2/12/25, 2:50 AM OSPF Troubleshooting Commands

BGP Basic and Advanced Troubleshooting Commands Cheat Sheet

This cheat sheet includes essential BGP troubleshooting commands, sample outputs, and explanations.

1. Basic BGP Verification Commands

1.1 Check BGP Summary (Neighbor Status & Peering Information)
bash Copy Edit

show ip bgp summary

Output Example:

pgsql Copy Edit

BGP router identifier 192.168.1.1, local AS number 65001

BGP table version is 15, main routing table version 15
Neighbor V AS MsgRcvd MsgSent Up/Down State/PfxRcd
192.168.2.2 4 65002 200 195 2d10h 10
10.1.1.1 4 65003 100 90 1d05h 20

✅ Explanation:
Neighbor: IP address of BGP peer.

V: BGP version.

AS: Autonomous System number of the neighbor.

MsgRcvd / MsgSent: Number of BGP messages exchanged.

Up/Down: How long the session has been established.

State/PfxRcd: If "State" is "Idle, Active, or Connect", there’s an issue. If a number is present, it's the
number of prefixes received.

1.2 Check BGP Peers in Detail

bash Copy Edit

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show ip bgp neighbors 192.168.2.2

Output Example:

pgsql Copy Edit

BGP neighbor is 192.168.2.2, remote AS 65002, external link

BGP state = Established, up for 2d10h
Last read 00:00:21, Last write 00:00:21
Hold time is 180, keepalive interval is 60 seconds
Received 10 prefixes, Sent 12 prefixes
Route refresh: advertised and received

✅ Explanation:
State = Established → Peering is working fine.

Hold time / keepalive interval → Ensure it matches the neighbor.

Prefixes received/sent → Confirms routes exchanged.

1.3 Check BGP Advertised Routes to a Specific Neighbor

bash Copy Edit

show ip bgp neighbors 192.168.2.2 advertised-routes

Output Example:

nginx Copy Edit

Network Next Hop Metric LocPrf Weight Path

10.10.10.0/24 192.168.1.1 0 100 0 i
192.168.100.0/24 192.168.1.1 0 100 0 65001 65002 i

✅ Explanation:
Next Hop: IP address used to reach the network.

LocPrf (Local Preference): Higher is preferred.

Weight: Cisco proprietary metric (local preference within the router).

Path: AS Path showing the route traversal.

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1.4 Check Received Routes from a BGP Neighbor

bash Copy Edit

show ip bgp neighbors 192.168.2.2 received-routes

Output Example:

nginx Copy Edit

Network Next Hop Metric LocPrf Weight Path

172.16.1.0/24 192.168.2.2 20 100 0 65002 i
192.168.50.0/24 192.168.2.2 10 100 0 65002 65003 i

✅ Explanation:
Lists all received routes, whether they are used or not.

1.5 Check BGP Routing Table for a Specific Prefix

bash Copy Edit

show ip bgp 10.10.10.0/24

Output Example:

nginx Copy Edit

BGP routing table entry for 10.10.10.0/24, version 15

Paths: (2 available, best #1)
Advertised to update-groups:
192.168.2.2
65002 65003
192.168.2.2 (metric 10) from 192.168.2.2
Origin IGP, localpref 100, valid, external, best
65004
192.168.3.3 (metric 20) from 192.168.3.3
Origin IGP, localpref 90, valid, external

✅ Explanation:
Best Path (✔): The best path chosen by BGP is marked with "best."

Local Preference: Higher preference is preferred.

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AS Path: Shows how the route has traveled.

2. Advanced BGP Troubleshooting Commands

2.1 Check BGP Flaps and Session History
bash Copy Edit

show ip bgp neighbors 192.168.2.2 | include Last reset

Output Example:

pgsql Copy Edit

Last reset 1w2d due to peer closing session

✅ Fix:
If frequent resets, check MTU, peer AS configuration, or network stability.

2.2 Check Routes Not Being Advertised Due to Policy

bash Copy Edit

show ip bgp filter-list

Output Example:

mathematica Copy Edit

Prefix-list DENY-ROUTES in effect, blocking 192.168.50.0/24

✅ Fix:
Check prefix-list or route-map blocking the routes.

