This 200-301 practice question tests your understanding of ip routing. This is a configuration task: choose the command set that satisfies every stated requirement. Small differences — like 'secret' vs 'password' or 'transport input ssh' vs 'all' — change whether the answer is correct. A key principle to apply: administrative distance determines the trustworthiness of routes learned from different routing protocols or sources on Cisco routers.. 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 receives two routes to 10.50.0.0/16: one from OSPF and one static route with an administrative distance of 90. 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 static route, because its administrative distance is lower than OSPF's
By default, the static route with administrative distance 90 is installed because it is preferred over the OSPF route with default administrative distance 110. In plain language, the router is being told that the manually configured route is more trustworthy than the OSPF-learned one, so it chooses the static path first. The protocol type alone does not decide the outcome. Administrative distance is the key comparison when two different route sources offer the same destination prefix length.
This is a classic routing-selection question because many learners incorrectly assume OSPF always wins over static routes unless the static route uses the default administrative distance. Once the static route is given a value lower than OSPF’s 110, it becomes the preferred path unless a more specific route exists elsewhere.
Key principle: Administrative distance determines the trustworthiness of routes learned from different routing protocols or sources on Cisco routers.
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 static route, because its administrative distance is lower than OSPF's
Administrative distance determines the trustworthiness of routes learned from different routing protocols or sources on Cisco routers.
✗
The OSPF route, because dynamic routes always override static routes
Why it's wrong here
This is wrong because route preference is not based on dynamic-versus-static alone; administrative distance matters.
When this WOULD be correct
If the question stated that the OSPF route had a lower administrative distance than the static route, or if it specified that the static route was not installed due to a configuration issue, then this option would be correct.
✗
Both routes, because equal destination networks always load-balance
Why it's wrong here
This is wrong because routes from different sources are not automatically load-balanced in this situation.
When this WOULD be correct
In a different scenario where both the OSPF route and static route have the same administrative distance, a question could ask which routes would be installed if load balancing is enabled. In that case, both routes could be installed for the same destination network.
✗
Neither route, because the destinations overlap
Why it's wrong here
This is wrong because overlapping route sources are normal and the router can choose the preferred one.
When this WOULD be correct
If the question stated that both routes had the same administrative distance and were configured to not allow overlapping routes, then this option would be correct. For example, if the router was configured to only accept one route for a specific destination and the routes were set to be mutually exclusive.
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 static route, because its administrative distance is lower than OSPF'sCorrect answer▾
Why this is correct
This is correct because an administrative distance of 90 is lower than OSPF’s default 110.
✗The OSPF route, because dynamic routes always override static routesWrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
The statement is incorrect because route selection is based on administrative distance, not on whether the route is dynamic or static. OSPF's default AD is 110, which is higher than 90, so the static route is preferred.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
If the question stated that the OSPF route had a lower administrative distance than the static route, or if it specified that the static route was not installed due to a configuration issue, then this option would be correct.
Why candidates choose this
Students may mistakenly believe that dynamic routing protocols always override static routes due to their adaptive nature, but in Cisco IOS, static routes have a lower default AD (1) unless manually changed, and here the static route's AD is explicitly set to 90, which is still lower than OSPF's 110.
✗Both routes, because equal destination networks always load-balanceWrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
Load balancing only occurs when multiple routes to the same destination have equal administrative distance and equal metric. Here, the routes are from different sources with different ADs (90 vs 110), so only the best route (lowest AD) is installed.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
In a different scenario where both the OSPF route and static route have the same administrative distance, a question could ask which routes would be installed if load balancing is enabled. In that case, both routes could be installed for the same destination network.
Why candidates choose this
Students might think that any two routes to the same network will be load-balanced, but Cisco routers require equal AD and metric for load balancing across equal-cost paths. Different routing sources typically have different ADs, preventing load balancing.
✗Neither route, because the destinations overlapWrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
Overlapping routes are common and do not prevent route installation. The router selects the most specific match or, for identical prefixes, the route with the lowest administrative distance. Here, both routes are to the same prefix, so the router installs the one with lower AD.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
If the question stated that both routes had the same administrative distance and were configured to not allow overlapping routes, then this option would be correct. For example, if the router was configured to only accept one route for a specific destination and the routes were set to be mutually exclusive.
