This 200-301 practice question tests your understanding of ip routing. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. A key principle to apply: administrative distance determines which route a Cisco router installs when multiple protocols provide the same prefix, with lower AD values preferred.. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
A router learns 172.16.40.0/24 from OSPF with AD 110 and metric 20. It also learns the same prefix from EIGRP with AD 90 and feasible distance 30720. Which route is installed?
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 its administrative distance is lower
When the same prefix is learned from different routing protocols, the router compares administrative distance first. EIGRP internal routes have AD 90, which beats OSPF AD 110, so the EIGRP path goes into the table.
Key principle: Administrative distance determines which route a Cisco router installs when multiple protocols provide the same prefix, with lower AD values preferred.
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 OSPF route because metric 20 is lower than 30720
In a different scenario where the router has a configuration that prioritizes metrics over administrative distances, such as a custom route selection policy that favors lower metrics for specific protocols, this option could be correct. For example, if both routes had the same AD and the question specified that the metric should be the deciding factor, then the OSPF route would be chosen.
✓
The EIGRP route because its administrative distance is lower
Administrative distance determines which route a Cisco router installs when multiple protocols provide the same prefix, with lower AD values preferred.
✗
Both routes because ECMP is automatic across different protocols
Why it's wrong here
Equal-cost load balancing does not happen just because two protocols know the route.
When this WOULD be correct
In a scenario where a question specifies that both OSPF and EIGRP routes are configured to support ECMP and have the same administrative distance and metric, the exam could correctly state that both routes would be installed for load balancing.
✗
Neither route until one is redistributed into the other protocol
Why it's wrong here
Redistribution is not required to install a learned route.
When this WOULD be correct
In a question where the routing protocols are configured to not install routes until they are redistributed into the other protocol, or if there are specific constraints preventing the installation of routes from different protocols, this option would be correct.
Option-by-option analysis
Why each answer is right or wrong
Understanding why wrong answers are wrong — and when they would be correct — is what separates a 750 score from a 900. The 200-301 exam frequently reuses these exact scenarios with slightly different constraints.
✓The EIGRP route because its administrative distance is lowerCorrect answer▾
Why this is correct
Different protocols are compared by AD first.
✗The OSPF route because metric 20 is lower than 30720Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
This option is incorrect because the route selection process prioritizes administrative distance (AD) over metric values. EIGRP's AD of 90 is lower than OSPF's AD of 110, making the EIGRP route the preferred choice regardless of the metric.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
In a different scenario where the router has a configuration that prioritizes metrics over administrative distances, such as a custom route selection policy that favors lower metrics for specific protocols, this option could be correct. For example, if both routes had the same AD and the question specified that the metric should be the deciding factor, then the OSPF route would be chosen.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may be tempted by this option due to a common misunderstanding of the route selection process, where they focus on the metric without fully considering the impact of administrative distance on route preference.
✗Both routes because ECMP is automatic across different protocolsWrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
This option is wrong because Equal-Cost Multi-Path (ECMP) routing only applies to routes learned from the same routing protocol, not across different protocols like OSPF and EIGRP.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
In a scenario where a question specifies that both OSPF and EIGRP routes are configured to support ECMP and have the same administrative distance and metric, the exam could correctly state that both routes would be installed for load balancing.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates might choose this option due to a misunderstanding of ECMP, believing that it applies universally across different routing protocols rather than just within the same protocol.
✗Neither route until one is redistributed into the other protocolWrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
This option is wrong because both routes can be installed in the routing table based on their administrative distance, and redistribution is not a requirement for route installation in this scenario.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
In a question where the routing protocols are configured to not install routes until they are redistributed into the other protocol, or if there are specific constraints preventing the installation of routes from different protocols, this option would be correct.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may choose this option due to a misunderstanding of how routing protocols interact, believing that routes must be redistributed to be considered valid, which can lead to confusion in mixed protocol environments.
Analysis generated from the official 200-301blueprint and verified against question context. The “when correct” sections are what AI assistants cite when candidates ask “what’s the difference between these options?”
