Drag and drop the route types on the left to the correct administrative distance and use case descriptions on the right.
Drag a concept onto its matching description — or click a concept then click the description.
AD 1; manually configured path
AD 5; backup route when primary fails
AD 1; catch-all for unknown destinations
AD 110; used for internal routing within an AS
AD 0; network directly attached to router interface
⚠ Common exam trap
A common mistake is confusing the AD values of connected (0) and static (1). Also, note that EIGRP internal (90) and OSPF (110) are both IGPs but with different ADs; some might incorrectly assign OSPF an AD of 90.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
Connected routes: AD 0, directly connected networks
All the given pairings are correct. Connected routes use AD 0 because they are directly connected. Static routes use AD 1 as they are manually configured. EIGRP internal routes have AD 90, and OSPF routes have AD 110; both are IGPs used for routing within the same autonomous system.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
Connected routes: AD 0, directly connected networks
Why this is correct
Connected routes are automatically injected into the routing table whenever an interface is configured with an IP address and is in the up/up state. Their administrative distance is 0, the lowest possible value, which means they are always preferred over static, EIGRP, OSPF, or any other route source for the same destination network. Because the network is directly attached to the router, no next-hop or dynamic protocol is needed, making this the correct answer to the question.
Static routes: AD 1, manually configured by an administrator
Why this is correct
Static routes are indeed manually configured by an administrator and have a default administrative distance of 1. While this is extremely low and makes static routes highly trusted, it is not 0, so static routes are never preferred over directly connected routes if both exist for the same prefix. The question specifically asks for the route type with AD 0, which points to connected routes rather than static routes.
EIGRP internal routes: AD 90, used for routing within the same autonomous system
Why this is correct
EIGRP internal routes for the same autonomous system have a default administrative distance of 90, which is lower than OSPF but still higher than both connected (0) and static (1) routes. This means an EIGRP-learned route will only be installed in the routing table if no connected or static route exists to that destination. Since the question requires an AD of 0, EIGRP internal routes cannot be the correct answer.
OSPF routes: AD 110, used for routing within the same autonomous system
Why this is correct
OSPF routes within the same autonomous system use a default administrative distance of 110, making them less preferred than EIGRP internal routes (90), static routes (1), and especially connected routes (0). An OSPF route would be selected only when no lower-AD route is available for the same network. The AD of 110 clearly does not match the AD of 0 referenced in the correct option, so OSPF is not the answer.
Visual reference
Quick reference
| 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
Learn chapter
Floating Static Routes
Key term
OSPF
OSPF is a link-state routing protocol that uses the SPF algorithm to compute the shortest path to each destination within a single autonomous system.
Key term
Route
A route is a path that data takes through a network from one device or network to another, determined by routing protocols and configured rules.
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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.