Configure static routes on dedicated servers

Last update: October 05 2026Open in Markdown

Static routing is a type of routing where routes are explicitly defined when configuring a network interface on a server or router.

To configure static routing, add static routes on the server.

Examples of tasks that can be solved using static routing:

• connect dedicated servers and a cloud server over a private network ;
• route internet traffic through a firewall;
• configure connectivity with external infrastructure through a firewall.

Specify static routes on a server

Ubuntu

1. Connect to the server.

2. Open the network interface configuration file in the vi text editor:

   vi /etc/netplan/01-netcfg.yaml

3. At the end of the block with the parameters for the required network interface, add the route:

   routes:
   - to:  <ip_address>/<mask>
     via: <gateway>

   Specify:

   • <ip_address> — subnet to which the route is needed;
   • <mask> — subnet mask to which the route is needed;
   • <gateway> — gateway for the current server subnet, for example, the gateway specified on the global router. The gateway address must be in the same subnet as the server.

4. If you need to specify multiple routes, add them sequentially in the same block, for example:

   routes:
   - to:  192.168.0.0/28
     via: 192.168.0.1
   - to:  192.168.1.0/28
     via: 192.168.0.1

5. Exit the vi text editor saving the changes:

   :wq

6. Check the route configuration:

   sudo netplan try

7. Apply the changes:

   netplan apply

Debian

1. Connect to the server.

2. Open the network interface configuration file in the vi text editor:

   vi /etc/network/interfaces.d/50-cloud-init

3. At the end of the block with the parameters of the corresponding network interface, add the required route:

   up route add -net <ip_address> netmask <mask> gw <gateway>
   down route del -net <ip_address> netmask <mask> gw <gateway>

   Specify:

   • <ip_address> — subnet to which the route is needed, for example, 192.168.0.0;
   • <mask> — subnet mask to which the route is needed, for example, 255.255.255.0;
   • <gateway> — gateway for the current server subnet, for example, the gateway specified on the global router. The gateway address must be in the same subnet as the server

4. If you need to specify multiple routes, add them sequentially in the same block.

5. Exit the vi text editor saving the changes:

   :wq

6. Restart the network:

   sudo /etc/init.d/networking restart

CentOS

1. Connect to the server.

2. Create and fill in a file to configure static routes:

   echo "<ip_address>/<mask> via <gateway>" >> /etc/sysconfig/network-scripts/route-<eth_name>

   Specify:

   • <ip_address> — subnet to which the route is needed;
   • <mask> — subnet mask to which the route is needed;
   • <gateway> — gateway for the current server subnet, for example, the gateway specified on the global router. The gateway address must be in the same subnet as the server;
   • <eth_name> — name of the corresponding private network interface.

3. If you need to add several routes, specify them in a single command. Start each route on a new line, for example:

   echo "192.168.0.0/28 via 172.16.0.1
   192.168.1.0/28 via 172.16.0.1" >> /etc/sysconfig/network-scripts/route-eno2

4. Restart the network:

   systemctl restart network

Windows

1. Connect to the server via RDP or via the KVM console.

2. Add the required routes one by one:

   route -p ADD <ip_address> MASK <mask> <gateway> METRIC <x>

   Specify:

   • <ip_address> — subnet to which the route is needed, for example, 192.168.0.0;
   • <mask> — subnet mask to which the route is needed, for example, 255.255.255.0;
   • <gateway> — gateway for the current server subnet, for example, the gateway specified on the global router. The gateway address must be in the same subnet as the server;
   • <x> — parameter that determines the priority of the specified gateway, 1 is the highest priority.

Example of organizing static routes to connect dedicated servers and a cloud server via a private network

Configuration goal

Connect two dedicated servers in the SPB-2 pool and a cloud server in the ru-2 pool with a private network using a global router, and configure routing in the network so that the devices can see each other.

What you need for configuration

In the configuration example, we used two dedicated servers in the SPB-2 pool with access to a private network and a cloud server in the ru-2 pool.

Configuration result

Private connectivity will be configured between two dedicated servers in the SPB-2 pool and a cloud server in the ru-2 pool.

Configuration steps

1. Create a global router.

2. Connect private subnets to the global router:

   • 192.168.0.0/28 to the VLAN where dedicated servers are located in the SPB-2 pool;
   • 172.16.0.0/28 for the Cloud Platform project in the ru-2 pool.

3. Assign IP addresses from the private subnets that you connected to the global router to the dedicated servers and the cloud server. For more details, see the Assign IP addresses on servers section.

4. Specify routes:

   • on each dedicated server in the SPB-2 pool — to the subnet 172.16.0.0/28 via the gateway 192.168.0.1;
   • on the cloud server in the ru-2 pool — to the subnet 192.168.0.0/28 via the gateway 172.16.0.1.

Example of organizing static routes to route internet traffic through a firewall

Configuration goal

Route internet traffic to a dedicated server through a firewall.

What you need for configuration

In the configuration example, we used a dedicated server with access to a private network and a firewall.

Configuration result

After configuring routed networks, internet traffic to the dedicated server will pass through a firewall.

Configuration steps

1. Add a static route on the dedicated server to the subnet 0.0.0.0/0 via the gateway 198.51.100.1.

2. Specify the default gateway 203.0.113.2 on the firewall.

3. To provide internet access for the dedicated server behind the firewall, create a ticket requesting to add a static route to the Selectel router. In the ticket, specify:

   • private subnet of the dedicated server behind the firewall, in the example — 198.51.100.0/28;
   • public IP address of the firewall, in the example — 203.0.113.2.

4. Wait for a response from a Selectel employee confirming that the static route has been specified on the router.

Example of organizing static routes for connectivity with external infrastructure through a firewall

Configuration goal

Connect two dedicated servers in the MSK-1 and SPB-2 pools with external infrastructure via a private network. Using a global router, configure routing in the network so that the devices can see each other, and direct traffic from routed networks through a firewall in the SPB-3 pool.

What you need for configuration

In the configuration example, we used two dedicated servers in the MSK-1 and SPB-2 pools with access to a private network, a firewall in the SPB-3 pool, and external infrastructure.

Configuration result

Private connectivity will be configured between the external infrastructure and the servers in the MSK-1 and SPB-2 pools; traffic from routed networks will pass through the firewall in the SPB-3 pool.

Configuration steps

1. Create a global router.

2. Connect subnets to the global router:

   • 192.168.11.0/24 to the VLAN where the dedicated server is located in the MSK-1 pool;
   • 192.168.22.0/24 to the VLAN where the dedicated server is located in the SPB-2 pool;
   • 192.168.33.0/24 to the VLAN where the firewall is located in the SPB-3 pool.

3. Assign IP addresses from the private subnets that you connected to the global router to the dedicated servers. For more details, see the Assign IP addresses on servers section.

4. Assign an IP address from the private subnet that you connected to the global router to the firewall.

5. Add routes on the servers:

   • in the MSK-1 pool — to subnets 192.168.22.0/24 and 192.168.33.0/24 via the gateway 192.168.11.1;
   • in the SPB-2 pool — to subnets 192.168.11.0/24 and 192.168.33.0/24 via the gateway 192.168.22.1;

6. Add routes on the firewall — to subnets 192.168.11.0/24 and 192.168.22.0/24 via the gateway 192.168.33.1.

7. Configure routing on the global router — add a static route for outbound traffic to the internet. Specify:

   • destination subnet — 0.0.0.0/0;
   • Next hop — IP address of the firewall, in the example 192.168.33.2.