{"id":1273,"date":"2025-08-06T13:19:41","date_gmt":"2025-08-06T13:19:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.zframez.com\/articles\/?p=1273"},"modified":"2025-08-06T13:19:44","modified_gmt":"2025-08-06T13:19:44","slug":"understanding-bgp-next_hop-and-origin-path-attributes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.zframez.com\/articles\/routing\/understanding-bgp-next_hop-and-origin-path-attributes","title":{"rendered":"Understanding BGP NEXT_HOP and ORIGIN Path Attributes"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Understanding the NEXT_HOP Attribute in BGP<\/strong><\/h1>\n\n\n\n
In BGP, every route that gets advertised comes with some additional information known as path attributes<\/strong>. One of the most important and commonly seen among them is the NEXT_HOP<\/strong> attribute.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This attribute simply tells the router:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIf you want to reach this network, send the packet to this IP address (i.e., this is your next hop).\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n
What is NEXT_HOP in BGP?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
The NEXT_HOP<\/strong> is a path attribute that is attached to all BGP route advertisements<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It tells the receiving router which IP should be used as the next hop to reach a particular network<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This is different from protocols like OSPF or EIGRP, where the next hop is usually just the IP of the router that sent the route. In BGP, the next hop can be a different router altogether \u2013 depending on how the route was learned and forwarded.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Let\u2019s look at a few common scenarios to understand how the NEXT_HOP attribute behaves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n
Scenario 1: eBGP Peering<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
When BGP peers are in different autonomous systems<\/strong> (i.e., eBGP<\/strong>), the behavior is straightforward.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n
If R1<\/strong> sends a route to R2<\/strong> over an eBGP session,<\/li>\n\n\n\n
The NEXT_HOP<\/strong> will be the IP address of the interface<\/strong> that R1 uses to reach R2.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
$\"Three$
BGP NEXT_HOP updates across eBGP peers: R1 \u2192 R2 \u2192 R3<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
In the above topology, we have three routers connected in a straight path:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n
R1<\/strong> in AS100<\/li>\n\n\n\n
R2<\/strong> in AS200<\/li>\n\n\n\n
R3<\/strong> in AS300<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
The network 10.0.0.0\/8 is connected to R1. When R1 advertises this network to R2 over eBGP<\/strong>, the NEXT_HOP is set to 1.1.1.1<\/strong>, which is the IP of R1\u2019s interface facing R2.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Next, when R2 advertises the same route to R3 (again over eBGP), it updates the NEXT_HOP to 2.2.2.1<\/strong> \u2013 the IP of R2\u2019s interface that connects to R3.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This is how BGP behaves in eBGP peering<\/strong> \u2013 the NEXT_HOP is always updated<\/strong> to the IP address of the interface used to send the BGP update.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This is usually fine, since eBGP peers are directly connected and can reach each other easily.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In this case, the next hop is the advertising router itself<\/strong>, just like what you\u2019d expect.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n
Scenario 2: iBGP Peering (Split Horizon Applies)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
When BGP peers are in the same autonomous system<\/strong> (i.e., iBGP<\/strong>), the situation is different.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Here, BGP follows the split horizon rule<\/strong>, which says:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A route learned from one iBGP peer cannot be advertised to another iBGP peer.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, in most cases, an iBGP router won\u2019t receive a route from another iBGP router unless it\u2019s the original source.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As a result, NEXT_HOP doesn\u2019t even come into play<\/strong> in regular iBGP-to-iBGP forwarding \u2013 because the route isn\u2019t passed on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n
Special Case: Route Learned from eBGP, Forwarded to iBGP<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
There\u2019s one special case that often creates confusion:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n
A router learns a route from an eBGP<\/strong> peer.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
Then it advertises that route to an iBGP<\/strong> peer.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
In this case, the NEXT_HOP is not<\/em> updated<\/strong> to the IP of the internal router that is forwarding the route.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Instead, the original next hop \u2013 the IP of the eBGP peer \u2013 remains<\/strong> in the update.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
$\"Topology$
NEXT_HOP remains unchanged when eBGP-learned routes are forwarded via iBGP<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

In the above \u00a0topology, the setup is slightly more complex:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n
R1<\/strong> is in AS100<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n
R2<\/strong>, R3<\/strong>, and R4<\/strong> are all in AS200<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n
R1 and R2<\/strong> have an eBGP<\/strong> peering<\/li>\n\n\n\n
R2 and R4<\/strong> have an iBGP<\/strong> peering<\/li>\n\n\n\n
R3<\/strong> is not running BGP, but is part of the AS and may be used to send packets out<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
