4/27/2018 what is the use of creating loopback interface ??

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18 Replies Latest reply: Apr 28, 2015 9:00 AM by Aram

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mohammed Jun 28, 2013 11:53 AM

what is the use of creating loopback interface ??

Hi
I am not understanding the use of creating loopback interface on the Router ??

can some explain it to me please ?

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greek22 CCNA R&S CCDA Jun 28, 2013 12:02 PM (in response to mohammed)

1. Re: what is the use of creating loopback interface ??

Mohammed,

I strictly use loopbacks for management of routers. Theory behind that is that a loopback is always available (unless your
router is dead), whereas an interface, with an L3 address, might not always be.

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mohammed Jun 28, 2013 12:24 PM (in response to greek22 CCNA R&S CCDA)

2. Re: what is the use of creating loopback interface ??

dear greek22
thanks for your response
this point I understand it, but if loopback interface is always available, what can we use it for ?

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greek22 CCNA R&S CCDA Jun 28, 2013 12:30 PM (in response to mohammed)

3. Re: what is the use of creating loopback interface ??

With an L3 address assigned to the loopback, you can use that address to access the appliance for management of the unit.
OSPF also uses the loopback as the router ID to provide stability for the process.

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imecs Jun 28, 2013 3:13 PM (in response to mohammed)

4. Re: what is the use of creating loopback interface ??

another use is to for example to simulate networks! skip it for now (they are there) u get use to it soon

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Andrea Jun 29, 2013 6:24 PM (in response to mohammed)

5. Re: what is the use of creating loopback interface ??

Loopbacks are used in OSPF to aid with router identification. It can be manually set to force a specific router to become
designated or backup designated. Also aids in the overall consistency of routing.

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Shakil Jul 1, 2013 2:01 AM (in response to mohammed)

6. Re: what is the use of creating loopback interface ??

Dear Mohammed..

Basicaly loopback is used for DR(Designated Routrer)/BDR(Back up Designated Router)selection in ospf protocol.

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Selection of DR/BDR is done on the basis of priority of that router.By default priority is set to 1 for all the router.If priority is set
to higher number like 2,3,4 etc upto 255 than that particular router will be selected as DR.
But if we have not set any priority of the router than all the router will have priority as 1 as i said., then router will look ip
address of the interface.The router with higher ip add will be automaticaly selected as DR.
But if we want a particular router to be DR and other particular router to be BDR then we use loopback interface which is
virtual interface just use to fix the selction of DR and BDR.So in loopback interface we assign highest ip add to that router so
automaticaly that router with highest ip add(Loopback interface) will be selected as DR.

So this way we can make DR/BDR router of our choice.Hope this answer helps you.Please reply me if u dnt get it.

Regards

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Chandan Singh Takuli Jul 1, 2013 7:07 AM (in response to mohammed)

7. Re: what is the use of creating loopback interface ??

Hi mohammed

loopbacks are also use for monitoring purpose. you cannot use an interface to monitor a device. if that interface goes down,
your monitoring software will show teh device down.

apart form it, it a feature we all networking engineers ahd. it tottally depends how & where efficiently you can use it. we uses it
mnay places as other memebers already explained well.

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Gajanan Parwar Jul 6, 2013 3:09 AM (in response to mohammed)

8. Re: what is the use of creating loopback interface ??

Hi @ Mohmmed,

Loopback interface are always will be in up state as long as router is up.For example , OSPF running routers use somthing
called Router ID (which is just a router phyical interface ip address or loopback address or it can b manually set)as its
hostname in ospf neighbour relation process.so lets if it chooses the Physical interface address as its router id and if that
interface goes down then all the neighour router in ospf domain see that entire router is down.thats why its best to make
Loopback address as router ID bcs it will be always in UP State.I hope this help.Happy cisco learning

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Bobby Jul 8, 2013 12:06 AM (in response to mohammed)

9. Re: what is the use of creating loopback interface ??

Loopbacks can also simulate devices connected when creating your test lab, say to configure a routing protocol such that you
can see if its working and showing all possible routes. saves time compared to having to attach real end points or otherwise
simulate devices.

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BRenES Sep 2, 2013 7:55 PM (in response to mohammed)

10. Re: what is the use of creating loopback interface ??

Being brief, loopback interfaces help in these cases:

- DR/BDR process in OSPF protocol.

- monitoring a device (if the state of loopback is down, it happens that the devices is down).
- management interface.
- simulate networks?

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mohammed Sep 2, 2013 10:32 PM (in response to mohammed)

11. Re: what is the use of creating loopback interface ??

thanks all for this

I got the full idea behind Loopback interface

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Abraham Sep 3 2013 1:38 AM (in response to mohammed)

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Abraham Sep 3, 2013 1:38 AM (in response to mohammed)

12. Re: what is the use of creating loopback interface ??

Loopback interface has many applications on the router.

It can be used for IP connectivity.

It is used for the router- RID (the router will choose the highest IP address of the loopback you have assign on the router,
even if it is not in the OSPF advertising) when you have the OSPF routing protocol running.

and of course as you study more... you will see other applications as well.

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Navneet.Gaur Sep 5, 2013 10:11 PM (in response to mohammed)

13. Re: what is the use of creating loopback interface ??

Hi.

Loopback interfaces can be used for following purposes:

1. Create an attached network without attaching additional interfaces & devices.

Example - if you want to have an additional network 10.1.1.1 attached to a router, you will need to have a normal port in an
active state with the above address.
Create a loopback interface and assign it the ip for the same effect.

2. Some protocols require identifying numbers which can be derived from loopback interfaces ip address for consistency.

3. Some routing protocols require ip address of adjacent routers to be able to exchange information. If the interface having
that ip is down, they will fail to do so.
With loopback, as long as a path is available to loopback interface, they will be able to connect to the said router.

4. At times we can direct network traffic to search for loopbak interfaces network, so that it can be routed to Internet - (for
example).
As long as the loopback network can be reached, through path A, if that fails, through path B, if that fails, through path C, and
so on - Internet is accessible.

Take care,
Navneet.

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Networks_Ish Sep 8, 2013 8:20 AM (in response to Navneet.Gaur)

14. Re: what is the use of creating loopback interface ??

They can also be used as an NTP source too.

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