a route used as a last resort when no other route to a destination exists within the route table
a route used to direct data that is addressed to an unidentifiable network address
a special variety of static route
A route that is used when no other routes for the destination are found in the routing table. For example, if a router or end system cannot find a network route or host route for the destination, the default route is used. The default route is used to simplify the configuration of end systems or routers. For IP routing tables, the default route is the route with the network destination of 0.0.0.0 and netmask of 0.0.0.0.
A routing table entry which is used to direct packets addressed to networks not explicitly listed in the routing table.
Routing table entry which is used to direct any frames for which a next hop is not explicitly listed in the routing table.
The hop-to-hop route between routers that packets would take if no shortcut route exists.
The route used to direct any data addressed to network host addresses for which no explicit route is specified.
A routing table entry which is used to direct any data addressed to any network numbers not explicitly listed in the routing table.
Route used to forward IP packets when a more specific route is not present in the routing table. Often represented as 0.0.0.0/0, the default route is sometimes referred to as the route of last resort.
A routing table entry which is used to direct packets addressed tonetworks not explicitly listed in the routing table.[Source: MALAMUD] Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA)
A default route, also known as the gateway of last resort, is the network route used by a router when no other known route exists for a given IP packet's destination address. All the packets for destinations not known by the router's routing table are sent to the default route. This route generally leads to another router, which treats the packet the same way: If the route is known, the packet will get forwarded to the known route.