R1 has a directly connected network: 10.0.0.0\/8. When R1 advertises this route to R2 over an eBGP session, the NEXT_HOP is set to 1.1.1.1 \u2014 R1\u2019s IP.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Now, when R2 advertises this same route to R4 (both are in the same AS and are iBGP peers), the NEXT_HOP remains 1.1.1.1.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Unlike eBGP, in this case BGP does not change the NEXT_HOP, even though the update is coming from R2. This is a common behavior when a route learned from an eBGP peer is passed to an iBGP peer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This design allows other routers inside the AS (like R4) to choose their own best path to exit the AS \u2013 either via R2 or R3 \u2013 based on reachability to the original next hop (1.1.1.1).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n
Why is this behavior useful?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
If R2 had replaced the NEXT_HOP with its own IP while advertising to R3, then all internal traffic would be forced to exit via R2, even if R3 had a better path to the destination.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
By preserving the original next hop (R1\u2019s IP), routers inside AS200 (like R4) have the flexibility to choose whether to send the data out via R2 or R3 \u2013 depending on internal IGP metrics, interface load, or policy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This rule allows more flexible outbound routing<\/strong> within an autonomous system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Most enterprise or ISP networks have multiple edge routers<\/strong> that connect to external networks. If every edge router replaced the NEXT_HOP with its own IP, then:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n
All internal routers would end up forwarding packets to that one edge router.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
Even if there were other, better exit points, they wouldn\u2019t be used.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
By preserving the original next hop<\/strong>, internal routers can choose different exit points<\/strong> based on IGP reachability or policy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This helps in:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n
Load balancing outbound traffic<\/li>\n\n\n\n
Avoiding unnecessary congestion on a single edge router<\/li>\n\n\n\n
Designing more flexible and scalable AS-level routing<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n
The ORIGIN Path Attribute in BGP<\/strong><\/h1>\n\n\n\n
The ORIGIN<\/strong> attribute in BGP is used to indicate how the route was originated<\/strong> at the source router \u2013 i.e., how the prefix first entered the BGP domain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This information is attached by the originating router and stays with the route as it propagates through other BGP routers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n
How ORIGIN is Set<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
There are three ways<\/strong> the ORIGIN value can be set, depending on how the router learned or injected the route into BGP.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n
1. IGP (i) \u2013 When network is advertised using network command<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
This is the most common case. In Cisco and similar routers, we advertise a prefix into BGP using the network command:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
router bgp 100<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u00a0network 10.0.0.0 mask 255.0.0.0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Here, the router is telling BGP:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI want to advertise this network which is reachable inside my AS.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In this case, the ORIGIN is set to IGP<\/strong>, and represented by the letter i.
As per RFC 4271, IGP means the NLRI is interior to the originating AS.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n
2. INCOMPLETE (?) \u2013 When network is learned via redistribution<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
If we don\u2019t use the network command and instead redistribute routes from another protocol<\/strong> (like OSPF or static routes) into BGP, then the ORIGIN is marked as INCOMPLETE<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In this case, BGP doesn\u2019t have clear information about where the route came from originally, so the ORIGIN value is shown as:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
? \u2192 INCOMPLETE<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This doesn\u2019t affect functionality \u2013 but BGP considers it a lower preference compared to IGP.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n
3. EGP (e) \u2013 When learned from an old EGP router<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
If the route is learned from a neighbor running EGP<\/strong> (Exterior Gateway Protocol), the ORIGIN is set to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
e \u2192 EGP<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This is rarely seen today, since EGP has been mostly replaced by BGP. But the value is still supported for compatibility.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n
Preference Order of ORIGIN Values<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
When BGP receives multiple routes to the same destination, and all other factors (like local preference, AS path, etc.) are equal, BGP uses the ORIGIN attribute as a tie-breaker<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The preference order is:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
IGP (i) > EGP (e) > INCOMPLETE (?)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
So if one path has ORIGIN i, and another has ?, BGP will prefer the one with i.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n
Summary :

<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n
NEXT_HOP<\/strong> tells a router where to forward packets to reach a given network.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
In eBGP<\/strong>, the next hop is the advertising router\u2019s IP.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
In iBGP<\/strong>, routes are not re-advertised due to split horizon<\/strong> \u2014 so NEXT_HOP is usually not involved.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
