CCNA IP Routing Practice Question
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?
⚠ Common exam trap
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.
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 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.
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 default route because dynamic routes are preferred
Why it's wrong here
The OSPF default route is not preferred simply because it is dynamic; route selection is based on administrative distance, not on whether the protocol is static or dynamic. OSPF's AD of 110 loses to the static route's AD of 1, so the OSPF default route remains in the OSPF database but is not installed in the IP routing table. Dynamic routes are only preferred over statics if the static route is configured with a higher AD (a floating static), which is not the case here.
When this WOULD be correct
In a different scenario where the static route has a higher administrative distance than the OSPF default route, such as if the static route was configured with an AD of 200, then the OSPF default route would be installed in the routing table instead of the static one.
- ✓
The static default route because its administrative distance is lower
Why this is correct
Although both routes share the same /0 prefix, the static default route is installed because its administrative distance of 1 is far lower than OSPF's 110. The Cisco routing table uses AD to break ties between routes to the same destination learned from different protocols, and the lower the AD, the more trustworthy the source. Therefore, the static default route is selected and placed in the routing table, while the OSPF default route is not installed unless the static route fails.
- ✗
Both default routes because they have the same prefix length
Why it's wrong here
Having the same prefix length—both are /0 default routes—means they are equally specific, but prefix length is only used for longest-match comparisons among installed routes. When two routes to the same prefix come from different routing protocols, the router uses administrative distance as the tiebreaker, not prefix length. Since the static route has the lower AD, it is selected and both routes are not installed simultaneously.
When this WOULD be correct
In a different scenario where the question states that both routes are being used for load balancing and the router is configured to support multiple equal-cost routes, this option could be correct, allowing both default routes to be installed in the routing table.
- ✗
Neither route until a floating static route is configured
Why it's wrong here
A floating static route is a static route configured with a higher administrative distance than the dynamic route, so it only appears when the dynamic route disappears. Here, the static default route has AD 1, which is already lower than OSPF's AD 110, so it is not a floating static route and will be installed immediately. Therefore, the route is always valid and installable without needing any additional configuration, making this option incorrect.
When this WOULD be correct
In a different scenario where the static route has a higher administrative distance than the OSPF route, and there is a configuration that prevents the static route from being installed until a floating static route is defined, this option would be correct. For example, if the static route's administrative distance was set to a higher value than OSPF's.
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 default route because its administrative distance is lowerCorrect answer▾
Why this is correct
Although both routes share the same /0 prefix, the static default route is installed because its administrative distance of 1 is far lower than OSPF's 110. The Cisco routing table uses AD to break ties between routes to the same destination learned from different protocols, and the lower the AD, the more trustworthy the source. Therefore, the static default route is selected and placed in the routing table, while the OSPF default route is not installed unless the static route fails.
✗The OSPF default route because dynamic routes are preferredWrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
Dynamic routes are not automatically preferred over static routes; the administrative distance determines preference, and static routes have a lower AD (1) than OSPF (110).
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
In a different scenario where the static route has a higher administrative distance than the OSPF default route, such as if the static route was configured with an AD of 200, then the OSPF default route would be installed in the routing table instead of the static one.
Why candidates choose this
Students may think that dynamically learned routes are more trustworthy because they reflect current network topology, but static routes have a lower AD by design.
✗Both default routes because they have the same prefix lengthWrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
Equal prefix length is a requirement for load balancing, but when administrative distances differ, the route with the lower AD is installed; both routes having the same prefix length does not override AD.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
In a different scenario where the question states that both routes are being used for load balancing and the router is configured to support multiple equal-cost routes, this option could be correct, allowing both default routes to be installed in the routing table.
Why candidates choose this
Students often confuse the rule that equal prefix length allows load balancing with the rule that AD is the primary tiebreaker; they may think equal prefix length means both routes are installed.
✗Neither route until a floating static route is configuredWrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
A floating static route is a static route with a higher AD than the dynamic route, used as a backup. In this scenario, the static route has a lower AD (1) than OSPF (110), so it is immediately installed without any special configuration.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
In a different scenario where the static route has a higher administrative distance than the OSPF route, and there is a configuration that prevents the static route from being installed until a floating static route is defined, this option would be correct. For example, if the static route's administrative distance was set to a higher value than OSPF's.
Why candidates choose this
The term 'floating static route' is often misunderstood; students may think that all static routes require special configuration to be installed, but only those with higher AD than the dynamic route are considered floating.
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
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Interpreting HSRP and VRRP Operational Status
Key term
Administrative distance
Administrative distance is a number that a router uses to decide which routing protocol's route to trust when it learns about the same destination from multiple different routing protocols.
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
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