OSPF Router ID
OSPF Router ID

OSPF Router ID

OSPF Router ID

Summary

This topic configure an OSPFv2 router ID.. Start learning CCNA 200-301 for free right now!!

Note: Welcome: This topic is part of Module 2 of the Cisco CCNA 3 course, for a better follow up of the course you can go to the CCNA 3 section to guide you through an order.

OSPF Reference Topology

To get you started, this topic discusses the foundation on which OSPF bases its entire process, the OSPF router ID.

The figure shows the topology used for configuring OSPFv2 in this module. The routers in the topology have a starting configuration, including interface addresses. There is currently no static routing or dynamic routing configured on any of the routers. All interfaces on R1, R2, and R3 (except the loopback 1 on R2) are within the OSPF backbone area. The ISP router is used as the gateway to the internet of the routing domain.

OSPF Reference Topology
OSPF Reference Topology

Note: In this topology the loopback interface is used to simulate the WAN link to the Internet and a LAN connected to each router. This is done to allow this topology to be duplicated for demonstration purposes on routers that only have two Gigabit Ethernet interfaces.

Router Configuration Mode for OSPF

OSPFv2 is enabled using the router ospf process-id global configuration mode command, as shown in the command window for R1. The process-id value represents a number between 1 and 65,535 and is selected by the network administrator. The process-id value is locally significant, which means that it does not have to be the same value on the other OSPF routers to establish adjacencies with those neighbors. It is considered best practice to use the same process-id on all OSPF routers.

After entering the router ospf process-id command, the router enters router configuration mode, as indicated by the R1(config-router)# prompt. Enter a question mark (?), to view all the commands available in this mode. The list of commands shown here has been altered to display only the commands that are relevant to this module.

R1(config)# router ospf 10
R1(config-router)# ?
  area                   OSPF area parameters
  auto-cost              Calculate OSPF interface cost according to bandwidth
  default-information    Control distribution of default information
  distance               Define an administrative distance
  exit                   Exit from routing protocol configuration mode
  log-adjacency-changes  Log changes in adjacency state
  neighbor               Specify a neighbor router
  network                Enable routing on an IP network
  no                     Negate a command or set its defaults
  passive-interface      Suppress routing updates on an interface
  redistribute           Redistribute information from another routing protocol
  router-id              router-id for this OSPF process
R1(config-router)#

Router IDs

An OSPF router ID is a 32-bit value, represented as an IPv4 address. The router ID is used to uniquely identify an OSPF router. All OSPF packets include the router ID of the originating router. Every router requires a router ID to participate in an OSPF domain. The router ID can be defined by an administrator or automatically assigned by the router. The router ID is used by an OSPF-enabled router to do the following:

  • Participate in the synchronization of OSPF databases – During the Exchange State, the router with the highest router ID will send their database descriptor (DBD) packets first.
  • Participate in the election of the designated router (DR) – In a multiaccess LAN environment, the router with the highest router ID is elected the DR. The routing device with the second highest router ID is elected the backup designated router (BDR).

Note: The DR and BDR election process is discussed in more detail later in this module.

Router ID Order of Precedence

But how does the router determine the router ID? As illustrated in the figure, Cisco routers derive the router ID based on one of three criteria, in the following preferential order:

  1. The router ID is explicitly configured using the OSPF router-id rid router configuration mode command. The rid value is any 32-bit value expressed as an IPv4 address. This is the recommended method to assign a router ID.
  2. If the router ID is not explicitly configured, the router chooses the highest IPv4 address of any of configured loopback interfaces. This is the next best alternative to assigning a router ID.
  3. If no loopback interfaces are configured, then the router chooses the highest active IPv4 address of any of its physical interfaces. This is the least recommended method because it makes it more difficult for administrators to distinguish between specific routers.
Router ID Order of Precedence
Router ID Order of Precedence

Configure a Loopback Interface as the Router ID

In the reference topology, only the physical interfaces are configured and active. The loopback interfaces have not been configured. When OSPF routing is enabled on the router, the routers would pick the following highest active configured IPv4 address as the router ID.

  • R1: 10.1.1.14 (G0/0/1)
  • R2: 10.1.1.9 (G0/0/1)
  • R3: 10.1.1.13 (G0/0/0)

Note: OSPF does not need to be enabled on an interface for that interface to be chosen as the router ID.

Instead of relying on physical interface, the router ID can be assigned to a loopback interface. Typically, the IPv4 address for this type of loopback interface should be configured using a 32-bit subnet mask (255.255.255.255). This effectively creates a host route. A 32-bit host route would not get advertised as a route to other OSPF routers.

The example shows how to configure a loopback interface on R1. Assuming the router ID was not explicitly configured or previously learned, R1 will use IPv4 address 1.1.1.1 as its router ID. Assume R1 has not yet learned a router ID.

