What is the main difference between static routing and dynamic routing?

What is the main difference between static routing and dynamic routing?

• A. Dynamic routing uses manual configuration; static routing learns routes via protocols.
• B. Static routing uses manually configured routes; dynamic routing learns routes via protocols like RIP, OSPF, or BGP.
• C. Static routing relies on routing protocols; dynamic routing uses fixed routes.
• D. Static routing is always preferred for large networks; dynamic routing is never used.

Answer: (B)

The main difference is how routes get into the router’s table: static routing uses routes that an administrator configures manually, specifying the destination and the next hop or exit interface, and they stay fixed until you change them; dynamic routing uses routing protocols (such as RIP, OSPF, or BGP) to automatically learn and share routes with other routers, allowing the network to adapt when topology changes occur. This automatic learning and adaptation is what makes dynamic routing scalable for larger networks, while static routing offers simplicity and predictability in smaller or controlled environments. The other statements mischaracterize this: dynamic routing does not rely on manual configuration to learn routes, and static routing does not rely on routing protocols. In practice, static routes are fixed by hand, and dynamic routes are learned through protocols. Also, large networks typically rely on dynamic routing for scalability, not static-only setups, so the notion that static is preferred for large networks is inaccurate.

The main difference is how routes get into the router’s table: static routing uses routes that an administrator configures manually, specifying the destination and the next hop or exit interface, and they stay fixed until you change them; dynamic routing uses routing protocols (such as RIP, OSPF, or BGP) to automatically learn and share routes with other routers, allowing the network to adapt when topology changes occur. This automatic learning and adaptation is what makes dynamic routing scalable for larger networks, while static routing offers simplicity and predictability in smaller or controlled environments.

The other statements mischaracterize this: dynamic routing does not rely on manual configuration to learn routes, and static routing does not rely on routing protocols. In practice, static routes are fixed by hand, and dynamic routes are learned through protocols. Also, large networks typically rely on dynamic routing for scalability, not static-only setups, so the notion that static is preferred for large networks is inaccurate.