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
A frequent exam trap is assuming that the route with the lower metric value is always preferred, regardless of the routing protocol. In this question, the OSPF route has a metric of 20, which seems better than EIGRP's feasible distance of 30720. However, Cisco routers do not compare metrics across different protocols. Instead, they rely on administrative distance to choose the best route. Mistaking metric comparison for cross-protocol route selection can lead to choosing the wrong answer and misunderstanding how Cisco routing decisions work.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Administrative distance (AD) is a Cisco router's method to select the best path when multiple routing protocols provide routes to the same destination. AD is a numeric value that rates the trustworthiness of a routing source; lower values indicate more preferred routes. OSPF has a default AD of 110, while EIGRP internal routes have a default AD of 90. Metrics, such as OSPF cost or EIGRP feasible distance, are only compared when routes come from the same protocol to determine the best path within that protocol.
When a router learns the same prefix from different routing protocols, it first compares the administrative distance values. The route with the lowest AD is installed into the routing table, regardless of the metric values of the competing routes. In this scenario, the EIGRP route with AD 90 is preferred over the OSPF route with AD 110, so the EIGRP path is installed. Metrics like OSPF cost 20 or EIGRP feasible distance 30720 are irrelevant in cross-protocol comparisons.
A common exam trap is to incorrectly compare metrics across different routing protocols, such as assuming OSPF's metric 20 is better than EIGRP's feasible distance 30720. However, Cisco routers do not compare metrics between protocols; they rely solely on administrative distance for inter-protocol route selection. Practically, this means that even if one protocol reports a seemingly better metric, the route with the lower AD will always be preferred and installed in the routing table.
KKey Concepts to Remember
Administrative distance determines which route a Cisco router installs when multiple protocols provide the same prefix, with lower AD values preferred.
EIGRP internal routes have a default administrative distance of 90, which is lower and more trusted than OSPF's default AD of 110.
Cisco routers compare administrative distance first before considering metrics when selecting routes from different routing protocols.
Metrics such as OSPF cost or EIGRP feasible distance are only compared among routes learned from the same routing protocol.
When a router learns the same prefix from OSPF and EIGRP, it installs the route with the lower administrative distance into the routing table.
Equal-cost multipath (ECMP) load balancing does not occur across different routing protocols without explicit redistribution or configuration.
Redistribution between routing protocols is not required for a router to install a route learned from either protocol.
Misinterpreting metrics across protocols is a common exam trap that leads to incorrect route selection assumptions.
TExam Day Tips
→Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
→Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.
Key takeaway
Administrative distance determines which route a Cisco router installs when multiple protocols provide the same prefix, with lower AD values preferred.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A network engineer at a university connects two campus buildings via a fibre link. Both routers run OSPF, but no adjacency forms — even though both routers can ping each other. The engineer finds one router is in area 0 and the other in area 1. OSPF adjacency requires matching area numbers, hello/dead timers, and network type. IP reachability alone is not enough.
Related glossary terms
Concepts from this question explained
These glossary pages explain the core terms tested in this 200-301 question in full detail.
Review administrative distance determines which route a Cisco router installs when multiple protocols provide the same prefix, with lower AD values preferred., then practise related 200-301 questions on the same topic to reinforce the concept.
IP Routing — This question tests IP Routing — Administrative distance determines which route a Cisco router installs when multiple protocols provide the same prefix, with lower AD values preferred..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: The EIGRP route because its administrative distance is lower — When the same prefix is learned from different routing protocols, the router compares administrative distance first. EIGRP internal routes have AD 90, which beats OSPF AD 110, so the EIGRP path goes into the table.
What should I do if I get this 200-301 question wrong?
Review administrative distance determines which route a Cisco router installs when multiple protocols provide the same prefix, with lower AD values preferred., then practise related 200-301 questions on the same topic to reinforce the concept.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Administrative distance determines which route a Cisco router installs when multiple protocols provide the same prefix, with lower AD values preferred.
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