- A
The static route has a lower administrative distance than the OSPF route.
Administrative distance is the first criterion used to select routes from different routing protocols. A static route has an AD of 1, while OSPF has an AD of 110. The lower AD wins, so the static route is installed in the routing table and used for forwarding, regardless of the OSPF path's better performance.
- B
The OSPF route has a higher metric than the static route.
Why wrong: Static routes do not have a metric in the same sense as OSPF (they may use an administrative weight or cost field, but it is not compared with OSPF's metric). Even if they did, administrative distance is compared first, so the OSPF route would never reach metric comparison.
- C
Equal-cost multi-path (ECMP) is disabled for OSPF.
Why wrong: ECMP is a load-balancing feature that distributes traffic across multiple equal-cost routes within OSPF. It does not influence route selection between a static route and an OSPF route. The presence or absence of ECMP does not change the fact that the static route has a lower AD.
- D
The static route is configured with a higher next-hop IP address, so it is preferred.
Why wrong: Route preference is never based on the numeric value of the next-hop IP address. The routing table uses administrative distance, then metric, and then load balancing rules. A higher IP address in the next-hop field does not make a route more preferred.
CCNA IP Routing Practice Question
This 200-301 practice question tests your understanding of ip routing. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. 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 network engineer notices that R1 is using the static route to 192.168.10.0/24 via next-hop 10.1.1.2 instead of the OSPF route via 10.2.2.2, even though the OSPF path has lower latency. What is the most likely cause?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue:
"most likely"Why it matters: Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
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 static route has a lower administrative distance than the OSPF route.
The static route is preferred because it has an administrative distance (AD) of 1, which is lower than OSPF's AD of 110. When multiple routes to the same destination exist from different routing sources, the route with the lowest AD is selected first. The static route's path might be slower, but AD comparison happens before any metric comparison. To use the OSPF path, the static route must be removed or given a higher AD.
Key principle: OSPF neighbour adjacency depends on matching area, hello/dead timers, network type, and authentication — IP reachability alone is not enough.
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 has a lower administrative distance than the OSPF route.
Why this is correct
Administrative distance is the first criterion used to select routes from different routing protocols. A static route has an AD of 1, while OSPF has an AD of 110. The lower AD wins, so the static route is installed in the routing table and used for forwarding, regardless of the OSPF path's better performance.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "most likely" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
OSPF neighbours must agree on key parameters.
- ✗
The OSPF route has a higher metric than the static route.
Why it's wrong here
Static routes do not have a metric in the same sense as OSPF (they may use an administrative weight or cost field, but it is not compared with OSPF's metric). Even if they did, administrative distance is compared first, so the OSPF route would never reach metric comparison.
- ✗
Equal-cost multi-path (ECMP) is disabled for OSPF.
Why it's wrong here
ECMP is a load-balancing feature that distributes traffic across multiple equal-cost routes within OSPF. It does not influence route selection between a static route and an OSPF route. The presence or absence of ECMP does not change the fact that the static route has a lower AD.
- ✗
The static route is configured with a higher next-hop IP address, so it is preferred.
Why it's wrong here
Route preference is never based on the numeric value of the next-hop IP address. The routing table uses administrative distance, then metric, and then load balancing rules. A higher IP address in the next-hop field does not make a route more preferred.
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 has a lower administrative distance than the OSPF route.Correct answer▾
Why this is correct
Administrative distance is the first criterion used to select routes from different routing protocols. A static route has an AD of 1, while OSPF has an AD of 110. The lower AD wins, so the static route is installed in the routing table and used for forwarding, regardless of the OSPF path's better performance.
✗The OSPF route has a higher metric than the static route.Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
Common misconception that metrics are compared across different routing protocols. In reality, AD is evaluated first, and only routes from the same protocol with equal AD are compared by metric.
✗Equal-cost multi-path (ECMP) is disabled for OSPF.Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
Mistaking ECMP as the mechanism for selecting between two routes from different sources; in this scenario, the static route's AD disqualifies the OSPF route entirely.
✗The static route is configured with a higher next-hop IP address, so it is preferred.Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
Misunderstanding that IP addresses, not administrative distance or metrics, influence path selection.
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: OSPF can fail even when IP connectivity looks correct
OSPF neighbour formation depends on matching areas, timers, network type, authentication and passive-interface behaviour. Do not choose an answer only because the devices can ping.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
OSPF questions usually test the details that control adjacency and route selection. Read the neighbour state, area, router ID and interface configuration before deciding what is wrong.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- OSPF neighbours must agree on key parameters.
- Router ID selection can affect neighbour relationships and LSDB output.
- OSPF cost influences the preferred path.
- A route can appear in OSPF information but not become the installed route.
TExam Day Tips
- Check area mismatch first when OSPF adjacency fails.
- Review passive interfaces when a network is advertised but no neighbour forms.
- Use show ip ospf neighbor and show ip route clues carefully.
Key takeaway
OSPF neighbour adjacency depends on matching area, hello/dead timers, network type, and authentication — IP reachability alone is not enough.
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.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Review OSPF neighbour requirements — matching area type, hello and dead timers, network type, stub flags, and authentication. Study show ip ospf neighbor states (INIT, 2-WAY, FULL). Then practise related 200-301 OSPF questions on adjacency and route selection.
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this 200-301 question test?
IP Routing — This question tests IP Routing — OSPF neighbours must agree on key parameters..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: The static route has a lower administrative distance than the OSPF route. — The static route is preferred because it has an administrative distance (AD) of 1, which is lower than OSPF's AD of 110. When multiple routes to the same destination exist from different routing sources, the route with the lowest AD is selected first. The static route's path might be slower, but AD comparison happens before any metric comparison. To use the OSPF path, the static route must be removed or given a higher AD.
What should I do if I get this 200-301 question wrong?
Review OSPF neighbour requirements — matching area type, hello and dead timers, network type, stub flags, and authentication. Study show ip ospf neighbor states (INIT, 2-WAY, FULL). Then practise related 200-301 OSPF questions on adjacency and route selection.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "most likely". Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
What is the key concept behind this question?
OSPF neighbours must agree on key parameters.
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Last reviewed: Jun 14, 2026
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.
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