2.3 Debug BGP Events (Use with Caution!)

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bash
Copy Edit

debug ip bgp events

Output Example:

yaml Copy Edit

Feb 6 10:45:12: %BGP-5-ADJCHANGE: neighbor 192.168.2.2 Down - BGP Notification received

Feb 6 10:45:13: %BGP-3-NOTIFICATION: received error: Hold Timer Expired

✅ Fix:
Ensure both peers have matching hold timers ( show ip bgp neighbors ).

2.4 Check BGP Table Version for Updates

bash Copy Edit

show ip bgp

Output Example:

pgsql Copy Edit

BGP table version is 25, main routing table version 25

✅ Explanation:
If table version isn’t increasing, routes aren’t being learned.

2.5 Check Route Dampening (Suppress Flapping Routes)

bash Copy Edit

show ip bgp dampening flap-statistics

Output Example:

yaml Copy Edit

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Network Flaps Penalty Suppressed

10.1.1.0/24 5 1000 Yes

✅ Fix:
Investigate link stability issues or adjust dampening parameters.

3. Common BGP Issues and Fixes

Issue Command to Check Possible Fix

No BGP Neighbor show ip bgp summary Verify peer IP, AS, and neighbor <IP> remote-as
<AS> command.

BGP Stuck in show ip bgp neighbors Ensure TCP port 179 is open, check reachability.
"Active"

Missing BGP Routes show ip bgp / show ip route bgp Check prefix lists, route maps, and neighbor
settings.

High CPU in BGP `show process cpu include BGP`

Process

Routes Not show ip bgp neighbors <IP> Verify route-maps and prefix-lists applied to the
Advertised advertised-routes neighbor.

Route Flapping show ip bgp dampening flap- Adjust dampening parameters.

statistics

4. Disabling Debugging (Important!)

To disable debugging after troubleshooting:

bash Copy Edit

undebug all

Would you like help with a specific BGP issue or detailed troubleshooting scenario?

Yes

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What specific BGP issue are you facing? Here are some common scenarios I can help troubleshoot in
detail:

1. BGP Neighbor Stuck in Active/Idle State

2. Routes Not Being Advertised to a BGP Peer

3. BGP Route Flapping & Stability Issues

4. BGP Load Balancing Issues (Unequal Traffic Distribution)

5. BGP Peering Failing Due to Authentication (MD5 Issues)

6. Slow Convergence or High CPU Usage in BGP

7. BGP Route Filtering Issues (Prefix-List/Route-Map Problems)

8. AS Path Manipulation Troubleshooting (Local Preference, MED, etc.)

Let me know which issue you're facing, and I'll provide step-by-step troubleshooting with commands,
outputs, and fixes.

All

Comprehensive BGP Troubleshooting Guide

This guide covers all major BGP issues with step-by-step troubleshooting commands, expected outputs,
and solutions.

1. BGP Neighbor Stuck in Active/Idle State

Symptoms:
show ip bgp summary shows "Active" or "Idle" state.

No routes exchanged between BGP neighbors.

Troubleshooting Commands:

bash Copy Edit

show ip bgp summary

✅ Expected Output (Good State):

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mathematica
Copy Edit

Neighbor V AS MsgRcvd MsgSent Up/Down State/PfxRcd

192.168.2.2 4 65002 100 95 1d05h 10

❌ Problematic Output:
mathematica Copy Edit

Neighbor V AS MsgRcvd MsgSent Up/Down State/PfxRcd

192.168.2.2 4 65002 0 0 00:05 Active

Fixes:
✅ Step 1: Verify Reachability to BGP Peer
bash Copy Edit

ping 192.168.2.2

If no response, check network connectivity and routing.

✅ Step 2: Check TCP Port 179 (BGP)

bash Copy Edit

telnet 192.168.2.2 179

If connection fails, check firewall or ACLs blocking TCP 179.

✅ Step 3: Verify AS Number Configuration

bash Copy Edit

show run | include neighbor

Ensure the correct AS number is configured on both sides:

bash Copy Edit

neighbor 192.168.2.2 remote-as 65002

✅ Step 4: Check Logs for Errors

bash Copy Edit

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show logging | include BGP

Look for errors like “BGP Notification: Hold Timer Expired”

✅ Step 5: Clear BGP Session

bash Copy Edit

clear ip bgp * soft

2. Routes Not Being Advertised to a BGP Peer

Symptoms:
show ip bgp summary shows established session, but routes aren’t exchanged.

