Cisco routers support static and dynamic routing, and there are more than one way to configure these routes.  This HowTo describes a way to configure a static route.  Say you have installed a VPN Appliance to connect your network to a business partner's network.  Your network uses the 10.0.0.0/8 private addressing scheme, thus allowing you to use any valid IP address within the 10.x.y.z address range.  Your router has been assigned the IP address of 10.0.0.1. 

Your new business partner uses addresses in the 192.168.0.0/16 network, allowing them to use any valid IP address in the 192.168.y.z address range.  They have provided you with a VPN appliance that you connect to your network and assign the local address of 10.9.0.99. 

You need to tell your router at 10.0.0.1 that the 192.168.0.0/16 network is accessible through 10.9.0.99. 

The first step is to establish a connection with the router.  This can either be done through the router console, or you can telnet into the router.

[lance@server Desktop]$ telnet 10.0.0.1

 Trying 10.0.0.1...
Connected to 10.0.0.1 (10.0.0.1).
Escape character is '^]'.


User Access Verification

Password:  (enter your password here)
Router>enable
Password: (enter the enable password here)
Router#configure
Configuring from terminal, memory, or network [terminal]? (Hit <Enter>)
Enter configuration commands, one per line.  End with CNTL/Z.
Router(config)#ip route 192.168.0.0 255.255.0.0 10.9.0.99  (Here we are adding the route to the 192.168.y.z network with 10.9.0.99 as the gateway)
Router(config)#exit
Routert#exit
Connection closed by foreign host.
[lance@server Desktop]$
 

Security Notes: 

• The telnet protocol transmits all data, including passwords, as clear text across the wire.
  
• VPN Access as described above will provide your business partner with full access to your internal network.  The VPN Appliance should be configured appropriately to limit access.
  

 That's it.