Question 1mediummultiple choice
Full question →mediummultiple choiceObjective-mapped
Exhibit
show ip route 0.0.0.0 S* 0.0.0.0/0 [1/0] via 192.0.2.2 O*E2 0.0.0.0/0 [110/1] via 198.51.100.2
Exhibit: R1 has a static default route to 192.0.2.2 and also learns a default route from OSPF. Which default route is installed in the routing table?
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Good practice is not just finding the correct option. The wrong answers often show the exact trap the exam wants you to fall into.
A
Distractor review
The OSPF default route because dynamic routes are preferred
Dynamic routes are not automatically preferred over static routes.
B
Best answer
The static default route because its administrative distance is lower
Static AD 1 beats OSPF AD 110.
C
Distractor review
Both default routes because they have the same prefix length
Equal prefix length is not enough; AD still decides.
D
Distractor review
Neither route until a floating static route is configured
A normal static default route is already valid and installable.
Common exam trap
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
A common exam trap is believing that OSPF default routes always override static default routes because dynamic routing protocols are 'more intelligent' or 'preferred.' This misconception leads to selecting the OSPF route as installed, ignoring the fundamental Cisco routing rule that administrative distance determines route preference. Since static routes have a default AD of 1 and OSPF routes have an AD of 110, the static route is preferred unless its AD is manually changed. Misunderstanding this can cause incorrect answers and confusion about route installation behavior.
Technical deep dive
How to think about this question
In Cisco routing, when a router learns multiple routes to the same destination prefix from different sources, it uses administrative distance (AD) to determine which route to install in the routing table. Administrative distance is a value that rates the trustworthiness of a routing source; lower values indicate more preferred routes. Static routes have a default AD of 1, making them highly trusted, while OSPF routes have an AD of 110 by default, which is less preferred compared to static routes. When R1 has both a static default route (0.0.0.0/0) pointing to 192.0.2.2 and also learns a default route from OSPF, the router compares the AD values of these routes. Since the static route’s AD of 1 is lower than OSPF’s AD of 110, the static default route is installed in the routing table. This behavior ensures that manually configured static routes take precedence over dynamically learned routes unless the static route’s AD is manually increased. A common exam trap is assuming that dynamic routes like OSPF are always preferred over static routes simply because they are learned dynamically. However, Cisco routers always prioritize routes with the lowest administrative distance regardless of static or dynamic origin. Practically, this means that unless a floating static route (with a higher AD) is configured, the static default route will override the OSPF default route in the routing table, affecting packet forwarding decisions.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- A router compares administrative distance values to select the best route when multiple routes to the same prefix exist from different sources.
- Static routes have a default administrative distance of 1, making them more preferred than most dynamic routing protocols by default.
- OSPF routes have a default administrative distance of 110, which is higher than static routes and thus less preferred.
- When a static default route and an OSPF default route coexist, the router installs the static route in the routing table due to its lower administrative distance.
- Administrative distance is the primary factor in route selection before considering metrics or prefix length.
- Equal prefix length routes do not guarantee both routes will be installed; administrative distance determines which route is preferred.
- A floating static route uses a higher administrative distance to act as a backup route and is only installed if the primary route fails.
- Dynamic routing protocols do not automatically override static routes; manual configuration is required to change 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.
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More questions from this exam
Keep practising from the same exam bank, or move into a focused topic page if this question exposed a weak area.
Question 1
A router learns the same prefix from both OSPF and EIGRP. Which route is installed by default?
Question 2
A router shows this output: R1#show ip ospf neighbor Neighbor ID Pri State Dead Time Address Interface 10.1.1.2 1 FULL/DR 00:00:34 192.168.12.2 GigabitEthernet0/0 10.1.1.3 1 2WAY/DROTHER 00:00:39 192.168.12.3 GigabitEthernet0/0 Which statement is correct?
Question 3
What is the OSPF metric called?
Question 4
A non-root switch has two uplinks toward the root bridge. One path has a lower total STP cost than the other. What role will the lower-cost uplink have?
Question 5
A router interface applies this ACL inbound: 10 deny tcp any any eq 80 20 permit ip any any A user reports that web browsing to a server by IP address fails, but ping works. Which statement best explains the behavior?
Question 6
A router learns route 198.51.100.0/24 from OSPF with AD 110 and also has a static route to the same prefix configured with AD 150. Which route is installed?
FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this 200-301 question test?
A router compares administrative distance values to select the best route when multiple routes to the same prefix exist from different sources.
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: The static default route because its administrative distance is lower — When two routes to the same prefix are learned from different sources, the router compares administrative distance first. A static route has AD 1 by default, while OSPF has AD 110, so the static default route wins unless its AD was changed manually.
What should I do if I get this 200-301 question wrong?
Then try more questions from the same exam bank and focus on understanding why the wrong options are tempting.
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