Comparison of EIGRP, OSPF, and RIP Routing Protocols using OPNET Simulator

Abstract

Routing protocols are considered to be one of the most important pillars on which networks depend in the process of communicating, updating, and exchanging information between them. The primary function of routing protocols is to choose the optimum route for packets to travel to their final destination. All routing protocols currently used in modern networks are Dynamic Routing Protocols, which in turn are divided into Interior Gateway Protocols (IGPs) and Exterior Gateway protocols (EGPs). IGPs use the Distance vector algorithm or Link state algorithm, while EGPs use the Path vector algorithm to choose the optimal route. In this research paper, the performance of IGPs, namely RIP, EIGRP, and OSPF, was compared using the OPNET simulation tool. The results show that EIGRP protocol took the least time to converge between networks, while OSPF takes a longer time to converge. However, RIP protocol takes the longest time to work in convergence.