R1(config-if)# interface Loopback 1
R1(config-if)# ip address 1.1.1.1 255.255.255.255
R1(config-if)# end
R1# show ip protocols | include Router ID
  Router ID 1.1.1.1
R1#

Explicitly Configure a Router ID

In the figure, the topology has been updated to show the router ID for each router:

  • R1 uses router ID 1.1.1.1
  • R2 uses router ID 2.2.2.2
  • R3 uses router ID 3.3.3.3
Explicitly Configure a Router ID

Use the router-id rid router configuration mode command to manually assign a router ID. In the example, the router ID 1.1.1.1 is assigned to R1. Use the show ip protocols command to verify the router ID.

R1(config)# router ospf 10
R1(config-router)# router-id 1.1.1.1
R1(config-router)# end
*May 23 19:33:42.689: %SYS-5-CONFIG_I: Configured from console by console
R1# show ip protocols | include Router ID
  Router ID 1.1.1.1
R1#

Modify a Router ID

After a router selects a router ID, an active OSPF router does not allow the router ID to be changed until the router is reloaded or the OSPF process is reset.

In example for R1, the configured router ID has been removed and the router reloaded. Notice that the current router ID is 10.10.1.1, which is the Loopback 0 IPv4 address. The router ID should be 1.1.1.1. Therefore, R1 is configured with the command router-id 1.1.1.1.

Notice how an informational message appears stating that the OSPF process must be cleared or that the router must be reloaded. The reason is because R1 already has adjacencies with other neighbors using the router ID 10.10.1.1. Those adjacencies must be renegotiated using the new router ID 1.1.1.1. Use the clear ip ospf process command to reset the adjacencies. You can then verify that R1 is using the new router ID command with the show ip protocols command piped to display only the router ID section.

Clearing the OSPF process is the preferred method to reset the router ID.

R1# show ip protocols | include Router ID
  Router ID 10.10.1.1
R1# conf t
Enter configuration commands, one per line.  End with CNTL/Z.
R1(config)# router ospf 10
R1(config-router)# router-id 1.1.1.1
% OSPF: Reload or use "clear ip ospf process" command, for this to take effect
R1(config-router)# end
R1# clear ip ospf process
Reset ALL OSPF processes? [no]: y
*Jun  6 01:09:46.975: %OSPF-5-ADJCHG: Process 10, Nbr 3.3.3.3 on GigabitEthernet0/0/1 from FULL to DOWN, Neighbor Down: Interface down or detached
*Jun  6 01:09:46.975: %OSPF-5-ADJCHG: Process 10, Nbr 2.2.2.2 on GigabitEthernet0/0/0 from FULL to DOWN, Neighbor Down: Interface down or detached
*Jun  6 01:09:46.981: %OSPF-5-ADJCHG: Process 10, Nbr 3.3.3.3 on GigabitEthernet0/0/1 from LOADING to FULL, Loading Done
*Jun  6 01:09:46.981: %OSPF-5-ADJCHG: Process 10, Nbr 2.2.2.2 on GigabitEthernet0/0/0 from LOADING to FULL, Loading Done
R1# show ip protocols | include Router ID
 Router ID 1.1.1.1
R1#

Note: The router-id command is the preferred method. Otherwise, the router chooses the highest IPv4 loopback interface address or the highest active IPv4 address of any of its physical interfaces.

Syntax Checker – Configure R2 and R3 Router IDs

Use the Syntax Checker to configure R2 and R3 with router IDs.

You are currently logged into R2:

  • Enter OSPF router configuration mode using process ID 10
  • Assign a router ID of 2.2.2.2
  • Return to privileged EXEC mode
R2(config)#router ospf 10
R2(config-router)#router-id 2.2.2.2
R2(config-router)#end
R2#
\*Mar 25 20:03:56.863: %SYS-5-CONFIG\_I: Configured from console by console

Enter the show ip protocols command to verify the router ID.

R2#show ip protocols

\*\*\* IP Routing is NSF aware \*\*\*
(output omitted)
Routing Protocol is "ospf 10"
  Outgoing update filter list for all interfaces is not set
  Incoming update filter list for all interfaces is not set
  Router ID 2.2.2.2
  Number of areas in this router is 0. 0 normal 0 stub 0 nssa
  Maximum path: 4
  Routing for Networks:
  Routing Information Sources:
    Gateway         Distance      Last Update
  Distance: (default is 110)
R2#

You are now on R3:

  • Enter OSPF router configuration mode using process ID 10
  • Assign a router ID of 3.3.3.3
  • Return to privileged EXEC mode.
R3(config)#router ospf 10
R3(config-router)#router-id 3.3.3.3
R3(config-router)#end
R3#

\*Mar 25 20:11:05.415: %SYS-5-CONFIG\_I: Configured from console by console

Enter the show ip protocols command to verify the router ID.

R3#show ip protocols
\*\*\* IP Routing is NSF aware \*\*\*
(output omitted)
Routing Protocol is "ospf 10"
  Outgoing update filter list for all interfaces is not set
  Incoming update filter list for all interfaces is not set
  Router ID 3.3.3.3
  Number of areas in this router is 0. 0 normal 0 stub 0 nssa
  Maximum path: 4
  Routing for Networks:
  Routing Information Sources:
    Gateway         Distance      Last Update
  Distance: (default is 110)
R3#

You have successfully assigned the router IDs to R2 and R3.

Glossary: If you have doubts about any special term, you can consult this computer network dictionary.

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