Why candidates choose this
A student might confuse overlapping routes with conflicting routes that cause routing loops or ambiguity, but in this case, the routes are identical in prefix length, so the router simply picks the best one based on AD.
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 dynamic routing protocols like OSPF always override static routes regardless of administrative distance. Many candidates mistakenly believe that static routes only win if they use the default AD of 1. However, if a static route is manually assigned an AD lower than OSPF's default 110, it becomes the preferred route. This misunderstanding leads to incorrect answers because the exam tests knowledge of how administrative distance influences route selection, not just the routing protocol type. Remember, the router always chooses the route with the lowest administrative distance, even if it is a static route with a custom AD.
Trap categories for this question
Scenario analysis trap
This is wrong because routes from different sources are not automatically load-balanced in this situation.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Administrative distance (AD) is a key routing concept used by Cisco routers to select the best path when multiple routes to the same destination exist from different routing protocols or sources. Each routing protocol has a default AD value representing its trustworthiness; lower values indicate more preferred routes. For example, static routes have a default AD of 1, OSPF routes have a default AD of 110, and EIGRP internal routes have 90. When a router receives multiple routes to the same prefix, it compares their AD values and installs the route with the lowest AD into the routing table.
In this scenario, the router receives two routes to 10.50.0.0/16: one learned via OSPF with AD 110 and one static route manually configured with an AD of 90. Since 90 is lower than 110, the router prefers the static route and installs it in the routing table. This behavior demonstrates that the administrative distance, not the routing protocol type alone, determines route preference. Even though OSPF is a dynamic routing protocol, a static route with a lower AD will override it.
A common exam trap is assuming dynamic routing protocols always override static routes by default. Many learners mistakenly believe OSPF routes are always preferred over static routes unless the static route uses the default AD of 1. However, when a static route is assigned a custom AD lower than OSPF's 110, it becomes the preferred route. Practically, this allows network engineers to influence routing decisions by adjusting AD values, ensuring critical static routes take precedence over dynamic ones when necessary.
KKey Concepts to Remember
Administrative distance determines the trustworthiness of routes learned from different routing protocols or sources on Cisco routers.
Cisco routers install the route with the lowest administrative distance into the routing table when multiple routes to the same destination exist.
Static routes have a default administrative distance of 1 but can be manually configured with a different value to influence route preference.
OSPF routes have a default administrative distance of 110, which is higher than many other routing protocols and static routes with lower AD.
The routing protocol type alone does not decide route preference; administrative distance is the key factor when comparing routes from different sources.
When a static route is configured with an administrative distance lower than OSPF's 110, the static route is preferred and installed in the routing table.
Cisco routers do not automatically load-balance between routes from different routing protocols with different administrative distances.
Overlapping routes from different sources are common, and the router uses administrative distance to select the best route rather than ignoring both.
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 the trustworthiness of routes learned from different routing protocols or sources on Cisco routers.
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 the trustworthiness of routes learned from different routing protocols or sources on Cisco routers., then practise related 200-301 questions on the same topic to reinforce the concept.
IP Routing — This question tests IP Routing — Administrative distance determines the trustworthiness of routes learned from different routing protocols or sources on Cisco routers..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: The static route, because its administrative distance is lower than OSPF's — By default, the static route with administrative distance 90 is installed because it is preferred over the OSPF route with default administrative distance 110. In plain language, the router is being told that the manually configured route is more trustworthy than the OSPF-learned one, so it chooses the static path first. The protocol type alone does not decide the outcome. Administrative distance is the key comparison when two different route sources offer the same destination prefix length.
This is a classic routing-selection question because many learners incorrectly assume OSPF always wins over static routes unless the static route uses the default administrative distance. Once the static route is given a value lower than OSPF’s 110, it becomes the preferred path unless a more specific route exists elsewhere.
What should I do if I get this 200-301 question wrong?
Review administrative distance determines the trustworthiness of routes learned from different routing protocols or sources on Cisco routers., 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 the trustworthiness of routes learned from different routing protocols or sources on Cisco routers.
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