Exception<\/strong>: When an eBGP-learned route is forwarded to an iBGP peer, the NEXT_HOP is not changed<\/strong>. This behavior allows internal routers to choose their own best exit point from the AS.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
\n
ORIGIN<\/strong> is a BGP path attribute that tells how a route was originated.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
It is set once by the originating router and remains unchanged as the route propagates.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
Three possible values:\n
\n
i \u2192 IGP: Route originated from within the AS (e.g., via network command)<\/li>\n\n\n\n
e \u2192 EGP: Route received from an old EGP neighbor<\/li>\n\n\n\n
? \u2192 INCOMPLETE: Route redistributed from another protocol or unknown source<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n
Preference order: i > e > ?<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
This attribute helps when BGP has to choose between otherwise equal paths, and also gives useful visibility during troubleshooting or route analysis.<\/p>\n<\/body>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Understanding the NEXT_HOP Attribute in BGP In BGP, every route that gets advertised comes with some additional information known as path attributes. One of the most important and commonly seen among them is the NEXT_HOP attribute. This attribute simply tells the router: \u201cIf you want to reach this network, send the packet to this IP […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"wp-custom-template-post-with-sidebar2","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[103,66],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1273","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-bgp","category-routing"],"yoast_head":"\nUnderstanding BGP NEXT_HOP and ORIGIN Path Attributes - Tutorials<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.zframez.com\/articles\/routing\/understanding-bgp-next_hop-and-origin-path-attributes\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"BGP NEXT_HOP and ORIGIN Explained with Examples\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Explore how the NEXT_HOP and ORIGIN attributes work in BGP. Understand next hop changes in eBGP vs iBGP, and how BGP prioritizes route origin types using simple examples.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.zframez.com\/articles\/routing\/understanding-bgp-next_hop-and-origin-path-attributes\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Tutorials\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/zframez\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2025-08-06T13:19:41+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-08-06T13:19:44+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.zframez.com\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/NoH-attribute-not-getting-updated.png\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1447\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"683\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/png\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"sajith achipra\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@zframez\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@zframez\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"sajith achipra\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"7 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.zframez.com\\\/articles\\\/routing\\\/understanding-bgp-next_hop-and-origin-path-attributes#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.zframez.com\\\/articles\\\/routing\\\/understanding-bgp-next_hop-and-origin-path-attributes\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"sajith achipra\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.zframez.com\\\/articles\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/8b3b88007644501771d2452d3cc80f41\"},\"headline\":\"Understanding BGP NEXT_HOP and ORIGIN Path Attributes\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-08-06T13:19:41+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-08-06T13:19:44+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.zframez.com\\\/articles\\\/routing\\\/understanding-bgp-next_hop-and-origin-path-attributes\"},\"wordCount\":1426,\"commentCount\":0,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.zframez.com\\\/articles\\\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.zframez.com\\\/articles\\\/routing\\\/understanding-bgp-next_hop-and-origin-path-attributes#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.zframez.com\\\/articles\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2025\\\/08\\\/ebgp-peers-with-NOH-attribute-1024x470.png\",\"articleSection\":[\"bgp\",\"routing\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.zframez.com\\\/articles\\\/routing\\\/understanding-bgp-next_hop-and-origin-path-attributes#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.zframez.com\\\/articles\\\/routing\\\/understanding-bgp-next_hop-and-origin-path-attributes\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.zframez.com\\\/articles\\\/routing\\\/understanding-bgp-next_hop-and-origin-path-attributes\",\"name\":\"Understanding BGP NEXT_HOP and ORIGIN Path Attributes - Tutorials\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.zframez.com\\\/articles\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.zframez.com\\\/articles\\\/routing\\\/understanding-bgp-next_hop-and-origin-path-attributes#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.zframez.com\\\/articles\\\/routing\\\/understanding-bgp-next_hop-and-origin-path-attributes#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.zframez.com\\\/articles\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2025\\\/08\\\/ebgp-peers-with-NOH-attribute-1024x470.png\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-08-06T13:19:41+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-08-06T13:19:44+00:00\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.zframez.com\\\/articles\\\/routing\\\/understanding-bgp-next_hop-and-origin-path-attributes#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.zframez.com\\\/articles\\\/routing\\\/understanding-bgp-next_hop-and-origin-path-attributes\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.zframez.com\\\/articles\\\/routing\\\/understanding-bgp-next_hop-and-origin-path-attributes#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/i0.wp.com\\\/www.zframez.com\\\/articles\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2025\\\/08\\\/ebgp-peers-with-NOH-attribute.png?fit=1465%2C673&ssl=1\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/i0.wp.com\\\/www.zframez.com\\\/articles\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2025\\\/08\\\/ebgp-peers-with-NOH-attribute.png?fit=1465%2C673&ssl=1\",\"width\":1465,\"height\":673},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.zframez.com\\\/articles\\\/routing\\\/understanding-bgp-next_hop-and-origin-path-attributes#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Tutorials\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.zframez.com\\\/articles\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Understanding