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: a router uses administrative distance to select the preferred route when multiple routing protocols provide routes to the same destination.. 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 the same destination from EIGRP and OSPF. The EIGRP route has a metric of 1000, and the OSPF route has a metric of 10. Which route is installed by default?
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 source has a lower default administrative distance
The EIGRP route is installed by default because route selection between different routing protocols is based on administrative distance before the protocol-specific metric is compared across sources. In plain language, the router does not compare an OSPF metric of 10 directly against an EIGRP metric of 1000 because those metrics come from different systems and are not numerically comparable in a meaningful cross-protocol way. Instead, the router first looks at the trustworthiness of the source.
By default, internal EIGRP routes have a lower administrative distance than OSPF routes, so EIGRP wins even though the OSPF metric value appears lower. This is a classic CCNA trap designed to catch people who compare metrics across different protocols without considering administrative distance first.
Key principle: A router uses administrative distance to select the preferred route when multiple routing protocols provide routes to the same destination.
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 10 is lower than 1000
Why it's wrong here
This is wrong because metrics from different protocols are not compared directly until administrative distance is considered.
When this WOULD be correct
In a different scenario where the question states that both routes have the same administrative distance, and the metrics are the only factors considered, the OSPF route would be installed because it has a lower metric value of 10 compared to EIGRP's 1000.
✓
The EIGRP route, because its source has a lower default administrative distance
A router uses administrative distance to select the preferred route when multiple routing protocols provide routes to the same destination.
✗
Both routes automatically install for load balancing
Why it's wrong here
This is wrong because routes from different protocols are not automatically load-balanced simply because they reach the same destination.
When this WOULD be correct
In a different scenario where both EIGRP and OSPF routes have the same administrative distance and the router is configured to allow load balancing, the question could state that both routes are valid for the same destination, leading to both being installed for load balancing.
✗
Neither route installs until the administrator chooses manually
Why it's wrong here
This is wrong because the router can select a preferred route automatically using its normal decision process.
When this WOULD be correct
In a different scenario where the question states that both routes have been configured with a 'no auto-summary' command and the router is set to not install any routes until explicitly enabled, this option would be correct as it would require manual intervention to install routes.
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 source has a lower default administrative distanceCorrect answer▾
Why this is correct
This is correct because EIGRP is preferred over OSPF by default due to administrative distance.
✗The OSPF route, because 10 is lower than 1000Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
Metrics from different routing protocols are not directly comparable because each protocol uses its own metric calculation. OSPF uses cost (based on bandwidth), while EIGRP uses a composite metric based on bandwidth, delay, load, and reliability. The router first compares administrative distance, not metric, when routes from different protocols are learned.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
In a different scenario where the question states that both routes have the same administrative distance, and the metrics are the only factors considered, the OSPF route would be installed because it has a lower metric value of 10 compared to EIGRP's 1000.
Why candidates choose this
Students often confuse metric with administrative distance, thinking that a lower metric always means a better route, regardless of the routing protocol. Since OSPF's metric of 10 is numerically lower than EIGRP's 1000, it seems intuitive to choose the OSPF route.
✗Both routes automatically install for load balancingWrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
Load balancing across different routing protocols is not automatic. By default, a router installs only the route with the lowest administrative distance. To load balance between EIGRP and OSPF, an administrator would need to manually adjust administrative distances or use policy-based routing, which is not the default behavior.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
In a different scenario where both EIGRP and OSPF routes have the same administrative distance and the router is configured to allow load balancing, the question could state that both routes are valid for the same destination, leading to both being installed for load balancing.
Why candidates choose this
Students may think that because both routes reach the same destination, the router will automatically use both for load balancing to improve performance. However, the router's default behavior is to select a single best path based on AD, not to combine routes from different protocols.
✗Neither route installs until the administrator chooses manuallyWrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
Routers are designed to make automatic routing decisions based on configured parameters like administrative distance and metric. They do not require manual intervention to select a route when multiple sources provide the same destination. The router will automatically install the route with the lowest AD.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
In a different scenario where the question states that both routes have been configured with a 'no auto-summary' command and the router is set to not install any routes until explicitly enabled, this option would be correct as it would require manual intervention to install routes.
