RIP (Routing Information Protocol) is the simplest dynamic routing protocol. It uses hop count as its only metric. Each router traversed adds hop.
RIP characteristics:
- Updates every seconds
- Maximum hop count: (16 means unreachable)
- Administrative distance:
- Classful (v1) or classless (v2)
RIP works well for small, simple networks where you want easy configuration. For anything larger than hops or where you need fast convergence, you'll need OSPF or EIGRP instead.