CCNA IP Routing Practice Question
A router has learned a route to 10.10.10.0/24 from both OSPF and EIGRP. The OSPF route has a metric of 20, and the EIGRP route has a metric of 1000. Which route will be installed in the routing table, and why?
⚠ Common exam trap
The trap here is comparing metrics from different routing protocols, which is invalid because each protocol uses its own metric system.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
The EIGRP route, because EIGRP has a lower administrative distance (90) than OSPF (110).
When a router learns the same destination from multiple routing protocols, it uses administrative distance to select the best route. EIGRP's default administrative distance is 90, while OSPF's is 110. Because 90 is lower, the EIGRP route is installed in the routing table. Metrics are only compared between routes from the same protocol.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
The EIGRP route, because EIGRP has a lower administrative distance (90) than OSPF (110).
Why this is correct
EIGRP has an administrative distance of 90, which is lower than OSPF's 110. When a router learns the same prefix from multiple routing protocols, it first compares administrative distance. The route with the lower administrative distance is installed in the routing table, regardless of the metric values.
- ✗
The OSPF route, because OSPF has a lower administrative distance (110) than EIGRP (90).
Why it's wrong here
This statement is incorrect because EIGRP has a lower administrative distance (90) than OSPF (110). Administrative distance is the first tiebreaker when routes from different sources exist. The OSPF route would not be preferred solely based on its metric, as metrics are only compared within the same routing protocol.
- ✗
Both routes are installed, and the router performs equal-cost multipathing.
Why it's wrong here
Equal-cost multipathing requires routes from the same routing protocol with identical metrics. Since these routes come from different protocols (OSPF and EIGRP), they are not considered equal-cost. Only the route with the lower administrative distance is installed by default.
- ✗
The OSPF route, because its metric of 20 is lower than EIGRP's metric of 1000.
Why it's wrong here
Metrics from different routing protocols are not comparable. OSPF uses cost, while EIGRP uses a composite metric based on bandwidth, delay, load, and reliability. The router does not compare these metrics directly; it uses administrative distance to choose between routes from different sources.
Visual reference
Quick reference
Routing Protocol Comparison
| Protocol | Metric | Max Hops | Algorithm | Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RIP v2 | Hop count | 15 | Bellman-Ford | Distance vector |
| OSPF | Cost (bandwidth) | Unlimited | Dijkstra (SPF) | Link state |
| EIGRP | Composite metric | Unlimited | DUAL | Hybrid |
| IS-IS | Cost | Unlimited | Dijkstra | Link state |
| BGP | Policy / attributes | Unlimited | Path vector | Path vector |
RIP's 15-hop limit makes it unsuitable for large networks. OSPF and EIGRP dominate modern enterprise deployments.
Go deeper
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Key term
OSPF
OSPF is a link-state routing protocol used to find the best path for data packets to travel across IP networks, like a smart GPS that recalculates routes when traffic changes.
Key term
Metric
A metric is a quantifiable measurement used to assess the performance, health, or status of IT systems, networks, or applications.
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Written and reviewed by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
Last reviewed September 2026 · checked against the official Cisco exam blueprint
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