Why should we use subnet 255.255.255.255 for a static route?

[Monish_Bhaskara]

Hi all, 

My question might be silly or funny to some. But, I am not understanding why should the subnet mask for the static route be 255.255.255.255 when applying for a specific Ip address. When I try the subnet mask of the network it is showing as wrong mask. I am new to networking and wondering some of you might help me understand.

Thank you in advance.

[_Val_]

Host static route is a network with a single IP address, hence 32 bit mask

[G_W_Albrecht]

Why is this question in the SMB and SMP queue ? I admit that it also has to do with SMB, but basically this is a networking basics question .

[Maarten_Sjouw]

Could you give an example of which route you are trying to add? What I read between the lines is that you are something like 10.10.10.14 /26 as a route, which will give you this type of error. In routing you should always use the subnet address, not the host address if you want reach the hosts in that network via the added route.

Subnets use bit boundaries and there are for each subnet mask a list of possible numbers. ie for a /26 network only 0, 64, 128 and 192 are valid numbers as the network address  so 10.1.10.64/26 is valid but 10.1.10.129/26 is not.

I hope this clarifies things a bit?