CCNA IP Routing Practice Question
A router output shows this neighbor state:
Neighbor ID 10.1.1.1 State FULL/DR Address 192.168.12.1
What does the FULL/DR state indicate?
⚠ Common exam trap
A frequent exam trap is assuming that the FULL state with /DR means the local router is the Designated Router or that adjacency has failed. In reality, FULL indicates a successful adjacency, and the /DR suffix refers to the neighbor’s role. Candidates often confuse the neighbor ID with the local router’s role, leading to incorrect answers. Another trap is thinking that exchanging only link-state requests corresponds to FULL state, but that actually occurs earlier in the adjacency process. Understanding the exact meaning of FULL and the DR role is essential to avoid these pitfalls.
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 neighbor relationship is complete and the neighbor is the DR on that segment
FULL means the OSPF adjacency is fully formed. The /DR suffix indicates that the listed neighbor is the Designated Router for that multiaccess segment.
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 local router is the DR and adjacency formation has failed
Why it's wrong here
The FULL state is the final OSPF adjacency state and indicates that formation has succeeded, not failed. The suffix following the state (e.g., DR) always identifies the role of the neighbor, not the local router; if the local router were DR, the neighbor would be listed as FULL/BDR or FULL/DROther, not as the DR itself.
When this WOULD be correct
If the question specified a scenario where the local router was indeed the DR but had issues with forming adjacencies due to misconfigurations or network issues, then stating that the adjacency formation has failed would be correct.
- ✓
The neighbor relationship is complete and the neighbor is the DR on that segment
Why this is correct
In OSPF, the FULL neighbor state indicates that the two routers have completed database synchronization, exchanging Database Descriptors, Link-State Requests, Link-State Updates, and Link-State Acknowledgments. In a broadcast or NBMA segment, the DR designation is appended after the state, so this output means neighbor Router ID 10.1.1.1 is fully adjacent and is the Designated Router for that segment.
- ✗
The routers are exchanging only link-state requests
Why it's wrong here
The OSPF neighbor state progresses through ExStart/Exchange before reaching Loading, during which Link-State Request packets are sent for missing LSAs. A state of FULL means that the Loading phase has finished and the neighbors' link-state databases are synchronized; it never indicates that only LSRs are being exchanged.
When this WOULD be correct
In a different question, if the context specified that the routers were in a transitional state where they were still negotiating their adjacency and had not yet completed the exchange of link-state information, then this option could be correct.
- ✗
The neighbor has been learned through BGP redistribution
Why it's wrong here
This output comes from the OSPF neighbor table (show ip ospf neighbor), which lists routers that have formed OSPF adjacency through Hello protocol exchanges. BGP redistribution affects the OSPF routing table with external routes (O E1 or O E2), not the OSPF neighbor table, and the neighbor ID shown is the OSPF Router ID, not a BGP peering session.
When this WOULD be correct
In a scenario where the question asks about the source of routing information and states that a neighbor has been learned via BGP, this option would be correct if the context specified that the router was learning routes from a BGP neighbor and not through OSPF adjacency.
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 neighbor relationship is complete and the neighbor is the DR on that segmentCorrect answer▾
Why this is correct
In OSPF, the FULL neighbor state indicates that the two routers have completed database synchronization, exchanging Database Descriptors, Link-State Requests, Link-State Updates, and Link-State Acknowledgments. In a broadcast or NBMA segment, the DR designation is appended after the state, so this output means neighbor Router ID 10.1.1.1 is fully adjacent and is the Designated Router for that segment.
✗The local router is the DR and adjacency formation has failedWrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
The FULL state indicates that the adjacency has been successfully established and the routers have synchronized their LSDBs, not a failure. The suffix '/DR' refers to the role of the neighbor listed in the table, not the local router.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
If the question specified a scenario where the local router was indeed the DR but had issues with forming adjacencies due to misconfigurations or network issues, then stating that the adjacency formation has failed would be correct.
Why candidates choose this
A student might confuse the suffix '/DR' as indicating the local router's role, especially if they are not careful about the output format. Additionally, the term 'DR' might be misinterpreted as a failure state by those unfamiliar with OSPF.
✗The routers are exchanging only link-state requestsWrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
The FULL state is the final state of OSPF adjacency, indicating that the routers have completed all exchange steps, including link-state requests, updates, and acknowledgments. The description of 'exchanging only link-state requests' corresponds to the EXCHANGE or LOADING state, not FULL.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
In a different question, if the context specified that the routers were in a transitional state where they were still negotiating their adjacency and had not yet completed the exchange of link-state information, then this option could be correct.
Why candidates choose this
Students often confuse the various OSPF states (DOWN, INIT, 2WAY, EXSTART, EXCHANGE, LOADING, FULL). The mention of 'link-state requests' might lead them to think of the LOADING state, but FULL is the final, stable state.
✗The neighbor has been learned through BGP redistributionWrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
The output shown is from the 'show ip ospf neighbor' command, which displays OSPF-specific neighbor information. BGP uses different commands and neighbor states (e.g., Established, Active). The FULL/DR state is unique to OSPF and has nothing to do with BGP redistribution.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
In a scenario where the question asks about the source of routing information and states that a neighbor has been learned via BGP, this option would be correct if the context specified that the router was learning routes from a BGP neighbor and not through OSPF adjacency.
Why candidates choose this
A student might see the neighbor ID (10.1.1.1) and assume it is a BGP learned route, especially if they are more familiar with BGP. However, the state information clearly indicates OSPF adjacency.
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
Interpreting HSRP and VRRP Operational Status
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.
Key term
Segment
A segment is a division of a larger network, such as a collision domain, broadcast domain, or a portion of a TCP data stream, used to organize traffic and improve performance.
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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.