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Exit interface

As explained in Acing the CCNA Exam: Volume 1 Fundamentals and Protocols

An exit interface is the router interface through which a packet is forwarded toward its destination.

An exit interface is the router interface used to forward a packet toward its destination. A static route can specify an exit interface instead of, or alongside, a next-hop IP address. section 9.3.1

A static route that specifies only the exit interface is a directly connected static route. The routing table presents the destination network as directly connected, so the router may ARP for the final host rather than the next hop. Proxy ARP can make this work by answering on behalf of that host. section 9.3.1 section 9.4

Cisco static-route forms

Configure an exit-interface route with `ip route 192.168.3.0 255.255.255.0 g0/0`. A route using both values, such as `ip route 192.168.3.0 255.255.255.0 g0/0 192.168.12.2`, is fully specified. Verify the result with `show ip route`; the first form appears as `S 192.168.3.0/24 is directly connected, GigabitEthernet0/0`, while the second can show both the next hop and exit interface. section 9.3.1

How Acing the CCNA Exam: Volume 1 Fundamentals and Protocols covers it

How deep it goes
Explains configuration, routing-table appearance, ARP behavior, and proxy ARP, but does not develop packet-forwarding internals beyond these lookups.
Examples
Demonstrates Cisco `ip route`, `show ip route`, and `show arp` commands using R1, R2, R3, and interconnected networks.
What it assumes
Assumes basic routing-table and static-route knowledge while distinguishing next-hop, exit-interface, and fully specified configurations.
What you can do after
Operate/configure static routes with exit interfaces and verify their forwarding entries and ARP effects.
How it connects
Connects exit interfaces with static routes, next-hop IP addresses, recursive static routes, fully specified static routes, ARP, and proxy ARP.
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Related concepts

This explainer was generated by Manning's knowledge graph from the text of Acing the CCNA Exam: Volume 1 Fundamentals and Protocols. The section links point to the parts of the book it draws on.