 90 seconds None 30 s
seconds

Advertising 224.0.0.5
255.255.255.255.255 223.0.0.9 255.255.255.255.255 224
Address 224.0.0.6

Distance
Category Distance Vector Distance Vector Link State H
Vector

Default Distance 120 120 200 110

Table 1. Features of Dynamic Routing Protocols

The Routing Protocols Timeline is given below:

1982 - EGP
1985 - IGRP
1988 - RIPv1
1990 - IS-IS
1991 - OSPFv2
1992 - EIGRP
1994 - RIPv2
1995 - BGP
1997 - RIPng
1999 - BGPv6 and OSPFv3
2000 - IS-ISv6
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What is a Protocol in Networking?

A network protocol is an agreed collection of rules that govern the transmission of data between
devices on the same network. A network protocol enables connected devices to communicate
despite internal processes, structure, or design variances. Network protocols play a crucial part in
current digital communications because they make it possible to communicate with people all over
the world.

The Internet protocols are the most widely used open-system (nonproprietary) protocol suite in the
world because they can be used to communicate across any set of interconnected networks and
are suitable for both LAN and WAN communications. The two most well-known Internet protocols
are the Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) and the Internet Protocol (IP). The Internet protocols
are a suite of communication protocols, of which the Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) and the
Internet Protocol (IP) are the best. In addition to lower-layer protocols (such as TCP and IP), the
Internet protocol suite also specifies typical applications such as electronic mail, terminal
emulation, and file transfer.

What Is the Importance of Routing Protocols?

The data networks we use to learn, play and work in our daily lives ranging from small, local
networks to enormous, global networks. Multiple routers and switches may serve the data
connectivity needs of hundreds or thousands of PCs within an enterprise.

Routing protocols enable routers to dynamically share information about external networks and add
it to their routing tables. Routers forward packets using the routing table's information. The router
can discover routes to faraway networks in two ways: statically and dynamically. The optimal route
to each network is determined by routing protocols.

In a big network consisting of several networks and subnets, designing and maintaining static
routes between these networks takes a substantial amount of administrative and operational
overhead. This operational burden is particularly burdensome when network changes occur, such as
a downlink or the implementation of a new subnet. Implementing dynamic routing protocols can
lighten the load of configuration and maintenance duties and provide scalability to the network.
A fundamental advantage of dynamic routing protocols is that routers share routing information
whenever there is a change in network topology. This exchange enables routers to automatically
discover new networks and find alternate routes in the event of a network link loss.

Dynamic routing protocols demand less administrative work than static routing. However, dynamic
routing protocols require a portion of a router's resources, including CPU time and network link
bandwidth, for protocol execution. Despite the advantages of dynamic routing, there is still a role for
static routing. There are instances where static routing is preferable and others when dynamic
routing is preferable. In networks with a modest degree of complexity, both static and dynamic
routing may be established.

In summary, routing protocols are important technologies in the communication world because of
the following:

A rapid convergence
Easy to configure
Permits optimal route selection
Minimize update traffic
Provides for loop-free routing
Adapts to alterations
Supports vary in length
Compatible with established hosts and routers
Scales to a substantial size

What are the IGP and EGP Routing Protocols?

An autonomous system (AS) is a collection of routers administered by a single entity, such as a
business or organization. An AS may also be referred to as a route domain. An AS often consists of
a company's internal network and an ISP's network.

Due to the fact that the Internet is based on the AS idea, two types of routing protocols are required:

Interior Gateway Protocols (IGP): These are protocols used for routing within an AS. This is
also known as the intra-AS route. Internal networks of businesses, organizations and even
service providers use an IGP. RIP, IGRP, EIGRP, OSPF, and IS-IS are IGPs.

Exterior Gateway Protocols (EGP): Used for routing between autonomous systems. This is also
known as the inter-AS route. Using an EGP, service providers and huge corporations can
 interconnect. The Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) is the Internet's official routing protocol and
the only EGP that is currently operational. Since BGP is the sole available EGP, the word EGP is
rarely used; instead, engineers typically refer to BGP.

What are Routing Protocol Metrics?

There are instances in which a routing protocol discovers many routes to the same destination. For
the routing protocol to select the optimal path, it must be able to analyze and differentiate amongst
the available paths. This is achieved with the use of routing metrics.

A metric is a quantitative value assigned to different routes by the routing protocol based on the
usefulness of that route. In instances where numerous paths exist to the same remote network,
routing metrics are used to calculate the "cost" of a path from source to destination. Routing
protocols find the optimal path based on the least expensive route.

