Question 1hardmulti select
Full question →hardmulti selectObjective-mapped
Exhibit
show ip route 192.0.2.0 Routing entry for 192.0.2.0/24 Known via "ospf 1", distance 110, metric 20, type intra area Last update from 10.1.12.2 on GigabitEthernet0/0 Configured routes: ip route 192.0.2.0 255.255.255.0 10.1.13.3 130 RIP also advertises 192.0.2.0/24 with distance 120.
R1 learns 192.0.2.0/24 from multiple sources. Which two statements are correct about the routing decision shown in the exhibit?
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
Best answer
The OSPF route is installed because its administrative distance is lower than RIP and the floating static route.
For the same /24 prefix, OSPF AD 110 beats RIP 120 and static 130.
B
Distractor review
The static route will be preferred because static routes always beat dynamic routes.
Only if the static route has a lower AD than the competing routes.
C
Best answer
The static route acts as a backup and can be installed if the OSPF route disappears.
With AD 130, it is a classic floating static route.
D
Distractor review
RIP wins because its metric is lower than OSPF cost.
Different routing protocols are compared by AD first, not by their internal metrics.
E
Distractor review
All three routes should load-balance because the prefix length is the same.
Equal prefix length alone is not enough; the route source and attributes do not match for ECMP here.
Common exam trap
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
A frequent exam trap is assuming that static routes always take precedence over dynamic routes regardless of administrative distance. Many candidates incorrectly believe that static routes inherently override OSPF or RIP routes. However, Cisco routers use administrative distance first to select the best route when multiple protocols provide the same prefix. If a static route has a higher AD (like 130 for a floating static), it will not be installed unless the primary route disappears. Another common mistake is to think RIP wins because it has a lower metric than OSPF cost, but metrics are only compared within the same routing protocol, not across different protocols. This misunderstanding leads to incorrect route selection assumptions.
Technical deep dive
How to think about this question
Administrative distance (AD) is a key concept in Cisco routing that determines the trustworthiness of a route source. When a router learns multiple routes to the same destination prefix, it compares the AD values of each route and installs the one with the lowest AD into the routing table. OSPF has a default AD of 110, RIP has 120, and static routes have 1 by default but can be configured as floating static routes with higher AD values to act as backups. In this scenario, R1 learns the 192.0.2.0/24 prefix from OSPF, RIP, and a floating static route. The router first selects the route with the longest prefix match, which is the same for all three routes here. It then compares the AD values: OSPF's 110 beats RIP's 120 and the floating static route's 130. Therefore, the OSPF route is installed as the primary path. The static route with AD 130 is not installed but remains in the routing table as a backup and will be used only if the OSPF route disappears. A common exam trap is to confuse routing metrics with administrative distance. Metrics like OSPF cost or RIP hop count only influence route selection within the same routing protocol, not across different protocols. The router always uses AD first to choose between routes from different protocols. Another trap is assuming static routes always override dynamic routes; this is only true if their AD is lower. Floating static routes intentionally have higher AD to serve as backups, not primary routes. Understanding these distinctions is critical for Cisco routing decisions and exam success.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- Cisco routers select the route with the lowest administrative distance when multiple routes to the same prefix exist.
- OSPF has a default administrative distance of 110, which is lower than RIP’s 120, making OSPF routes more preferred.
- Static routes have a default administrative distance of 1 but can be configured as floating static routes with higher AD values to act as backups.
- Routing metrics like OSPF cost or RIP hop count influence route selection only within the same routing protocol, not across different protocols.
- A floating static route with a higher administrative distance remains in the routing table as a backup and is installed only if the primary route disappears.
- The router first matches the longest prefix before comparing administrative distances among routes to the same destination.
- Administrative distance determines route trustworthiness and is the primary factor in route selection when multiple protocols provide the same prefix.
- Misunderstanding the difference between administrative distance and routing metrics often leads to incorrect assumptions about 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?
Cisco routers select the route with the lowest administrative distance when multiple routes to the same prefix exist.
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: The OSPF route is installed because its administrative distance is lower than RIP and the floating static route. — The router installs the OSPF route because it has the lowest administrative distance among the routes shown. The static route with AD 130 is intentionally floating, and the RIP route has a higher AD than OSPF. Route selection first prefers longest match, then lower AD among routes to the same prefix length.
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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