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RIPRouter Config

default-information originate

The default-information originate command injects a default route into a RIP routing domain, typically used to provide internet or WAN connectivity to downstream routers.

Syntax·Router Config
default-information originate

When to Use This Command

  • Inject a default route from a border router into a RIP network to provide internet access to internal routers.
  • Advertise a default route from a corporate headquarters router to branch offices running RIP.
  • Ensure that stub networks can reach external networks without static default routes on each router.
  • Redistribute a default route learned via another protocol (e.g., BGP) into RIP for downstream routers.

Command Examples

Basic default route injection into RIP

Router(config-router)# default-information originate
Router# show ip route rip
Codes: R - RIP, O - OSPF, C - connected, S - static
      10.0.0.0/8 is variably subnetted, 2 subnets, 2 masks
R     10.1.1.0/24 [120/1] via 192.168.1.2, 00:00:12, GigabitEthernet0/0
R*   0.0.0.0/0 [120/1] via 192.168.1.1, 00:00:05, GigabitEthernet0/0

The output shows RIP routes. The line starting with 'R*' indicates a default route (0.0.0.0/0) learned via RIP. The '*' denotes the default route. The metric is 1 (hop count), next-hop is 192.168.1.1, and the route was learned 5 seconds ago via GigabitEthernet0/0.

Default route with metric override

Router(config-router)# default-information originate metric 5
Router# show ip route rip
Codes: R - RIP, O - OSPF, C - connected, S - static
      10.0.0.0/8 is variably subnetted, 2 subnets, 2 masks
R     10.1.1.0/24 [120/1] via 192.168.1.2, 00:00:12, GigabitEthernet0/0
R*   0.0.0.0/0 [120/5] via 192.168.1.1, 00:00:08, GigabitEthernet0/0

The default route now shows a metric of 5 (instead of the default 1). This can be used to influence path selection, making the default route less preferred than other routes.

Understanding the Output

When you use 'show ip route rip', the output lists all RIP-learned routes. Each line starts with 'R' for RIP routes, and an asterisk '*' indicates a candidate default route. The format is: [administrative distance/metric] via next-hop, time since last update, outgoing interface. For the default route, the network is 0.0.0.0/0. A healthy default route should have a reasonable metric (typically 1-15 for RIP) and a recent timestamp (under 30 seconds). If the route disappears or shows a high metric, the originating router may be unreachable or the metric has been artificially increased. Watch for multiple default routes with different metrics, which could cause suboptimal routing.

CCNA Exam Tips

1.

CCNA exam tip: The 'default-information originate' command is used with RIP, but similar commands exist for OSPF and EIGRP; know the differences.

2.

CCNA exam tip: Without this command, RIP does not propagate default routes even if one exists in the routing table.

3.

CCNA exam tip: The metric can be set to influence path selection; the default metric is 1.

4.

CCNA exam tip: This command is often used on a border router to provide internet access to internal RIP routers.

Common Mistakes

Mistake 1: Forgetting to configure a default route (e.g., ip route 0.0.0.0 0.0.0.0 <next-hop>) before using default-information originate; the command only works if a default route exists in the routing table.

Mistake 2: Using 'default-information originate' in OSPF context on a RIP router; the command is mode-specific.

Mistake 3: Setting an excessively high metric (e.g., 16) which makes the route unreachable (RIP max hop count is 15).

Related Commands

show ip protocols

Displays the current state of all IP routing protocols running on the router, including timers, filters, and network advertisements.

show ip route

Displays the current IP routing table on a Cisco router, used to verify routes, check next-hop addresses, and troubleshoot connectivity issues.

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