What is the BGP table?
The BGP table is the set of all IP routes a router knows. The global table (DFZ) holds over 950k IPv4 prefixes. Full table versus a default route.
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The BGP table is the set of all routes (IP prefixes together with their attributes) that a router has learned from its BGP neighbours. Most often the term refers to the global internet routing table, the so-called Default-Free Zone (DFZ). This is the space where routers do not rely on a default route but instead know a specific path to every reachable prefix in the world. As of mid-2026 the global IPv4 table holds more than 950,000 routes, and the IPv6 table exceeds 200,000.
What the Default-Free Zone (DFZ) is
The DFZ is the part of the internet where a router must know a specific route to every prefix, because there is no upstream provider to point a default route at 'just in case'. Transit providers' and Tier 1 operators' routers run exactly this way, without a default route. If a 0.0.0.0/0 had nowhere meaningful to lead, traffic to unknown destinations would circle between routers or go nowhere. So in the DFZ every edge router carries the full table, while lower layers of the internet usually get by with a subset of it or just a default route.
What makes up the BGP table
Each entry in the BGP table (the RIB, Routing Information Base) is a prefix and its associated attributes, which feed the best-path selection process. A router may know several routes to the same prefix, but only the one chosen as best is installed into the forwarding table (FIB).
- The prefix and its length, e.g. 192.0.2.0/24. The longest matching prefix wins.
- The AS path (AS_PATH), the list of autonomous system numbers the advertisement traversed.
- Next hop, LOCAL_PREF, MED and BGP communities that drive policy.
- The origin attribute and the RPKI validation state (valid, invalid, not found).
- Route uptime and a flap counter, useful when diagnosing stability.
Full table versus a default route
An operator connected to transit chooses how much information to accept from the provider. A full table gives complete control over path selection for every destination and is essential for multihoming and traffic engineering, but it demands hardware with enough FIB/TCAM capacity and RAM. A default route (0.0.0.0/0 or ::/0) is the simplest option, because the router just hands unknown traffic to the provider, but it removes any influence over how traffic leaves. A common compromise is taking partial routes: peering routes plus a default route for the rest of the internet.
The BGP table in the AS202520 SkyPass network
As AS202520 we carry the full DFZ table on our edge routers in Warsaw and Wrocław and hand it to IP transit customers who need complete routing control. For customers who prefer something simpler we offer a default route or partial routes. Thanks to peering at the Polish exchanges (THINX, TPIX, WRIX and 1-IX), a large share of prefixes enters our table directly from Polish networks, which shortens the AS path and lowers latency. You can inspect the current state of routes in our looking glass.
Frequently asked questions
How many routes does the global BGP table hold now?
As of mid-2026 the global IPv4 table exceeds 950,000 routes and the IPv6 table tops 200,000. These numbers keep growing with prefix deaggregation and new address allocations.
Do I need the full BGP table?
Not always. A full table is needed for multihoming and traffic engineering across several providers. With a single provider or a simple scenario, a default route or partial routes are enough and ease the load on your hardware.
What is the difference between the RIB and the FIB?
The RIB (the BGP table) holds every learned route, including several routes to the same prefix. The FIB is the hardware forwarding table that receives only the best route selected to actually forward packets.
Why does the size of the BGP table matter?
Each route consumes memory and FIB/TCAM space on the router. Older devices capped at, say, 512k or 1M routes can overflow their TCAM, causing packet loss. That is why operators plan capacity with headroom for table growth.