- A
Administrative distance: A measure of the trustworthiness of a routing information source, used to select the best path when multiple routing protocols provide route information.
This is correct because administrative distance (AD) is a numerical value assigned to each routing protocol or static route, indicating its reliability. Lower AD values are preferred, and AD is used to choose between routes from different sources.
- B
Administrative distance: The metric used by a routing protocol to determine the best path within that protocol, such as hop count or bandwidth.
Why wrong: This is incorrect because administrative distance is not a metric used within a routing protocol; it is a trustworthiness value applied between different routing sources. Metrics like hop count or bandwidth are used within a single routing protocol.
- C
Administrative distance: The number of routers a packet must traverse to reach its destination, used to compare routes from the same routing protocol.
Why wrong: This is incorrect because the number of routers (hop count) is a metric used by some routing protocols like RIP, not administrative distance. Administrative distance is not a hop count.
- D
Administrative distance: The time it takes for a route to be considered invalid if no updates are received, used to age out stale routes.
Why wrong: This is incorrect because the time to age out stale routes is a timer (e.g., hold-down timer or invalid timer) used by routing protocols, not administrative distance. Administrative distance is static and does not involve timers.
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. A key principle to apply: administrative distance determines the trustworthiness of a route source and influences which route is installed when multiple protocols provide routes to the same destination.. 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.
Match each routing term to its most accurate description.
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
Administrative distance: A measure of the trustworthiness of a routing information source, used to select the best path when multiple routing protocols provide route information.
Administrative distance (AD) is a trust value assigned to a route source (e.g., OSPF = 110, EIGRP = 90); it is not a metric or a default route. Metric is a protocol-specific value (e.g., hop count, bandwidth) used to compare paths within the same routing protocol; it is not a trust value. Default route is the fallback used when no more specific match exists in the routing table, not a summarization method. Summarization combines multiple routes into a broader advertisement to reduce routing table size, not a fallback mechanism. These definitions align correctly, while common confusions (e.g., swapping AD and metric) would misassign the terms.
Key principle: Administrative distance determines the trustworthiness of a route source and influences which route is installed when multiple protocols provide routes to the same destination.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Administrative distance: A measure of the trustworthiness of a routing information source, used to select the best path when multiple routing protocols provide route information.
Why this is correct
This is correct because administrative distance (AD) is a numerical value assigned to each routing protocol or static route, indicating its reliability. Lower AD values are preferred, and AD is used to choose between routes from different sources.
Related concept
Administrative distance determines the trustworthiness of a route source and influences which route is installed when multiple protocols provide routes to the same destination.
- ✗
Administrative distance: The metric used by a routing protocol to determine the best path within that protocol, such as hop count or bandwidth.
Why it's wrong here
This is incorrect because administrative distance is not a metric used within a routing protocol; it is a trustworthiness value applied between different routing sources. Metrics like hop count or bandwidth are used within a single routing protocol.
- ✗
Administrative distance: The number of routers a packet must traverse to reach its destination, used to compare routes from the same routing protocol.
Why it's wrong here
This is incorrect because the number of routers (hop count) is a metric used by some routing protocols like RIP, not administrative distance. Administrative distance is not a hop count.
- ✗
Administrative distance: The time it takes for a route to be considered invalid if no updates are received, used to age out stale routes.
Why it's wrong here
This is incorrect because the time to age out stale routes is a timer (e.g., hold-down timer or invalid timer) used by routing protocols, not administrative distance. Administrative distance is static and does not involve timers.
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.
✓Administrative distance: A measure of the trustworthiness of a routing information source, used to select the best path when multiple routing protocols provide route information.Correct answer▾
Why this is correct
This is correct because administrative distance (AD) is a numerical value assigned to each routing protocol or static route, indicating its reliability. Lower AD values are preferred, and AD is used to choose between routes from different sources.
✗Administrative distance: The metric used by a routing protocol to determine the best path within that protocol, such as hop count or bandwidth.Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
The specific factual error is confusing administrative distance with routing protocol metrics. Administrative distance is inter-protocol, while metrics are intra-protocol.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates often mix up administrative distance and metric because both are used in route selection, but they operate at different levels.
