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Hands-On Lab: Configuring and Naming Static Routes

This hands-on lab configures static routes with descriptive names attached using the name keyword, improving documentation and making the routing table significantly easier to interpret for anyone reviewing the configuration later.

Static Route Name KeywordRouting Table DocumentationConfiguration Readability

~3 min read · Updated Sep 22, 2026

Lab Objective

Configure static routes on a router using the optional name keyword to attach a descriptive label to each route, then verify the name appears in both the running configuration and the routing table itself.

Lab Purpose

A routing table full of bare IP addresses and next hops gives no indication of why a route exists or what it is for. Attaching a descriptive name to each static route is a simple, often-overlooked practice that makes troubleshooting and handoffs between engineers significantly faster.

Lab Topology

R1 ---- Serial0/0/0 ------ Serial0/0/0 ---- R2 (Branch-Office)
R1 ---- Serial0/0/1 ------ Serial0/0/1 ---- R3 (Data-Center)

R2's LAN: 192.168.30.0/24
R3's LAN: 192.168.40.0/24

Task 1: Configure a Named Static Route Toward the Branch Office

On R1, configure a static route to R2's LAN via 10.21.21.2 (R2's serial address), with the name To-Branch-Office.

Task 2: Configure a Named Static Route Toward the Data Center

On R1, configure a static route to R3's LAN via R3's serial address, with the name To-Data-Center.

Task 3: Verify the Names in the Running Configuration

Confirm both route names appear correctly in the running configuration.

Task 4: Verify the Names Appear in the Routing Table

Confirm the descriptive names are visible when examining the routing table itself.

Solution and Verification

R1(config)# ip route 192.168.30.0 255.255.255.0 10.21.21.2 name To-Branch-Office
R1(config)# ip route 192.168.40.0 255.255.255.0 10.31.31.2 name To-Data-Center

R1# show running-config | include ip route

ip route 192.168.30.0 255.255.255.0 10.21.21.2 name To-Branch-Office
ip route 192.168.40.0 255.255.255.0 10.31.31.2 name To-Data-Center

R1# show ip route static

S    192.168.30.0/24 [1/0] via 10.21.21.2, name To-Branch-Office
S    192.168.40.0/24 [1/0] via 10.31.31.2, name To-Data-Center

-- Anyone reviewing this output immediately
-- understands the purpose of each route,
-- without needing to cross-reference a
-- separate network diagram or documentation
-- file to figure out what 192.168.30.0 or
-- 10.21.21.2 actually represent

Key Takeaway

The name keyword adds no functional behavior to a static route — it exists purely for documentation and readability. In networks with dozens of static routes toward different branch offices, partners, or data centers, this small addition meaningfully reduces the time needed to understand or troubleshoot the routing table months or years after the original configuration was written.

Written & researched by Dr. Shahin Siami

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