Hands-On Lab: Configuring RIP Version 2

Lab Objective

Configure RIPv2 on three routers in a simple topology, disable automatic route summarization, and verify each router dynamically learns routes to networks it is not directly connected to.

Lab Purpose

Although largely superseded by OSPF and EIGRP in modern enterprise networks, RIPv2 remains foundational for understanding basic distance-vector concepts and still appears in some legacy environments and CCNA exam objectives.

Lab Topology

R1 ---- Serial0/0/0 ---- R2 ---- Serial0/0/1 ---- R3

R1: 10.1.1.1/30, LAN 192.168.1.0/24
R2: 10.1.1.2/30 and 10.2.2.1/30
R3: 10.2.2.2/30, LAN 192.168.3.0/24

Task 1: Configure Basic Addressing

Configure all interfaces shown, including each router's LAN.

Task 2: Enable RIP Version 2

Enable RIP on all three routers, explicitly setting version 2, and advertise the appropriate networks on each.

Task 3: Disable Automatic Summarization

Disable RIP's automatic summarization at classful network boundaries on all three routers.

Task 4: Verify RIP Neighbors and Routes

Confirm each router has learned routes to networks it is not directly connected to.

Task 5: Verify End-to-End Connectivity

Confirm R1's LAN can reach R3's LAN.

Solution and Verification

R1(config)# interface serial0/0/0
R1(config-if)# ip address 10.1.1.1 255.255.255.252
R1(config-if)# no shutdown
R1(config-if)# exit
R1(config)# interface gigabitethernet0/0
R1(config-if)# ip address 192.168.1.1 255.255.255.0
R1(config-if)# no shutdown

R2(config)# interface serial0/0/0
R2(config-if)# ip address 10.1.1.2 255.255.255.252
R2(config-if)# clock rate 64000
R2(config-if)# no shutdown
R2(config-if)# exit
R2(config)# interface serial0/0/1
R2(config-if)# ip address 10.2.2.1 255.255.255.252
R2(config-if)# clock rate 64000
R2(config-if)# no shutdown

R3(config)# interface serial0/0/1
R3(config-if)# ip address 10.2.2.2 255.255.255.252
R3(config-if)# no shutdown
R3(config-if)# exit
R3(config)# interface gigabitethernet0/0
R3(config-if)# ip address 192.168.3.1 255.255.255.0
R3(config-if)# no shutdown

R1(config)# router rip
R1(config-router)# version 2
R1(config-router)# no auto-summary
R1(config-router)# network 10.0.0.0
R1(config-router)# network 192.168.1.0

R2(config)# router rip
R2(config-router)# version 2
R2(config-router)# no auto-summary
R2(config-router)# network 10.0.0.0

R3(config)# router rip
R3(config-router)# version 2
R3(config-router)# no auto-summary
R3(config-router)# network 10.0.0.0
R3(config-router)# network 192.168.3.0

R1# show ip route rip

R    10.2.2.0/30 [120/1] via 10.1.1.2, Serial0/0/0
R    192.168.3.0/24 [120/2] via 10.1.1.2, Serial0/0/0
-- R1 learned about R3's LAN and the far serial
-- link, even though it has no direct connection
-- to either

R1# ping 192.168.3.1

!!!!!
Success rate is 100 percent (5/5)

Key Takeaway

RIP's network command, like OSPF and EIGRP's, uses classful major network addresses (10.0.0.0 rather than the specific /30 subnet), and enables the protocol on any interface falling within that range — disabling auto-summary is essential in almost every modern topology, since without it RIP would summarize discontiguous subnets at classful boundaries in ways that frequently break connectivity.