BGP NEXT_HOP and ORIGIN Path Attributes\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.zframez.com\\\/articles\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.zframez.com\\\/articles\\\/\",\"name\":\"zframez tutorials\",\"description\":\"Learn networking bit by bit\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.zframez.com\\\/articles\\\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.zframez.com\\\/articles\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.zframez.com\\\/articles\\\/#organization\",\"name\":\"zframez technologies\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.zframez.com\\\/articles\\\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.zframez.com\\\/articles\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/i0.wp.com\\\/www.zframez.com\\\/articles\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2024\\\/07\\\/zframez-logo.jpg?fit=864%2C864&ssl=1\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/i0.wp.com\\\/www.zframez.com\\\/articles\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2024\\\/07\\\/zframez-logo.jpg?fit=864%2C864&ssl=1\",\"width\":864,\"height\":864,\"caption\":\"zframez technologies\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.zframez.com\\\/articles\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.facebook.com\\\/zframez\\\/\",\"https:\\\/\\\/x.com\\\/zframez\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.instagram.com\\\/zframez_technologies\\\/\"]},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.zframez.com\\\/articles\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/8b3b88007644501771d2452d3cc80f41\",\"name\":\"sajith achipra\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/3d9f27c5311500982b6f19d03d0506f1c328f30f51d8d5f73f46577687fd81f8?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/3d9f27c5311500982b6f19d03d0506f1c328f30f51d8d5f73f46577687fd81f8?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/3d9f27c5311500982b6f19d03d0506f1c328f30f51d8d5f73f46577687fd81f8?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"sajith achipra\"},\"sameAs\":[\"http:\\\/\\\/www.zframez.com\"]}]}<\/script>\n","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Understanding BGP NEXT_HOP and ORIGIN Path Attributes - Tutorials","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.zframez.com\/articles\/routing\/understanding-bgp-next_hop-and-origin-path-attributes","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"BGP NEXT_HOP and ORIGIN Explained with Examples","og_description":"Explore how the NEXT_HOP and ORIGIN attributes work in BGP. Understand next hop changes in eBGP vs iBGP, and how BGP prioritizes route origin types using simple examples.","og_url":"https:\/\/www.zframez.com\/articles\/routing\/understanding-bgp-next_hop-and-origin-path-attributes","og_site_name":"Tutorials","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/zframez\/","article_published_time":"2025-08-06T13:19:41+00:00","article_modified_time":"2025-08-06T13:19:44+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1447,"height":683,"url":"https:\/\/www.zframez.com\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/NoH-attribute-not-getting-updated.png","type":"image\/png"}],"author":"sajith achipra","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_creator":"@zframez","twitter_site":"@zframez","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"sajith achipra","Est. reading time":"7 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/www.zframez.com\/articles\/routing\/understanding-bgp-next_hop-and-origin-path-attributes#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.zframez.com\/articles\/routing\/understanding-bgp-next_hop-and-origin-path-attributes"},"author":{"name":"sajith achipra","@id":"https:\/\/www.zframez.com\/articles\/#\/schema\/person\/8b3b88007644501771d2452d3cc80f41"},"headline":"Understanding BGP NEXT_HOP and ORIGIN Path Attributes","datePublished":"2025-08-06T13:19:41+00:00","dateModified":"2025-08-06T13:19:44+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.zframez.com\/articles\/routing\/understanding-bgp-next_hop-and-origin-path-attributes"},"wordCount":1426,"commentCount":0,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.zframez.com\/articles\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.zframez.com\/articles\/routing\/understanding-bgp-next_hop-and-origin-path-attributes#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.zframez.com\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/ebgp-peers-with-NOH-attribute-1024x470.png","articleSection":["bgp","routing"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/www.zframez.com\/articles\/routing\/understanding-bgp-next_hop-and-origin-path-attributes#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.zframez.com\/articles\/routing\/understanding-bgp-next_hop-and-origin-path-attributes","url":"https:\/\/www.zframez.com\/articles\/routing\/understanding-bgp-next_hop-and-origin-path-attributes","name":"Understanding BGP NEXT_HOP and ORIGIN Path Attributes - Tutorials","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.zframez.com\/articles\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.zframez.com\/articles\/routing\/understanding-bgp-next_hop-and-origin-path-attributes#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.zframez.com\/articles\/routing\/understanding-bgp-next_hop-and-origin-path-attributes#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.zframez.com\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/ebgp-peers-with-NOH-attribute-1024x470.png","datePublished":"2025-08-06T13:19:41+00:00","dateModified":"2025-08-06T13:19:44+00:00","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.zframez.com\/articles\/routing\/understanding-bgp-next_hop-and-origin-path-attributes#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.zframez.com\/articles\/routing\/understanding-bgp-next_hop-and-origin-path-attributes"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.zframez.com\/articles\/routing\/understanding-bgp-next_hop-and-origin-path-attributes#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.zframez.com\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/ebgp-peers-with-NOH-attribute.png?fit=1465%2C673&ssl=1","contentUrl":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.zframez.com\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/ebgp-peers-with-NOH-attribute.png?fit=1465%2C673&ssl=1","width":1465,"height":673},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.zframez.com\/articles\/routing\/understanding-bgp-next_hop-and-origin-path-attributes#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Tutorials","item":"https:\/\/www.zframez.com\/articles"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Understanding BGP NEXT_HOP and ORIGIN Path Attributes"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.zframez.com\/articles\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.zframez.com\/articles\/","name":"zframez tutorials","description":"Learn networking bit by bit","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.zframez.com\/articles\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.zframez.com\/articles\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.zframez.com\/articles\/#organization","name":"zframez technologies","url":"https:\/\/www.zframez.com\/articles\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.zframez.com\/articles\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.zframez.com\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/zframez-logo.jpg?fit=864%2C864&ssl=1","contentUrl":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.zframez.com\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/zframez-logo.jpg?fit=864%2C864&ssl=1","width":864,"height":864,"caption":"zframez technologies"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.zframez.com\/articles\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/zframez\/","https:\/\/x.com\/zframez","https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/zframez_technologies\/"]},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.zframez.com\/articles\/#\/schema\/person\/8b3b88007644501771d2452d3cc80f41","name":"sajith achipra","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/3d9f27c5311500982b6f19d03d0506f1c328f30f51d8d5f73f46577687fd81f8?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/3d9f27c5311500982b6f19d03d0506f1c328f30f51d8d5f73f46577687fd81f8?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/3d9f27c5311500982b6f19d03d0506f1c328f30f51d8d5f73f46577687fd81f8?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"sajith achipra"},"sameAs":["http:\/\/www.zframez.com"]}]}},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":1270,"url":"https:\/\/www.zframez.com\/articles\/routing\/understanding-bgp-as_path-split-horizon-and-route-reflectors","url_meta":{"origin":1273,"position":0},"title":"Understanding BGP AS_PATH, Split Horizon, and Route Reflectors","author":"sajith achipra","date":"August 5, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"BGP Path Attributes \u2013 AS_PATH, Split Horizon, and Route Reflector One of the key features that makes BGP different from other routing protocols is its use of path attributes. These attributes are attached to BGP route advertisements and provide important information that routers use to make decisions - not just\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "bgp"","block_context":{"text":"bgp","link":"https:\/\/www.zframez.com\/articles\/category\/routing\/bgp"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.zframez.com\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/BGP-AS-Path-demo.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.zframez.com\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/BGP-AS-Path-demo.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.zframez.com\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/BGP-AS-Path-demo.png?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.zframez.com\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/BGP-AS-Path-demo.png?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.zframez.com\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/BGP-AS-Path-demo.png?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.zframez.com\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/BGP-AS-Path-demo.png?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":247,"url":"https:\/\/www.zframez.com\/articles\/routing\/bgp-configuration-examples","url_meta":{"origin":1273,"position":1},"title":"BGP Configuration Example 1: EBGP Peering","author":"sajith achipra","date":"July 18, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"BGP Configuration Example: In the previous chapter, you learned about BGP's peering process and states. In this BGP configuration example , you will learn how to configure BGP with two Cisco routers, check the BGP peering status, and understand different BGP show commands. We\u2019ll provide step-by-step instructions to set up\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "bgp"","block_context":{"text":"bgp","link":"https:\/\/www.zframez.com\/articles\/category\/routing\/bgp"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.zframez.com\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/show-ip-bgp.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.zframez.com\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/show-ip-bgp.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.zframez.com\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/show-ip-bgp.png?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.zframez.com\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/show-ip-bgp.png?