A static route is a manually configured path to a destination network. You tell the router exactly where to send packets for specific destinations.
Static routes are appropriate when:
- You have a simple network with few paths
- You want predictable, unchanging routes
- You need a backup route to a dynamic protocol
- You're connecting a stub network with only one exit point
The downside: static routes don't adapt to network changes. If a link fails, traffic using that static route will be dropped until you manually update the configuration. In large networks, managing hundreds of static routes becomes impractical.