CCNA administrative distance Practice Question
Exhibit
R1# show ip route S 10.90.0.0/16 [1/0] via 192.0.2.2 R 10.90.0.0/16 [120/1] via 192.0.2.6
A router has a static route and a RIP route for the same destination prefix. What is the primary reason the static route is preferred over the RIP route?
⚠ Common exam trap
Do not confuse administrative distance with metrics or prefix length; administrative distance is the deciding factor here.
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
✓
Because the static route has a lower administrative distance for the same prefix.
The static route is preferred because both routes describe the same destination prefix and the static route has the lower administrative distance. In practical terms, longest-prefix match does not break the tie because the prefixes are equal. The router then compares source trust, and static routing wins over RIP by default. This is a core route-selection concept and a very exam-relevant comparison.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Because the static route has a lower administrative distance for the same prefix.
Why this is correct
Both the static and RIP routes share the same /16 prefix, so the longest-match rule cannot differentiate them. In that case, Cisco IOS compares administrative distance values: static routes default to AD 1, while RIP defaults to AD 120. Since a lower AD is always preferred, the static route is installed in the routing table and used for forwarding. That is the strongest reason because the prefixes are identical, making AD the decisive tie-breaker.
- ✗
Because RIP can never be installed when static routing is configured anywhere.
Why it's wrong here
A routing table can hold static and RIP routes for different destinations simultaneously because route selection is per-prefix. Configuring a static route for one network does not disable RIP or prevent RIP from populating other routes; even for an overlapping prefix, RIP would still be considered but lose the AD tie-break. So the claim that RIP 'can never be installed' when static routing exists is factually false.
When this WOULD be correct
In a different exam scenario where the question specifies a network configuration that prohibits the use of RIP when static routes are present, this option could be correct. For example, if the question states that a router is configured to only allow static routing for security reasons, then this statement would apply.
- ✗
Because RIP is valid only for host routes.
Why it's wrong here
RIP is a distance-vector protocol that supports both host and network prefixes; RIPv2 even carries explicit subnet masks, enabling routes like /16 or /24 to be advertised. The notion that RIP only installs /32 host routes is simply wrong, as RIP's primary purpose is to exchange whole network routes. Therefore, this cannot explain why the static route wins over a RIP route for the same prefix.
When this WOULD be correct
In a question that asks about the limitations of RIP in a network where only host routes are allowed, this option could be correct if it specifies that RIP is only applicable for host routes and not for network routes. For example, if the question states that only host routes are being considered, then this option would be valid.
- ✗
Because static routes are always more specific than RIP routes.
Why it's wrong here
Route specificity is determined solely by prefix length, known as the longest-match lookup, never by the route source. A static route can be a default /0 or a shorter-prefix summary, while a RIP route might be a /24 or /32 that is more specific. For instance, a static /16 and a RIP /24 to the same destination would favor the RIP route because it is more specific, contradicting the statement.
When this WOULD be correct
In a different question context where the focus is on comparing routing protocols and their characteristics, if asked whether static routes are always more specific than dynamic protocols like RIP, this option could be correct if the question specifies a scenario where static routes are configured with specific subnet masks that exceed the specificity of RIP 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.
✓Because the static route has a lower administrative distance for the same prefix.Correct answer▾
Why this is correct
Both the static and RIP routes share the same /16 prefix, so the longest-match rule cannot differentiate them. In that case, Cisco IOS compares administrative distance values: static routes default to AD 1, while RIP defaults to AD 120. Since a lower AD is always preferred, the static route is installed in the routing table and used for forwarding. That is the strongest reason because the prefixes are identical, making AD the decisive tie-breaker.
✗Because RIP can never be installed when static routing is configured anywhere.Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
This option is incorrect because RIP can coexist with static routes in a routing table; static routes do not prevent RIP routes from being installed. Both routing protocols can be used simultaneously, and the routing decision is based on administrative distance.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
In a different exam scenario where the question specifies a network configuration that prohibits the use of RIP when static routes are present, this option could be correct. For example, if the question states that a router is configured to only allow static routing for security reasons, then this statement would apply.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates might choose this option due to a misunderstanding of routing protocols, believing that static routes inherently disable dynamic protocols like RIP, which is a common misconception among those less familiar with routing behavior.
✗Because RIP is valid only for host routes.Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
This option is incorrect because RIP can coexist with static routes in a routing table; static routes do not prevent RIP routes from being installed. Both routing protocols can be used simultaneously in a network.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
In a question that asks about the limitations of RIP in a network where only host routes are allowed, this option could be correct if it specifies that RIP is only applicable for host routes and not for network routes. For example, if the question states that only host routes are being considered, then this option would be valid.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may choose this option due to a misunderstanding of RIP's capabilities, mistakenly believing that static routes inherently disable other routing protocols, leading to confusion about how routing protocols can operate together.
✗Because static routes are always more specific than RIP routes.Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
This option is wrong because static routes are not inherently more specific than RIP routes; both can have varying levels of specificity depending on the configuration. The preference of static routes over RIP is determined by administrative distance, not specificity.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
In a different question context where the focus is on comparing routing protocols and their characteristics, if asked whether static routes are always more specific than dynamic protocols like RIP, this option could be correct if the question specifies a scenario where static routes are configured with specific subnet masks that exceed the specificity of RIP routes.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates might choose this option due to a misunderstanding of routing protocols, believing that static routes, being manually configured, are always more precise than dynamically learned routes like those from RIP.
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
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Key term
RIP
RIP (Routing Information Protocol) is a distance-vector routing protocol that routers use to exchange information about network paths to determine the best route for data packets based on hop count.
Key term
Static route
A static route is a manually configured path in a router's routing table that tells the router exactly where to send packets for a specific destination network.
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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.