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":219,"url":"https:\/\/www.zframez.com\/articles\/routing\/bgp-protocol","url_meta":{"origin":1273,"position":2},"title":"Introduction to BGP Protocol","author":"sajith achipra","date":"July 17, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Introduction to BGP \u2013 The Backbone of Internet Routing In this tutorial, we\u2019ll go over the basics of BGP (Border Gateway Protocol) and what makes it different from other routing protocols. If you're just getting started with routing or trying to understand how large networks communicate over the internet, this\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "bgp"","block_context":{"text":"bgp","link":"https:\/\/www.zframez.com\/articles\/category\/routing\/bgp"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.zframez.com\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/BGP-packet.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.zframez.com\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/BGP-packet.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.zframez.com\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/BGP-packet.png?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.zframez.com\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/BGP-packet.png?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.zframez.com\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/BGP-packet.png?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.zframez.com\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/BGP-packet.png?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":232,"url":"https:\/\/www.zframez.com\/articles\/routing\/how-bgp-works","url_meta":{"origin":1273,"position":3},"title":"How BGP Works ?","author":"sajith achipra","date":"July 17, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"How BGP Works \u2013 Step-by-Step Flow, Packet Types, and NLRI Continuing from our introduction to BGP, let\u2019s now look at how BGP actually works - how two routers become neighbors, what packets are exchanged between them, and how route information is shared Peering in BGP \u2013 No Auto Discovery Here\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "bgp"","block_context":{"text":"bgp","link":"https:\/\/www.zframez.com\/articles\/category\/routing\/bgp"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":262,"url":"https:\/\/www.zframez.com\/articles\/routing\/bgp-configuration-example-ebgp-loopback","url_meta":{"origin":1273,"position":4},"title":"BGP Configuration Example 2: EBGP Using Loopback Interfaces","author":"sajith achipra","date":"July 18, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"BGP Configuration Example In the last tutorial \u201cBGP configuration example : EBGP Peering\u201c, we configured an EBGP peering between two routers using their physical interface IP addresses. In this BGP configuration example, we\u2019ll use loopback interfaces for BGP peering. We prefer loopback interfaces when there are multiple paths between peers\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "bgp"","block_context":{"text":"bgp","link":"https:\/\/www.zframez.com\/articles\/category\/routing\/bgp"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.zframez.com\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/ebgp-configuration-topology.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.zframez.com\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/ebgp-configuration-topology.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.zframez.com\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/ebgp-configuration-topology.png?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.zframez.com\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/ebgp-configuration-topology.png?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.zframez.com\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/ebgp-configuration-topology.png?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.zframez.com\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/ebgp-configuration-topology.png?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":240,"url":"https:\/\/www.zframez.com\/articles\/routing\/bgp-protocol-peering-and-states","url_meta":{"origin":1273,"position":5},"title":"BGP Peering Process Explained \u2013 States from Idle to Established","author":"sajith achipra","date":"July 18, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Understanding the BGP Peering Process When routers run BGP , they don't start exchanging route information right away. Before they can share anything, they need to form a stable connection, called a BGP peering session. This process involves multiple states, each indicating what\u2019s happening behind the scenes as the routers\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "bgp"","block_context":{"text":"bgp","link":"https:\/\/www.zframez.com\/articles\/category\/routing\/bgp"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.zframez.com\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/bgp-states.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.zframez.com\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/bgp-states.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.zframez.com\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/bgp-states.png?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.zframez.com\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/bgp-states.png?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.zframez.com\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/bgp-states.png?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.zframez.com\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/bgp-states.png?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.zframez.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1273","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.zframez.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.zframez.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.zframez.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.zframez.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1273"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.zframez.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1273\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1276,"href":"https:\/\/www.zframez.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1273\/revisions\/1276"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.zframez.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1273"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.zframez.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1273"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.zframez.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1273"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}