Various routing protocols employ distinct metrics. One routing protocol's metric cannot be
compared to the metric of another routing protocol. Two distinct routing protocols may select
distinct routes to the same destination.

Below are the most typical routing protocol metric values:

Reliability: Reliability is a metric factor that may be given a constant value. Its value is
dynamically measured and is dependent on the network links. Some networks experience
outages more frequently than others. Some network links are easier to repair than others after a
network breakdown. Any dependability element may be considered when assigning reliability
ratings, which are typically issued by the system administrator as numeric values.

Delay: The amount of time a router needs to process, queue, and transmit a datagram to an
interface. This measure is used by the protocols to determine the delay values for all links along
the end-to-end path. The route with the lowest delay value will be considered the optimal route.

Hop count: Hop count is a measure that specifies the number of internetworking devices, such
as a router, through which a packet must pass in order to go from source to destination. If the
hop is considered a major metric value by the routing protocol, then the path with the fewest
hops will be deemed the optimal way from source to destination.

Load: Load is the degree to which a network resource, such as a router or network link, is
utilized. A load can be determined in numerous ways, including CPU use and packets
 processed per second. If the volume of traffic increases, so will the load value. The load value
adapts to the fluctuating volume of traffic.

Bandwidth: The capacity of the link is referred to as its bandwidth. The bandwidth is quantified
in bits per second. The connection with a higher transfer rate, such as gigabit, is chosen over
the connection with a smaller capacity, such as 56 kb. The protocol will assess the bandwidth
capacity of each link along the route, and the route with the highest bandwidth will be deemed
the optimal one.

Comparison of Routing Protocols

Routing protocols are compared based on the following characteristics:

Implementation and maintenance: Implementation and maintenance describe the level of

knowledge necessary for a network administrator to install and maintain the network by the
routing protocol adopted.

Speed of convergence: The speed of convergence is the rate at which the routers in a network
architecture share routing information and attain a state of consistent knowledge. The more
rapidly a protocol converges, the more desirable it is. When inconsistent routing tables are not
updated due to poor convergence in a dynamic network, routing loops can arise.

Classful vs Classless: Classful routing protocols do not include the subnet mask and cannot
support variable-length subnet mask (VLSM). Updates for classless routing protocols include
the subnet mask. Classless routing techniques support VLSM and provide for improved route
summarization.

Scalability: Scalability defines the maximum size of a network based on the deployed routing
system. The routing protocol must be more scalable as the network size increases.

Resource usage: Resource usage consists of the requirements of a routing protocol, including
memory space (RAM), CPU utilization, and link bandwidth usage. In addition to packet
forwarding activities, the operation of the routing protocol necessitates more robust hardware
due to its increased resource demands.

Comparisons of the routing protocols are given in the following table:

 RIPv1 RIPv2 IGRP EIGRP OSPF IS-IS

Converge Slow Slow Slow Fast Fast Fast

Scalibility/Size of Network Small Small Small Large Large Large

Use of VLSM No Yes No Yes Yes Yes

Resource Usage Low Low Low Medium High High

Implementation &
Simple Simple Simple Complex Complex Complex
Maintenance

Table 2. Comparisons of the Dynamic Routing Protocols

Which Network Protocol is Used to Route IP Addresses?

Internet Protocol is used to route IP addresses. An Internet Protocol (IP) assigns the network-
participating system a unique address known as an IP address. These IP addresses are used to
route data packets between the source and destination systems.

The IP address is accountable for identifying and routing network systems. Each device has a
unique Internet protocol address.

Is VPN a Routing Protocol?

No. VPN stands for Virtual Private Network, which enables a user to connect to a private network
securely and privately over the Internet. VPN creates an encrypted connection known as a VPN
tunnel, through which all Internet traffic and conversation are routed. Some VPN protocols are as
follows:

IPsec
L2TP
PPTP
OpenVPN
WireGuard
Does VPN Improve Routing?
No. If you install a VPN on your router, you might anticipate speed and performance issues. Since
deploying a VPN on your router imposes new network management responsibilities such as traffic
encryption/decryption that is memory-intensive and CPU-intensive operations. Additionally, the
router must periodically connect to a certain VPN server, which requires processing power.

Do NGFWs Support Routing Protocols?

Yes, next-generation firewall(NGFW) solutions support IPv4 and IPv6 routing protocols. For
instance, OPNsense powered with Zenarmor next-generation firewall plugin offers dynamic routing
protocols, like RIP v1 and v2, OSPFv2 and v3, and BGPv4. In order to use one or more of the dynamic
routing protocols included, OPNsense firewall administrators must install os-frr , FRRouting
Protocol Suite plugin.

Last updated on Oct 12, 2023 by Zenarmor