To use the route command of Windows, you must first run the command prompt as an administrator; 1. Use route print to view the current route table, and you can add IPv4, IPv6 or IP mode filter; 2. Use route add to add static routes, specify the target network, subnet mask, gateway, optional interface and number of hops, and add the -p parameter to make the route still valid after restarting; 3. Use route change to modify the gateway or hop of the existing route, but cannot modify the route automatically generated by the system; 4. Use route delete to delete the route of the specified target, without entering a mask or gateway; before the operation, you should use route print to verify the current route, be cautious when modifying the default gateway, incorrect configuration may lead to network interruption, static routes are suitable for multi-network servers or specific gateway connection scenarios, and administrator permission is required for operation.

The route command in Windows is a built-in command-line utility that allows you to view and modify the IP routing table. This is useful for troubleshooting network connectivity, directing traffic through specific gateways, or adding static routes for remote networks. Here's how to use it effectively.

View the Current Routing Table

To see the current routing table, open Command Prompt as an administrator and run:

 route print

This displays all active routes, including:

• Network Destination – the target network or host
• Netmask – the subnet mask
• Gateway – the next-hop IP address
• Interface – the local IP address of the network interface
• Metric – the cost of the route (lower is preferred)

You can also filter the output:

• route print IPv4 – show only IPv4 routes
• route print IPv6 – show only IPv6 routes
• route print 192.168.* – show routes matching a pattern

Add a Static Route

Use route add to manually insert a route into the table. This is helpful when you want traffic to a specific network to go through a particular gateway.

Syntax:

 route add <destination> mask <subnet_mask> <gateway> metric <metric> if <interface>

Example: To send traffic for the 10.10.5.0/24 network through gateway 192.168.1.1 on interface 192.168.1.100:

 route add 10.10.5.0 mask 255.255.255.0 192.168.1.1 metric 2 if 10002

Note: The if parameter is optional. If omitted, Windows chooses the best interface. You can find interface numbers from the route print output under the "Interface" list.

To make the route persistent across reboots , add the -p flag:

 route -p add 10.10.5.0 mask 255.255.255.0 192.168.1.1

?? Persistent routes are stored in the Windows registry and restored at startup.

Modify or Change an Existing Route

Use route change to update a route's gateway or metric.

Syntax:

 route change <destination> mask <subnet_mask> <new_gateway> metric <metric>

Example:

 route change 10.10.5.0 mask 255.255.255.0 192.168.1.2

Note: You cannot change persistent routes without the -p flag if they were added as persistent. Also, route change won't work on routes automatically created by Windows (like default or interface-specific routes).

Delete a Route

Use route delete to remove a route from the table.

Syntax:

 route delete <destination>

Example:

 route delete 10.10.5.0

You don't need to specify the subnet mask or gateway—just the destination network or host.

This removes both temporary and persistent routes, but persistent routes will reappear after reboot unless you delete them while they're active or manually clean the registry.

Common Tips and Warnings

• Always run Command Prompt as Administrator – route commands require elevated privileges.
• Use route print before and after changes to verify results.
• Be cautious with the default gateway (0.0.0.0). Incorrect changes can break internet access.
• Interface numbers (used with if ) are listed in route print under the "Interface List".
• Static routes are often used in multi-homed servers or when connecting to remote private networks via a specific gateway.

Using the route command gives you fine-grained control over how Windows forwards packets. While most home users rely on automatic routing via DHCP, static routes are essential in enterprise or complex network environments. Just remember: with great power comes great responsibility—double-check your commands.

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