How often do OSPF routers send hello packets by default?

OSPF (Open Shortest Path First) routers use hello packets to discover and maintain neighbor relationships. By default, OSPF sends hello packets every 10 seconds. This interval allows routers to keep track of their neighbors and ensure that the link state information is updated regularly. The consistency of hello packet transmission is crucial for establishing and maintaining adjacencies between OSPF routers, facilitating reliable routing updates and convergence across the network.

Understanding the importance of hello packets in establishing and maintaining OSPF neighbor relationships helps highlight the significance of this 10-second interval. This frequent communication ensures that OSPF routers can quickly detect if a neighbor becomes unreachable, allowing for prompt adjustments to the routing table to maintain optimal network performance.