Why candidates choose this
Some students might believe that when there is a tie or conflict between routing protocols, the router will wait for an administrator to decide. However, the router has a deterministic process (AD comparison) that resolves such conflicts without manual input.
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 common exam trap is to assume that the route with the numerically lowest metric is always preferred, regardless of the routing protocol. In this question, the OSPF route has a metric of 10, which looks better than the EIGRP metric of 1000. However, metrics from different protocols are not directly comparable. The router first compares administrative distance, which rates the trustworthiness of the routing source. Since EIGRP’s default administrative distance (90) is lower than OSPF’s (110), the router installs the EIGRP route despite its higher metric. This trap tests your understanding of routing protocol preference, not just metric values.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Routing protocols like EIGRP and OSPF use different metrics to evaluate the best path to a destination. EIGRP uses a composite metric based on bandwidth, delay, reliability, load, and MTU, while OSPF uses cost calculated from interface bandwidth. However, these metrics are only comparable within the same routing protocol. When a router learns routes to the same destination from different protocols, it must use a higher-level decision factor to choose which route to install in the routing table.
The router uses administrative distance (AD) as the primary criterion to select between routes learned from different routing protocols. Administrative distance is a value that rates the trustworthiness of a routing source, with lower values being more preferred. By default, EIGRP internal routes have an AD of 90, while OSPF routes have an AD of 110. Therefore, even if the OSPF metric is numerically lower, the router prefers the EIGRP route because its source is considered more reliable.
This behavior often confuses candidates who compare metrics directly across protocols without considering administrative distance first. The exam trap lies in assuming that a lower metric always means a better route, which is only true within the same routing protocol. In practical networks, understanding administrative distance ensures predictable routing behavior and helps avoid routing loops or suboptimal path selection when multiple protocols coexist.
KKey Concepts to Remember
A router uses administrative distance to select the preferred route when multiple routing protocols provide routes to the same destination.
Administrative distance is a trustworthiness value where lower numbers indicate more preferred routing sources.
EIGRP internal routes have a default administrative distance of 90, which is lower than OSPF’s default of 110.
Routing protocol metrics are only comparable within the same protocol and do not determine route preference across different protocols.
The router installs the route with the lowest administrative distance regardless of the metric values from different routing protocols.
Comparing metrics directly between EIGRP and OSPF without considering administrative distance leads to incorrect route selection assumptions.
When multiple protocols provide routes, the router’s decision process first evaluates administrative distance before considering metrics.
Understanding administrative distance prevents routing loops and ensures predictable routing behavior in multi-protocol environments.
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
A router uses administrative distance to select the preferred route when multiple routing protocols provide routes to the same destination.
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 a router uses administrative distance to select the preferred route when multiple routing protocols provide routes to the same destination., then practise related 200-301 questions on the same topic to reinforce the concept.
IP Routing — This question tests IP Routing — A router uses administrative distance to select the preferred route when multiple routing protocols provide routes to the same destination..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: The EIGRP route, because its source has a lower default administrative distance — The EIGRP route is installed by default because route selection between different routing protocols is based on administrative distance before the protocol-specific metric is compared across sources. In plain language, the router does not compare an OSPF metric of 10 directly against an EIGRP metric of 1000 because those metrics come from different systems and are not numerically comparable in a meaningful cross-protocol way. Instead, the router first looks at the trustworthiness of the source.
By default, internal EIGRP routes have a lower administrative distance than OSPF routes, so EIGRP wins even though the OSPF metric value appears lower. This is a classic CCNA trap designed to catch people who compare metrics across different protocols without considering administrative distance first.
What should I do if I get this 200-301 question wrong?
Review a router uses administrative distance to select the preferred route when multiple routing protocols provide routes to the same destination., then practise related 200-301 questions on the same topic to reinforce the concept.
What is the key concept behind this question?
A router uses administrative distance to select the preferred route when multiple routing protocols provide routes to the same destination.
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