The IP routing table is used to tell the router which remote station (which other router or computer) it should send the data for particular IP addresses or IP address ranges to. This type of entry is also known as a “route“ since it is used to describe the path of the data packet. This procedure is also called “static routing” since you make these entries yourself and they remain unchanged until you either change or delete them yourself. Naturally, “dynamic routing” also exists. The routers use the routes in this way to exchange data between themselves and continually update it automatically. The IP router uses the static and the dynamic routing table when the IP RIP is activated.
You also use the IP routing table to tell the router the length of this route's path so that it can select the most suitable route in conjunction with IP RIP where there are several routes to the same destination. The default setting for the distance to another router is 0, i.e. the router can be reached directly. All devices which can be reached locally, such as other routers in the same LAN or workstation computers connected via proxy ARP are entered with the distance 0. The “quality level” of this route will be reduced if the entry addressed has a higher distance (up to 14). “Unfavorable” routes like this will only be used if no other route to the remote station in question can be found.