Internet Gateway & Route Tables

Learn about Internet Gateways and route tables - how VPC resources connect to the internet and how traffic is routed.

route-table.json
{
"Destination": "0.0.0.0/0",
"Target": "igw-123456"
}
igw-route-config.json
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Tutor:An Internet Gateway (IGW) is a horizontally scaled, redundant, and highly available VPC component that allows communication between instances in your VPC and the internet. It provides a target in your VPC route tables for internet-routable traffic.


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Concept 1: Internet Gateway Basics

An Internet Gateway (IGW) is a horizontally scaled, redundant, and highly available VPC component that allows communication between instances in your VPC and the internet. It provides a target in your VPC route tables for internet-routable traffic.

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Internet Gateway (IGW) & Route Tables

Author

Pascual Vila

Cloud Instructor.

Internet Gateways and route tables are fundamental components of VPC networking. They enable internet connectivity and control traffic routing within your VPC.

Internet Gateway

An Internet Gateway is a horizontally scaled, redundant, and highly available VPC component that allows communication between instances in your VPC and the internet. It provides bidirectional internet access and performs NAT for instances with public IPv4 addresses.

Route Tables

Route tables control where network traffic is directed. Each subnet must be associated with a route table. Routes specify destination CIDR blocks and targets (like IGW, NAT Gateway, or VPC peering connections).

Routing Configuration

For public subnets, route tables need a route to the Internet Gateway (0.0.0.0/0 -> igw-id) to enable internet access. For private subnets, you typically route traffic to a NAT Gateway for outbound internet access, or keep them isolated.

IGW & Route Tables Glossary

Internet Gateway (IGW)
A horizontally scaled, redundant, and highly available VPC component that allows communication between instances in your VPC and the internet. Provides bidirectional internet access.
Route Table
Controls where network traffic is directed in your VPC. Each subnet must be associated with a route table. Routes specify destination CIDR blocks and targets.
Default Route
A route table has a default local route (the VPC CIDR block) that enables communication within the VPC. This route cannot be modified or deleted.
0.0.0.0/0
A CIDR notation that represents all IPv4 addresses. When used as a route destination, it means "all traffic" or "default route."
Public Subnet
A subnet with a route table that has a route to an Internet Gateway. Instances in public subnets can have public IPs and communicate with the internet.
Private Subnet
A subnet with a route table that does not have a route to an Internet Gateway. Instances in private subnets cannot directly access the internet (unless routed through a NAT Gateway).