CCNA IP Routing Practice Question
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?
⚠ Common exam trap
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.
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 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.
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
The claim that 10 is lower than 1000 incorrectly implies that metric values from OSPF and EIGRP can be directly compared, which is impossible because each protocol uses a distinct metric scale with no common baseline. Even if a numeric comparison were meaningful, routing logic first compares administrative distance—OSPF defaults to 110, while EIGRP uses 90—so the OSPF route would still lose regardless of its metric. The metric is only used as a tiebreaker between routes that already have the same AD, not across different protocols.
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
Why this is correct
The EIGRP route is chosen because Cisco's default administrative distance for EIGRP is 90, while OSPF uses a default AD of 110. Since the router compares AD first to decide which protocol's route to trust, the lower AD of EIGRP makes it the preferred source for the destination, and OSPF's route is held as a backup only. The metric values, no matter how attractive, are not considered until the AD comparison is resolved, so EIGRP wins outright.
- ✗
Both routes automatically install for load balancing
Why it's wrong here
The router cannot install both routes from different routing protocols just because they reach the same destination. For load balancing to occur, the routes must have identical administrative distances and metrics, and typically originate from the same routing protocol or from a single source. Because EIGRP and OSPF have different ADs (90 and 110), only the EIGRP route will be placed in the routing table, so there is no automatic equal-cost load balancing across protocol boundaries.
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
Routing decisions are fully automated by the router's control plane; there is no requirement for manual selection before a route is installed. When both EIGRP and OSPF advertise the same prefix, the router automatically applies its route-selection logic, comparing administrative distance first and then metric if AD is equal, and installs the winning route without administrator intervention. Manual override would require configuration such as a static route or specifically modifying the distance or using policy routing, but that is not the default behavior.
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
The EIGRP route is chosen because Cisco's default administrative distance for EIGRP is 90, while OSPF uses a default AD of 110. Since the router compares AD first to decide which protocol's route to trust, the lower AD of EIGRP makes it the preferred source for the destination, and OSPF's route is held as a backup only. The metric values, no matter how attractive, are not considered until the AD comparison is resolved, so EIGRP wins outright.
✗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?”
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 metric
OSPF metric is a cost value assigned to each route in an Open Shortest Path First network, used to determine the best path for data packets.
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 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.