Copyright (c) 2026 MindMesh Academy. All rights reserved. This content is proprietary and may not be reproduced or distributed without permission.
4.1.6. Gateway of Last Resort
The gateway of last resort (default route) is used when no other route matches. It's the "if all else fails, send it here" route.
Router# show ip route
Gateway of last resort is 203.0.113.1 to network 0.0.0.0
S* 0.0.0.0/0 [1/0] via 203.0.113.1
Verification:
Router# show ip route
Router# show ip route 172.16.1.1 ! Show route for specific destination
Router# show ip route ospf ! Show only OSPF routes
⚠️ Exam Trap: A route to the destination is only half a path. Replies need a route back to the source subnet on every router along the return path; if the far-end router has none, the reply is dropped or, if it matches only the default route, sent toward the gateway of last resort instead. A ping that fails while the outbound route looks fine usually means a missing return route.
Enroll to unlock the 3 practice questions written for this section, so you can test what you just read while it is fresh.
Enroll to unlock the 1 flashcard for this section and review them on a spaced-repetition schedule.
Written byAlvin Varughese
Founder•20 professional certifications