The correct answer is that the OSPF route is installed because its administrative distance is lower than RIP and the floating static route. In route selection, when multiple routing protocols learn the exact same prefix, the router compares administrative distances, and OSPF’s default AD of 110 beats RIP’s 120 and the static route’s configured AD of 130, making OSPF the most trustworthy source. This question tests your understanding of how administrative distance determines the best route in a multi-protocol environment, a core concept on the CCNA 200-301 v2 exam. A common trap is assuming a static route always wins, but here the static is intentionally floating with a higher AD, so it only activates if OSPF and RIP fail. Remember the memory tip: “Lower AD wins the routing bid”—OSPF’s 110 is the lowest in this trio, so it gets installed into the routing table.
CCNA Network Services and Security Practice Question
This 200-301 practice question tests your understanding of network services and security. 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: cisco routers select the route with the lowest administrative distance when multiple routes to the same prefix exist.. 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.
Exhibit
show ip route 192.0.2.0
Routing entry for 192.0.2.0/24
Known via "ospf 1", distance 110, metric 20, type intra area
Last update from 10.1.12.2 on GigabitEthernet0/0
Configured routes:
ip route 192.0.2.0 255.255.255.0 10.1.13.3 130
RIP also advertises 192.0.2.0/24 with distance 120.
R1 learns the route 192.0.2.0/24 via OSPF, RIP, and a static route configured with an administrative distance of 130. Based on this information, which two statements are correct?
show ip route 192.0.2.0
Routing entry for 192.0.2.0/24
Known via "ospf 1", distance 110, metric 20, type intra area
Last update from 10.1.12.2 on GigabitEthernet0/0
Configured routes:
ip route 192.0.2.0 255.255.255.0 10.1.13.3 130
RIP also advertises 192.0.2.0/24 with distance 120.
A
The OSPF route is installed because its administrative distance is lower than RIP and the floating static route.
For the same /24 prefix, OSPF AD 110 beats RIP 120 and static 130.
B
The static route will be preferred because static routes always beat dynamic routes.
Why wrong: Only if the static route has a lower AD than the competing routes.
C
The static route acts as a backup and can be installed if the OSPF route disappears.
With AD 130, it is a classic floating static route.
D
RIP wins because its metric is lower than OSPF cost.
Why wrong: Different routing protocols are compared by AD first, not by their internal metrics.
E
All three routes should load-balance because the prefix length is the same.
Why wrong: Equal prefix length alone is not enough; the route source and attributes do not match for ECMP here.
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 is installed because its administrative distance is lower than RIP and the floating static route.
The router installs the OSPF route because it has the lowest administrative distance among the routes shown. The static route with AD 130 is intentionally floating, and the RIP route has a higher AD than OSPF. Route selection first prefers longest match, then lower AD among routes to the same prefix length.
Key principle: Cisco routers select the route with the lowest administrative distance when multiple routes to the same prefix exist.
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 is installed because its administrative distance is lower than RIP and the floating static route.
Why this is correct
For the same /24 prefix, OSPFAD 110 beats RIP 120 and static 130.
Related concept
Cisco routers select the route with the lowest administrative distance when multiple routes to the same prefix exist.
✗
The static route will be preferred because static routes always beat dynamic routes.
Why it's wrong here
Only if the static route has a lower AD than the competing routes.
When this WOULD be correct
In a different question setup where the static route has a lower administrative distance than OSPF and RIP, the question might state that the static route is preferred due to its configuration. For example, if the static route's administrative distance is set to 110 or lower, it would then take precedence over OSPF and RIP routes.
✓
The static route acts as a backup and can be installed if the OSPF route disappears.
Cisco routers select the route with the lowest administrative distance when multiple routes to the same prefix exist.
✗
RIP wins because its metric is lower than OSPF cost.
Why it's wrong here
Different routing protocols are compared by AD first, not by their internal metrics.
When this WOULD be correct
In a different scenario where the question states that RIP has a lower metric than OSPF and both protocols are configured with the same administrative distance, then RIP would be preferred, making this option correct.
✗
All three routes should load-balance because the prefix length is the same.
Why it's wrong here
Equal prefix length alone is not enough; the route source and attributes do not match for ECMP here.
When this WOULD be correct
In a scenario where a router learns multiple routes to the same destination with identical administrative distances and prefix lengths from different routing protocols, such as OSPF and RIP, the question could state that load balancing is enabled, making this option correct.
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 route is installed because its administrative distance is lower than RIP and the floating static route.Correct answer▾
Why this is correct
For the same /24 prefix, OSPF AD 110 beats RIP 120 and static 130.
✗The static route will be preferred because static routes always beat dynamic routes.Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
Static routes are not always preferred over dynamic routes; the decision is based on administrative distance. A static route with a default AD of 1 would be preferred, but a floating static route with a higher AD (e.g., 130) is only used as a backup when the dynamic route fails.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
In a different question setup where the static route has a lower administrative distance than OSPF and RIP, the question might state that the static route is preferred due to its configuration. For example, if the static route's administrative distance is set to 110 or lower, it would then take precedence over OSPF and RIP routes.
Why candidates choose this
Students often assume static routes are inherently better because they are manually configured and considered more reliable, but they forget that administrative distance is the tiebreaker when multiple sources provide the same prefix.
