Routing Table

A routing table is a set of rules, often viewed in table format, that’s used to determine where data packets traveling over an Internet Protocol (IP) network will be directed.

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Routing Table

A routing touble a data table stored in the operating system that dictates how packets should be forwarded between network interfaces.

The routing table contains entries for different IP address ranges, along with the interface that should be used for each range.

Metrics

The routing table often includes metrics that serve as a ‘cost’ associated with using a particular route or interface. These metrics can be based on various factors, such as link speed, latency, or manually set preferences. The lower the metric, the higher the priority for that interface.

Default Route

Most systems have a “default route,” which is used when no specific route matches the destination IP address. The default route usually points to the interface with the lowest metric, thus serving as the preferred choice for most outgoing traffic. For example, if you have both Ethernet and Wi-Fi connections, and Ethernet has a lower metric, the default route will typically point to the Ethernet interface.