✗Administrative distance: The number of routers a packet must traverse to reach its destination, used to compare routes from the same routing protocol.Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
The specific factual error is equating administrative distance with hop count. Hop count is a metric, not an administrative distance.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may think administrative distance is a type of metric because both are numerical values used in routing decisions.
✗Administrative distance: The time it takes for a route to be considered invalid if no updates are received, used to age out stale routes.Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
The specific factual error is confusing administrative distance with routing protocol timers. Timers manage route validity, while AD manages source trustworthiness.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may associate administrative distance with route maintenance because both concepts involve route selection and stability.
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: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The key trap is confusing administrative distance with routing protocol metrics or timers. Remember: AD is about trustworthiness of the source, while metrics (like hop count, bandwidth) are about the quality of the path within a protocol. Timers manage route aging and convergence.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Routing protocols use several key concepts to determine the best path for forwarding packets. Administrative distance (AD) is a value assigned to each routing protocol that indicates the trustworthiness of the source of routing information. Lower AD values mean higher trust. For example, directly connected routes have an AD of 0, static routes 1, EIGRP 90, OSPF 110, and RIP 120. This value is used when multiple routing protocols provide routes to the same destination, helping the router decide which route to install in the routing table. Metrics are internal values used by routing protocols to compare multiple paths to the same destination within that protocol. For instance, OSPF uses cost based on bandwidth, EIGRP uses a composite metric including bandwidth and delay, and RIP uses hop count. The path with the lowest metric is preferred within the protocol. Administrative distance is considered only when routes come from different protocols, while metrics are used to select the best path within a single protocol. A default route is a special route used when no other more specific route matches a destination IP address. It acts as a gateway of last resort, forwarding packets to a next-hop router that can handle unknown destinations. Summarization, on the other hand, combines multiple specific routes into a single broader route advertisement to reduce routing table size and improve efficiency. Confusing these concepts can lead to misinterpretation of routing behavior, especially in multi-protocol environments or complex network designs.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- Administrative distance determines the trustworthiness of a route source and influences which route is installed when multiple protocols provide routes to the same destination.
- Routing metrics are protocol-specific values used internally to compare and select the best path among multiple routes learned by the same routing protocol.
- A default route acts as a fallback path when no more specific route exists in the routing table for a given destination address.
- Route summarization aggregates multiple specific routes into a broader advertisement to reduce routing table size and improve routing efficiency.
- Routers use administrative distance to choose between routes from different routing protocols before considering metrics within a single protocol.
- Metrics vary by routing protocol and can include factors such as hop count, bandwidth, delay, or composite values to determine the best path.
- Default routes simplify routing by providing a catch-all path, but they do not replace the need for specific routes or summarization.
- Summarization helps optimize routing tables but does not affect route trustworthiness or fallback behavior like administrative distance or default routes.
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.
Key takeaway
Administrative distance determines the trustworthiness of a route source and influences which route is installed when multiple protocols provide routes to the same destination.
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 administrative distance determines the trustworthiness of a route source and influences which route is installed when multiple protocols provide routes to the same destination., then practise related 200-301 questions on the same topic to reinforce the concept.
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this 200-301 question test?
IP Routing — This question tests IP Routing — Administrative distance determines the trustworthiness of a route source and influences which route is installed when multiple protocols provide routes to the same destination..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Administrative distance: A measure of the trustworthiness of a routing information source, used to select the best path when multiple routing protocols provide route information. — Administrative distance (AD) is a trust value assigned to a route source (e.g., OSPF = 110, EIGRP = 90); it is not a metric or a default route. Metric is a protocol-specific value (e.g., hop count, bandwidth) used to compare paths within the same routing protocol; it is not a trust value. Default route is the fallback used when no more specific match exists in the routing table, not a summarization method. Summarization combines multiple routes into a broader advertisement to reduce routing table size, not a fallback mechanism. These definitions align correctly, while common confusions (e.g., swapping AD and metric) would misassign the terms.
What should I do if I get this 200-301 question wrong?
Review administrative distance determines the trustworthiness of a route source and influences which route is installed when multiple protocols provide routes to the same destination., then practise related 200-301 questions on the same topic to reinforce the concept.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Administrative distance determines the trustworthiness of a route source and influences which route is installed when multiple protocols provide routes to the same destination.
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Last reviewed: Apr 12, 2026
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