Cisco "show ip protocols" Command Explained
show ip protocols — summarizes every routing protocol running on the device — timers, networks being advertised, and where routes are being learned from. Runs in privileged EXEC mode.
Syntax and common variants
| Variant | Purpose |
|---|---|
show ip protocols | Full summary of all active routing protocols |
Reading the output
| Output / element | Meaning |
|---|---|
Routing Protocol is "ospf 1" | Which protocol and process/AS number is active |
Sending/Receiving updates on interfaces | Which interfaces participate |
Routing for Networks | The networks this protocol advertises |
Routing Information Sources | Neighbors this router is learning routes from, with their distance |
When to use it
A fast sanity check when routes seem to be missing: is the protocol even running on the expected interfaces, and are the right networks being advertised? Often reveals a forgotten network statement in seconds — faster than digging through the full running-config. Browse more in the command reference or practise in the free labs.
Frequently asked questions
What does show ip protocols tell you?
A summary of every active routing protocol — which networks it advertises, which interfaces participate, and which neighbors routes are learned from.
How is this different from show ip route?
show ip route shows the resulting routing table; show ip protocols shows the protocol configuration and sources feeding that table — useful when routes are unexpectedly missing.
Can multiple routing protocols show up here?
Yes — if a router runs both OSPF and EIGRP (common during migrations or redistribution), both appear as separate protocol blocks.
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