Troubleshooting Commands:
bash Copy Edit

show ip bgp neighbors 192.168.2.2 advertised-routes

✅ Expected Output:
nginx Copy Edit

Network Next Hop Metric LocPrf Weight Path

10.10.10.0/24 192.168.1.1 0 100 0 i

❌ Problematic Output:
No routes listed → Route filtering issue

Fixes:
✅ Step 1: Check if the Route Exists in the Routing Table
bash Copy Edit

show ip route 10.10.10.0

If route is missing, BGP cannot advertise it.

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✅ Step 2: Verify BGP Network Statement

bash Copy Edit

show run | include network

Ensure the correct network command exists:

bash Copy Edit

network 10.10.10.0 mask 255.255.255.0

✅ Step 3: Check for Route Filters (Prefix-List, Route-Map)

bash Copy Edit

show ip bgp neighbor 192.168.2.2 | include Prefix

If prefix-list is applied, check configuration:

bash Copy Edit

show run | section prefix-list

If blocking required prefixes, modify or remove the filter.

✅ Step 4: Clear BGP Session

bash Copy Edit

clear ip bgp * soft

3. BGP Route Flapping & Stability Issues

Symptoms:
show logging | include BGP shows frequent BGP session resets.

show ip bgp summary shows constant up/down cycles.

Troubleshooting Commands:

bash Copy Edit

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show ip bgp flap-statistics

✅ Expected Output (Stable Route):

nginx Copy Edit

Network Flaps Penalty Suppressed

192.168.50.0/24 0 0 No

❌ Problematic Output:
yaml Copy Edit

Network Flaps Penalty Suppressed

10.1.1.0/24 5 1000 Yes

Fixes:
✅ Step 1: Identify Unstable Links
bash Copy Edit

show interfaces | include input|output|errors

If interface errors are high, fix the physical issue.

✅ Step 2: Increase BGP Keepalive/Hold Timers

bash Copy Edit

neighbor 192.168.2.2 timers 60 180

✅ Step 3: Implement Route Dampening

bash Copy Edit

router bgp 65001 bgp dampening

4. BGP Load Balancing Issues

Symptoms:
BGP learned multiple paths, but only one path is used.

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Troubleshooting Commands:

bash Copy Edit

show ip bgp 10.10.10.0/24

✅ Expected Output (Multiple Paths with Equal Weights):

pgsql Copy Edit

Paths: (2 available, best #1)

65002 65003
192.168.2.2, metric 10, localpref 100, valid, external, best
65002 65003
192.168.3.3, metric 10, localpref 100, valid, external

❌ Problematic Output:
Only one best path.

Fixes:
✅ Enable BGP Multipath Load Balancing
bash Copy Edit

router bgp 65001 bgp bestpath as-path multipath-relax maximum-paths 2

✅ Clear BGP Session

bash Copy Edit

clear ip bgp * soft

5. BGP Peering Failing Due to Authentication (MD5 Issues)

Symptoms:
show ip bgp summary shows "Active"

show logging shows “BGP Notification received (Authentication Failure)”

Fix:
✅ Check Authentication Configuration

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bash Copy Edit

show run | include neighbor

If password is configured on one router but missing on another:

bash Copy Edit

neighbor 192.168.2.2 password mysecurepassword

✅ Clear BGP Session After Fix

bash Copy Edit

clear ip bgp * soft

6. Slow BGP Convergence or High CPU Usage

Symptoms:
High CPU usage in BGP process.

Routes take a long time to update.

Troubleshooting Commands:

bash Copy Edit

show processes cpu | include BGP

✅ Fixes:
Limit route updates:

bash Copy Edit

router bgp 65001 bgp scan-time 30

Reduce log messages:

bash Copy Edit

no bgp log-neighbor-changes

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7. BGP AS Path Manipulation Issues

Symptoms:
Traffic not taking the expected route.

Fixes:
✅ Set Local Preference for Preferred Path
bash Copy Edit

route-map PREFER-AS1 permit 10 set local-preference 200

✅ Modify AS-Path Prepending for Traffic Engineering

bash Copy Edit

route-map PREPEND-AS permit 10 set as-path prepend 65001 65001

Final Notes
After making changes, always clear BGP sessions:

bash Copy Edit

clear ip bgp * soft

Would you like more specific troubleshooting on any of these issues?

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