There are two types of routing. First in static routing the routing tables are stored in each indivual router and are not shared. Dynamic routing is the exact opposite the routing tables are shared between the routers. Routing tables store the paths that a packet of data take to reach a destination network. RIP is a dynamic routing protocol that is based on a distance vector. By determining the number of hops a packet must travel RIP determines which path to send the data. Open Shortest Path First or OSPF is based on a heirarchy. OSPF uses less bandwidth than RIP because it only sends updates when necessary.