CCNA IP Routing Practice Question
A router learns 192.168.30.0/24 from OSPF and also has a static route to 192.168.30.0/24 with administrative distance 200. Which route is installed in the routing table while both are available?
⚠ Common exam trap
A common exam trap is assuming that static routes always take precedence over dynamic routes because their default administrative distance is 1. In this question, the static route’s administrative distance is manually set to 200, which is higher than OSPF’s default 110. Many candidates mistakenly select the static route, overlooking that a higher administrative distance means lower preference. This trap tests your understanding that administrative distance values can be adjusted to create floating static routes that serve as backups rather than primary routes.
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 OSPF route
The OSPF route is installed because its default administrative distance of 110 is lower than the static route’s configured administrative distance of 200. In practical terms, the static route has been intentionally made a backup. It is present in the configuration, but it does not become active while the lower-distance OSPF route is healthy. This is a classic floating-static design question. The important point is that route-source preference depends on administrative distance when the prefix length is the same.
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
Why this is correct
OSPF has a default administrative distance of 110, while the static route was configured with an administrative distance of 200. Cisco routers always prefer the route with the lowest AD, so the OSPF route is installed in the routing table as the best path to 192.168.30.0/24. This is why the OSPF route is selected over the static route.
- ✗
The static route
Why it's wrong here
The static route is not selected because its administrative distance of 200 makes it the least preferred of the two sources. While an ordinary static route typically has an AD of 1, this static route was deliberately configured with a much higher value, effectively demoting it. Since OSPF's AD is 110, the router places OSPF in the RIB and keeps the static route as a backup or ignores it entirely.
When this WOULD be correct
In a different scenario where the static route to 192.168.30.0/24 has an administrative distance lower than OSPF (e.g., 90), the static route would be installed in the routing table instead of the OSPF route.
- ✗
Both routes equally for load balancing
Why it's wrong here
Equal-cost load balancing requires multiple routes with the same administrative distance and metric from the same protocol, such as two OSPF paths of equal cost. Here, the OSPF route (AD 110) and the static route (AD 200) have completely different ADs, meaning they are not equal-cost candidates. The router installs only the OSPF entry, so no load balancing over the two routes occurs.
When this WOULD be correct
In a different scenario where both routes have the same administrative distance and the router is configured to allow equal-cost multi-path (ECMP) routing, both routes could be installed for load balancing. For example, if both routes had an administrative distance of 110, the router would use both for traffic distribution.
- ✗
Neither route, because they conflict
Why it's wrong here
This answer confuses route conflict with route selection. Two routes for the same prefix from different sources do not cancel out; instead, the router uses administrative distance as a tie-breaker to pick a single best route. Because OSPF has a lower AD, the so-called conflict is resolved in favor of OSPF, and the router does not drop both routes.
When this WOULD be correct
In a different scenario where both routes have the same administrative distance, and the router cannot determine a preferred route due to a configuration error or miscommunication, the question could state that neither route is installed due to a conflict in routing protocols.
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 OSPF routeCorrect answer▾
Why this is correct
OSPF has a default administrative distance of 110, while the static route was configured with an administrative distance of 200. Cisco routers always prefer the route with the lowest AD, so the OSPF route is installed in the routing table as the best path to 192.168.30.0/24. This is why the OSPF route is selected over the static route.
✗The static routeWrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
The static route has an administrative distance of 200, which is higher than OSPF's default AD of 110. Since the router prefers routes with lower AD, the static route is not installed while the OSPF route is available. This configuration is often used for backup routes, but in this scenario, the OSPF route is active.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
In a different scenario where the static route to 192.168.30.0/24 has an administrative distance lower than OSPF (e.g., 90), the static route would be installed in the routing table instead of the OSPF route.
Why candidates choose this
Students may think that static routes always take precedence over dynamic routes, but that is only true when the static route uses the default AD of 1. Here, the static route's AD is explicitly set to 200, making it less preferred.
✗Both routes equally for load balancingWrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
Load balancing requires equal administrative distance and equal metric for the same prefix. OSPF's AD is 110, while the static route's AD is 200, so they are not equal. Additionally, OSPF and static routes have different metrics, so they cannot be used for load balancing.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
In a different scenario where both routes have the same administrative distance and the router is configured to allow equal-cost multi-path (ECMP) routing, both routes could be installed for load balancing. For example, if both routes had an administrative distance of 110, the router would use both for traffic distribution.
Why candidates choose this
Students might confuse this with equal-cost multipath (ECMP) where multiple routes with the same AD and metric are used for load balancing. However, here the AD values differ, so ECMP does not apply.
✗Neither route, because they conflictWrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
Routers do not discard routes simply because they conflict; they select the route with the lowest administrative distance. The OSPF route is chosen, and the static route is kept as a backup but not installed in the routing table. There is no conflict that prevents installation.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
In a different scenario where both routes have the same administrative distance, and the router cannot determine a preferred route due to a configuration error or miscommunication, the question could state that neither route is installed due to a conflict in routing protocols.
Why candidates choose this
Students may think that having two routes to the same network causes a conflict or error, but routing protocols handle this by preferring the route with the lower AD. The router does not reject both routes.
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?”
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
Related to this question
Learn chapter
OSPFv3 Single-Area Configuration for IPv6
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
Router
A router is a networking device that connects different networks together and directs data traffic between them by choosing the best path for data to travel.
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This 200-301 practice question is part of Courseiva's free Cisco certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the 200-301 exam.