If you’re wondering how you can possibly configure a client to send data off its local link when its default gateway router has gone down, you’ve targeted a key issue because the answer is that usually, you can’t! Most host operating systems just don’t allow you to change data routing. Sure, if a host’s default gateway router goes down, the rest of the network will still converge, but it won’t share that information with the hosts. Take a look at Figure 17.1 to see what I am talking about. There are actually two routers available to forward data for the local subnet, but the hosts know about only one of them. They learn about this router when you provide them with the default gateway either statically or through DHCP.This begs the question: Is there another way to use the second active router? The answer is a bit complicated, but bear with me. There is a feature that’s enabled by default on Cisco routers called Proxy Address Resolution Protocol (Proxy ARP). Proxy ARP enables hosts, which have no knowledge of routing options, to obtain the MAC address of a gateway router that can forward packets for them.