Configure static routes on dedicated servers

Last update: October 30 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. View the configuration file name of the netplan utility:

   ls /etc/netplan/

   The response will show the configuration file name. For example:

   01-netcfg.yaml

   Copy the configuration file name.

3. Open the configuration file of the netplan utility with the text editor vi:

   vi /etc/netplan/<file_name>

   Specify <file_name> — the configuration file name that you copied in step 2.

4. At the end of the block with parameters of the required network interface, add a route:

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

   Specify:

   • <ip_address> — subnet to which the route is needed;
   • <mask> — subnet mask for the subnet 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.

5. If you need to configure 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

6. Press ESC.

7. Exit the text editor vi saving changes:

   :wq

8. Check the route configuration:

   sudo netplan try

9. Apply the changes:

   netplan apply

Debian

1. Connect to the server.

2. View the configuration file name of the ifupdown utility:

   ls /etc/network/interfaces.d/

   The response will show the configuration file name. For example:

   50-cloud-init

   Copy the configuration file name.

3. Open the configuration file of the ifupdown utility with the text editor vi:

   vi /etc/network/interfaces.d/<file_name>

   Specify <file_name> — the configuration file name that you copied in step 2.

4. At the end of the block with parameters of the corresponding network interface, add a 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 for the subnet 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

5. If you need to configure multiple routes, add them sequentially in the same block.

6. Press ESC.

7. Exit the text editor vi saving changes:

   :wq

8. Restart the network:

   sudo /etc/init.d/networking restart

CentOS

1. Connect to the server.

2. Create and populate the static route configuration file:

   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 for the subnet 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 multiple routes, specify them in a single command. Specify 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 for the subnet 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 being the highest priority.

Example of configuring static routes for connecting dedicated servers and a cloud server over a private network

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 communicate with each other.

Prerequisites

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.

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

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

4. Configure 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 configuring static routes to direct Internet traffic through a firewall

Goal

Direct Internet traffic to a dedicated server through a firewall.

Prerequisites

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

Result

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

Configuration steps

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

2. Configure default gateway 203.0.113.2 on the firewall.

3. To provide internet access on 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 located 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 Selectel confirming that the static route has been configured on the router.

Example of configuring static routes for connecting to external infrastructure through a firewall

Goal

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

Prerequisites

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.

Result

Private connectivity will be configured between external infrastructure and the servers in the MSK-1 and SPB-2 pools, and routed network traffic 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 in the MSK-1 pool is located;
   • 192.168.22.0/24 to the VLAN where the dedicated server in the SPB-2 pool is located;
   • 192.168.33.0/24 to the VLAN where the firewall in the SPB-3 pool is located.

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

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

5. Configure routes on the servers:

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

6. Configure routes on the firewall — to the 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 — specify a static route for outbound traffic to the Internet. Specify:

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