How to Find Default Gateway IP address on Linux

The default gateway is a network device that allows a computer to communicate with other networks, including the internet. Knowing your default gateway IP address is essential when configuring or troubleshooting network connectivity issues.

In this guide, we will explain different methods to find the default gateway IP address on Linux systems.

Method 1: Using the route command

The route command is a classic method for viewing and manipulating the Linux kernel’s IP routing table. To find the default gateway IP address using the route command, run:

route -n

Look for the line with the “UG” flags, which stands for “Up” and “Gateway”. The IP address in the “Gateway” column of that line is your default gateway IP address.

Kernel IP routing table
Destination     Gateway         Genmask         Flags Metric Ref    Use Iface
192.168.1.0     *               255.255.255.0   U     0      0        0 eth0
link-local      *               255.255.0.0     U     1002   0        0 eth0
default         192.168.1.1     0.0.0.0         UG    0      0        0 eth0

Method 2: Using the ip command

The ip command is a newer and more versatile alternative to the route command. To find the default gateway IP address using the ip command, run:

ip route show

The output will show the default route, which includes the default gateway IP address. Look for a line that starts with “default via”, followed by the IP address.

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Method 3: Using the netstat command

The netstat command is another option for finding the default gateway IP address. To do this, run:

netstat -rn

Similar to the route command, look for the line with “UG” flags. The IP address in the “Gateway” column of that line is your default gateway IP address.

Kernel IP routing table
Destination     Gateway         Genmask         Flags   MSS Window  irtt Iface
192.168.1.0     0.0.0.0         255.255.255.0   U         0 0          0 eth0
169.254.0.0     0.0.0.0         255.255.0.0     U         0 0          0 eth0
0.0.0.0         192.168.1.1     0.0.0.0         UG        0 0          0 eth0

Method 4: Checking the /proc/net/route file

The /proc/net/route file contains routing table information in the Linux kernel. You can find the default gateway IP address by examining this file:

cat /proc/net/route

Look for the line with the “00000000” destination, which represents the default route. The IP address in hexadecimal format in the “Gateway” column of that line is your default gateway IP address. You can convert the hexadecimal IP address to a human-readable format using an online converter or a tool like printf.

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Commands Mentioned:

  • route -n – Displays the IP routing table using the route command
  • ip route show – Displays the IP routing table using the ip command
  • netstat -rn – Displays the IP routing table using the netstat command
  • cat /proc/net/route – Displays the contents of the /proc/net/route file

Conclusion

In this guide, we have demonstrated different methods to find the default gateway IP address on Linux systems. You can use the route, ip, netstat commands, or check the /proc/net/route file to obtain this information. Knowing your default gateway IP address is essential when configuring your network or troubleshooting connectivity issues.

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