route (command)
In computing, route
is a command used to view and manipulate the IP routing table in Unix-like and Microsoft Windows[1] operating systems and also in IBM OS/2 and ReactOS.[2] Manual manipulation of the routing table is characteristic of static routing.
The ReactOS route command | |
Developer(s) | Fred N. van Kempen, Microsoft, IBM, ReactOS Contributors |
---|---|
Operating system | Unix-like, OS/2, Microsoft Windows, ReactOS |
Type | Command |
License | OS/2, Windows: Proprietary commercial software ReactOS: GPLv2 |
Implementations
Unix and Unix-like
In Linux distributions based on 2.2.x Linux kernels, the ifconfig
and route
commands are operated together to connect a computer to a network, and to define routes between computer networks. Distributions based on later kernels have deprecated ifconfig
and route
, replacing them with iproute2
.
Route for Linux was originally written by Fred N. van Kempen.[3]
Syntax
The command-syntax is:
route [-nNvee] [-FC] [<AF>] List kernel routing tables route [-v] [-FC] {add|del|flush} ... Modify routing table for AF. route {-h|--help} [<AF>] Detailed usage syntax for specified AF. route {-V|--version} Display version/author and exit.
Example
user@linux:~$ route -n
Kernel IP routing table
Destination Gateway Genmask Flags Metric Ref Use Iface
192.168.101.0 192.168.102.102 255.255.255.0 UG 0 0 0 eth0
192.168.102.0 0.0.0.0 255.255.255.0 U 0 0 0 eth0
192.168.103.0 192.168.102.102 255.255.255.0 UG 0 0 0 eth0
192.168.12.0 0.0.0.0 255.255.255.0 U 0 0 0 eth0
0.0.0.0 192.168.12.1 0.0.0.0 UG 0 0 0 eth0
Microsoft Windows
The command is only available if the TCP/IP protocol is installed as a component in the properties of a network adapter.
Syntax
The command-syntax is:
route [-f] [-p] [-4|-6] [Command [Destination] [mask Netmask] [Gateway] metric Metric if Interface
Parameters
- -f: Clears the routing table
- -p: The route is added to the Windows Registry and is used to initialize the IP routing table whenever the TCP/IP protocol is started (only when used with the add command)
- Command: The command to run (add, change, delete, print)
- -4: Force using IPv4
- -6: Force using IPv6
- Destination: Network destination of the route
- mask Netmask: The netmask (subnet mask) associated with the network destination
- Gateway: The forwarding or next hop IP address over which the set of addresses defined by the network destination and subnet mask are reachable
- metric Metric: Integer cost metric (ranging from 1 to 9999) for the route
- if Interface: The index of the interface over which the destination is reachable
- /?: Command help
The -p parameter is only supported on Windows NT 4.0, Windows 2000, Windows Millennium Edition, and Windows XP. It is not supported on Windows 95 or Windows 98.
IBM OS/2
Syntax
The command-syntax is:
route [-nqv] [COMMAND] [[MODIFIERS] args]
Parameters
- -n: Bypasses translating IP addresses to symbolic host names
- -q: Suppresses all output
- -v: Verbose
- COMMAND: The command to run (add, delete, change, get, monitor, flush)
- -net: <dest> is a network address
- -host: <dest> is host name or address (default)
- -netmask: the mask of the route
- <dest>: IP address or host name of the destination
- <gateway>: IP address or host name of the next-hop router
ReactOS
Syntax
Print the route table:
route print
Add a route:
route add <target> [mask <mask>] <gw> [metric <m>]
Delete a route:
route delete <target> <gw>
See also
- Routing table
- Internet Protocol Suite
- iproute2
- BusyBox
Further reading
- Stanek, William R. (2004). Microsoft Windows Command-Line Administrator's Pocket Consultant. ISBN 0-735-62038-5.
- John Paul Mueller (2007). Windows Administration at the Command Line for Windows Vista, Windows 2003, Windows XP, and Windows 2000. John Wiley & Sons. ISBN 978-0470165799.
References
External links
Wikibooks has a book on the topic of: Guide to Windows Commands |
- – 4.2BSD System Manager's Manual
- – Linux Administration and Privileged Commands Manual
- – FreeBSD System Manager's Manual
- – Solaris 10 System Administration Commands Reference Manual
- route - on technet.microsoft.com