What is a key difference between Connected and Local routes?

The distinction between connected and local routes primarily revolves around their nature and representation in a routing table. The correct response accurately highlights that a local route is often represented with a /32 mask, which signifies a specific host route pointing to a directly connected interface. This indicates that the local route is utilized to route traffic to a specific IP address of an interface on the router itself.

In contrast, connected routes represent entire networks or subnets that are directly attached to the router's interfaces. These routes cover all addresses within that subnet rather than a single host as in the case with local routes. Therefore, while local routes point to a specific IP address (and are hence typically created with a /32 mask), connected routes encompass broader network pathways, showing the router's awareness of its directly linked network segments. This differentiation is vital for understanding how routing works in a network context, influencing how devices on the same network segment communicate.