✗RIP wins because its metric is lower than OSPF cost.Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
When comparing routes from different routing protocols, administrative distance is used first, not the internal metric. RIP's hop count metric and OSPF's cost are not directly comparable; OSPF's lower AD (110) beats RIP's higher AD (120) regardless of metric values.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
In a different scenario where the question states that RIP has a lower metric than OSPF and both protocols are configured with the same administrative distance, then RIP would be preferred, making this option correct.
Why candidates choose this
Students may confuse the concept of metric (used within the same protocol) with administrative distance (used between protocols). Since RIP uses hop count and OSPF uses cost, they might think a lower metric in RIP could win, but AD takes precedence.
✗All three routes should load-balance because the prefix length is the same.Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
Equal prefix length is necessary but not sufficient for load balancing. For equal-cost multipath (ECMP), the routes must have the same administrative distance and the same metric from the same routing protocol or from different protocols with identical AD and metric values. Here, the routes have different ADs and metrics, so they cannot load-balance.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
In a scenario where a router learns multiple routes to the same destination with identical administrative distances and prefix lengths from different routing protocols, such as OSPF and RIP, the question could state that load balancing is enabled, making this option correct.
Why candidates choose this
Students often think that if the prefix length is the same, the router will automatically load-balance across all available routes. They overlook the requirement for equal administrative distance and metric, which are critical for ECMP.
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 static routes always take precedence over dynamic routes regardless of administrative distance. Many candidates incorrectly believe that static routes inherently override OSPF or RIP routes. However, Cisco routers use administrative distance first to select the best route when multiple protocols provide the same prefix. If a static route has a higher AD (like 130 for a floating static), it will not be installed unless the primary route disappears. Another common mistake is to think RIP wins because it has a lower metric than OSPF cost, but metrics are only compared within the same routing protocol, not across different protocols. This misunderstanding leads to incorrect route selection assumptions.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Administrative distance (AD) is a key concept in Cisco routing that determines the trustworthiness of a route source. When a router learns multiple routes to the same destination prefix, it compares the AD values of each route and installs the one with the lowest AD into the routing table. OSPF has a default AD of 110, RIP has 120, and static routes have 1 by default but can be configured as floating static routes with higher AD values to act as backups.
In this scenario, R1 learns the 192.0.2.0/24 prefix from OSPF, RIP, and a floating static route. The router first selects the route with the longest prefix match, which is the same for all three routes here. It then compares the AD values: OSPF's 110 beats RIP's 120 and the floating static route's 130. Therefore, the OSPF route is installed as the primary path. The static route with AD 130 is not installed but remains in the routing table as a backup and will be used only if the OSPF route disappears.
A common exam trap is to confuse routing metrics with administrative distance. Metrics like OSPF cost or RIP hop count only influence route selection within the same routing protocol, not across different protocols. The router always uses AD first to choose between routes from different protocols. Another trap is assuming static routes always override dynamic routes; this is only true if their AD is lower. Floating static routes intentionally have higher AD to serve as backups, not primary routes. Understanding these distinctions is critical for Cisco routing decisions and exam success.
KKey Concepts to Remember
Cisco routers select the route with the lowest administrative distance when multiple routes to the same prefix exist.
OSPF has a default administrative distance of 110, which is lower than RIP’s 120, making OSPF routes more preferred.
Static routes have a default administrative distance of 1 but can be configured as floating static routes with higher AD values to act as backups.
Routing metrics like OSPF cost or RIP hop count influence route selection only within the same routing protocol, not across different protocols.
A floating static route with a higher administrative distance remains in the routing table as a backup and is installed only if the primary route disappears.
The router first matches the longest prefix before comparing administrative distances among routes to the same destination.
Administrative distance determines route trustworthiness and is the primary factor in route selection when multiple protocols provide the same prefix.
Misunderstanding the difference between administrative distance and routing metrics often leads to incorrect assumptions about route preference.
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
Cisco routers select the route with the lowest administrative distance when multiple routes to the same prefix exist.
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 cisco routers select the route with the lowest administrative distance when multiple routes to the same prefix exist., then practise related 200-301 questions on the same topic to reinforce the concept.
Network Services and Security — This question tests Network Services and Security — Cisco routers select the route with the lowest administrative distance when multiple routes to the same prefix exist..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: The OSPF route is installed because its administrative distance is lower than RIP and the floating static route. — The router installs the OSPF route because it has the lowest administrative distance among the routes shown. The static route with AD 130 is intentionally floating, and the RIP route has a higher AD than OSPF. Route selection first prefers longest match, then lower AD among routes to the same prefix length.
What should I do if I get this 200-301 question wrong?
Review cisco routers select the route with the lowest administrative distance when multiple routes to the same prefix exist., then practise related 200-301 questions on the same topic to reinforce the concept.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Cisco routers select the route with the lowest administrative distance when multiple routes to the same prefix exist.
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Why A: Default administrative distances on Cisco routers: connected=0, static=1, EIGRP summary=5, OSPF=110, IS-IS=115, RIP=120. Lower value indicates higher preference.
Variation 2. Two static routes exist for the 203.0.113.0/24 network: one pointing to ISP-A with an administrative distance of 10, and another pointing to ISP-B with an administrative distance of 5. Packets for that subnet are leaving through ISP-B. What explains this behavior?
hard
✓ A.The ISP-B route has a lower administrative distance.
B.Static routes with a higher next-hop IP are preferred.
C.The router always prefers the route configured last.
D.The route names force policy-based routing.
Why A: The route via ISP-B has a lower administrative distance, so it wins for the identical /24 prefix. For routes to the same destination and mask, the router compares AD before considering anything else between different route sources.
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