Let’s get an IPv4 default route into EIGRP.  There are a few methods to do it.  I hate most of them, though.  I think it will be obvious which one I like.

Here’s the lab I have set up to test everything.  I want R4 to generate the default in each case.

Default Network - Candidate default.  I don’t think I’ve ever used that all my years in networking, but here’s how to use it in EIGRP for a default route.  You basically say “If you don’t know where to send a packet, send it to where network X lives.”  We’re going to set the 192.168.1.0/24 as the default network, so, in our case X = 192.168.1.0. R4 will tag that route as a default candidate when it advertises it to the rest of the network.  The config is easy but requires a classful (yes, classful) network to be configured as the default.

For both OSPF and EIGRP routers to become neighbors, their interface’s primary IP address must be on the same subnet. That statement is true. There is a difference in the definition of “same subnet”, though.

In OSPF, both routers have to be configured to be on the same subnet with the same mask or else they won’t neighbor up.  When an hello packet is sent, the subnet mask is sent embedded in there.  The router does a quick look to be sure the subnets are defined the same way on both ends.  If everything doesn’t match, they don’t neighbor. Here’s a Wireshark screenshot to show you the OSPF hello.  Note: See edit below.

I wanted to do some analysis of the EIGRP topology table last night, so I fired up a small lab. I was especially interested in how external routes appear there and compare to internal entries. Like all good scientific endeavors, the whole thing got derailed when I made a realization.

Here’s the lab I set up. You can ignore the IPv6 info for this exercise.

It’s a simple little thing.  All the networks you see are included in EIGRP 100 for simplicity.  I limited the network statements to 192.0.2.0/24 to keep my options open. I went ahead and added Loopback100 on R3 with an address of 3.3.3.3/32 and added a redistribute connected with a route-map to get the route out in the wild.  Here’s what I had.

I don’t think I’m going to give a direct review of Cisco Live US this year.  The conference was great with lots of stuff going on, but I really can’t contribute any more than the vast library of other posts on the subject.  What I will do, though, is give my take on where I think the conference is headed.  These are all my thoughts and have little to do with reality in some cases.

Everything is in order for my trip to Cisco Live 2014 in San Francisco.  Conference passes are purchased.  Hotels are reserved.  Flights are booked.  It’s going to be a great event, and I can’t wait!

Note:  My wife will be with me again this year, and she is trying to get a tour group going to look around the city while others are in sessions.  If you want to be in on the tourist action, contact her via Twitter.

I was just reading through Bob’s blog post from today and wanted to give a rebuttal of sorts.  In his post, Bob tells us that’s he’s going to be at Cisco Live US in San Francisco this year but he won’t be coming on the Full Conference pass like he usually does.  He’s going with the Social Event pass this year, which is actually a great, great way to attend.  I know several people who are thinking about scaling back to the Social Event pass as well, and there’s nothing wrong with doing it like that.  There are some things that it doesn’t get you, though.

Do not tell anyone I told you, but I heard a rumor today.  It looks like the attendees will be in for quite a treat for the 25th Anniversary of the Customer Appreciate Event.  It seems that we’re all going to be shipped off to AT&T Park for the show!  It’s the home of the San Francisco Giants and a beautiful stadium.  And guess who’s going to be there?  Yes, me.  And my wife.  And about 984572 of my friends.  But so will Lenny Kravitz and Imagine Dragons!

We all know what Cisco Live is, right?  Networkers?  The Cisco users’ conference?  If not, then educate yourself, friend.  It takes place every year in different parts of the world.  I try my best to go every year to the US event and am lucky to be able to go this year.  It costs a bagillion dollars and a week of my time; why am I so excited about going?  Easy answers in no particular order.

On Friday, and for the fourth time, I took the CCIE R&S Written exam (350-001).  For the third time, though, I failed.  Let me tell you, I am absolutely devastated.  I worked my buns off for the past few weeks, but I’m obviously missing some important piece to put me over the top.

Not only was I disappointed with my overall score, I was disappointed by my score in some of the focus areas.  For God’s sake, I made a 50% on each of the routing and switching sections, which is just absolutely embarrassing.  I mean, this is my bread and butter here.  This is what I do all day every day, and I could only muster a 50%?

This is a study note post, so please don’t take this as written.  I’m not the authority on the subject, so please correct me if needed.

Back in the day, somebody decided that we all needed to have a Type of Service (ToS) field in the header of IP packets.  Only God knows what this spawn of Satan wanted to do with it, but we’re stuck with it on the CCIE R&S exams.