Configure Static Routes In Debian or Red Hat Enterprise Linux

by LinuxTitli · 19 comments

Static routes improves overall performance of your network (especially bandwidth saving). They are also useful in stub networks (i.e. there is only one link to the network). For example, each LAN (located at different offices) is connected to HQ IDC (Internet data center) using single T1/LL/Wan links.

For example under Red Hat/Fedora Linux you can add static router for eth0 network interface by editing /etc/sysconfig/network-scripts/route-eth0 file. Under Debian Linux add static route by editing /etc/network/interface file.

Task: Display Current Routing Table Using ip command

By using the ip command, you can setup and view static route. For example, to display current routing table you can type command:
# ip route show
Sample output:

192.168.2.0/24 dev eth1 proto kernel  scope link  src 192.168.2.1
192.168.1.0/24 dev eth0  proto kernel  scope link  src 192.168.1.2
default via 192.168.1.254 dev eth0

You can add static route using following command:
ip route add {NETWORK} via {IP} dev {DEVICE}
For example network 192.168.55.0/24 available via 192.168.1.254:
# ip route add 192.168.55.0/24 via 192.168.1.254 dev eth1
Alternatively, you can use old good route command:
# route add -net 192.168.55.0 netmask 255.255.255.0 gw 192.168.1.254 dev eth1

Linux Persistence Routes

The drawback of 'ip' or 'route' command is that, when Linux reboots it will forget static routes. So store them in configuration file. Static routing describes a system that does not implement adaptive routing. In these systems routes through a data network are described by fixed paths (statically). These routes are usually entered into the router by the system administrator

Red Hat (RHEL) / CentOS / Fedora Linux Persistence Static Routing

You need to open /etc/sysconfig/network-scripts/route-eth0 file to define static routes for eth0 interface:
# cat /etc/sysconfig/network-scripts/route-eth0
Sample Output:

GATEWAY0=192.168.1.254
NETMASK0=255.255.255.0
ADDRESS0=192.168.55.0

GATEWAY1=10.164.234.112
NETMASK1= 255.255.255.240
ADDRESS1=10.164.234.132

How do I define static routing for network 10.0.0.0/8 via 10.9.38.65 router?

Open /etc/sysconfig/network-scripts/route-eth0:
# vi /etc/sysconfig/network-scripts/route-eth0
Append following line:
10.0.0.0/8 via 10.9.38.65
Save and close the file. Restart networking:
# service network restart
Verify new routing table:
# route -n

Debian / Ubuntu Linux Persistence Static Routing

Open configuration file /etc/network/interfaces
# cat /etc/network/interfaces
Output:

auto eth0
iface eth0 inet static
address 192.168.1.2
netmask 255.255.255.0
gateway 192.168.1.254
up route add -net 192.168.2.0 netmask 255.255.255.0 gw 192.168.2.1
down route del -net 192.168.2.0 netmask 255.255.255.0 gw 192.168.2.1

Debian / Ubuntu Linux static routing for two interfaces:

auto lo
iface lo inet loopback

auto eth0
iface eth0 inet static
        address 10.9.38.76
        netmask 255.255.255.240
        network 10.9.38.64
        broadcast 10.9.38.79
	### static routing ###
        post-up route add -net 10.0.0.0 netmask 255.0.0.0 gw 10.9.38.65
        pre-down route del -net 10.0.0.0 netmask 255.0.0.0 gw 10.9.38.65

auto eth1
iface eth1 inet static
        address 204.186.149.140
        netmask 255.255.255.240
        network 204.186.149.128
        broadcast 204.186.149.143
        gateway 204.186.149.129
        # dns-* options are implemented by the resolvconf package, if installed
        dns-nameservers 10.0.80.11 10.0.80.12
        dns-search nixcraft.in

Updated for accuracy.