CCNA OSPF Questions

75 of 174 questions · Page 2/3 · OSPF topic · Answers revealed

76
Drag & Dropmedium

Drag and drop the following steps into the correct order to explicitly configure OSPFv3 for IPv6 on a Cisco IOS-XE router, assuming no OSPFv3 routing process exists beforehand.

Drag steps to the numbered slots on the right, or tap a step then tap a slot.

Steps
Order
1Step 1
2Step 2
3Step 3
4Step 4

Why this order

To configure OSPFv3, first globally enable IPv6 unicast routing (A). Next, create the OSPFv3 routing process (C) so that it is defined before interfaces try to use it. Then, configure OSPFv3 on the relevant interfaces (B) to activate routing.

Finally, verify the OSPFv3 adjacency (D) to confirm neighbors are formed. This sequence avoids automatic process creation and ensures all steps are explicitly controlled.

Exam trap

Cisco exams often test the order of configuration steps. A common trap is to think that OSPFv3 interface configuration comes before creating the OSPFv3 process, or that verification can be done early. Remember that global IPv6 routing must be enabled first, as OSPFv3 depends on it.

77
MCQhard

You are verifying OSPF operation on router R1. After confirming that OSPF is configured on the correct interfaces, which command should you use next to directly check whether R1 has established a neighbor adjacency with another OSPF router?

A.show ip ospf neighbor
B.show vlan brief
C.show spanning-tree
D.show mac address-table
AnswerA

This is correct because it directly shows OSPF adjacency and neighbor state.

Why this answer

The command show ip ospf neighbor directly displays the OSPF neighbor table, showing whether an adjacency has formed, the neighbor's Router ID, and the current state (e.g., FULL). This is the quickest verification step after confirming configurations. The other commands are unrelated to OSPF: show vlan brief displays VLAN assignments, show spanning-tree shows STP topology, and show mac address-table shows the MAC address table.

None of these provide any OSPF neighbor information and would only delay troubleshooting.

Exam trap

Avoid confusing route visibility with neighbor status; they are related but distinct concepts.

Why the other options are wrong

B

Displays VLAN port membership; irrelevant to OSPF verification.

C

Shows STP topology; does not provide OSPF neighbor status.

D

Displays the switch's MAC address table; no OSPF information.

78
MCQhard

R1 and R2 are directly connected and running OSPF. They can ping each other, the area matches, and the timers match, but they still do not become neighbors. What is the most likely cause?

A.The OSPF authentication keys do not match.
B.The subnet mask is too small for OSPF to operate.
C.The routers must use different process IDs.
D.The interfaces must be configured as switch trunks.
AnswerA

This is correct because mismatched OSPF MD5 authentication prevents neighbor formation even when addressing and area values are correct.

Why this answer

The most likely cause is a mismatch in OSPF authentication keys. Even though the routers have IP connectivity, matching area IDs, and identical timers, OSPF adjacency requires that authentication parameters also match. If authentication is enabled on both sides but the keys differ, OSPF packets are silently rejected, preventing neighbor formation.

Exam trap

A frequent exam trap is to overlook OSPF authentication mismatches when routers have IP connectivity and matching area IDs. Candidates may incorrectly assume that because the routers can ping each other and timers match, adjacency must form. However, if OSPF authentication keys differ, routers silently reject OSPF packets, preventing neighbor formation.

This trap exploits the misconception that IP reachability alone ensures OSPF adjacency, ignoring the critical role of matching authentication parameters in the OSPF neighbor negotiation process.

Why the other options are wrong

B

This is incorrect because OSPF operates normally on /30 subnets commonly used for point-to-point links. Subnet mask size does not prevent OSPF adjacency.

C

This is incorrect because OSPF process IDs are locally significant identifiers and do not need to match between routers to form neighbors.

D

This is incorrect because OSPF runs over routed interfaces and does not require interfaces to be configured as switch trunks, which are used for VLAN tagging.

79
MCQhard

A network administrator configures OSPF on two routers, R1 and R2, connected via their Serial0/0/0 interfaces (IP addresses 10.1.1.1/30 and 10.1.1.2/30). They verify that both routers use the same OSPF process ID and area 0, but R1's 'show ip ospf neighbor' shows no adjacencies. Given the partial exhibit from R1, what is the most likely cause of the adjacency failure and its correct solution?

A.Configure 'no passive-interface Serial0/0/0' under router ospf 1 on R1.
B.Replace the network statement with 'network 10.1.1.0 0.0.0.255 area 0' to cover a larger range.
C.Change the OSPF process ID on R1 to match R2, using 'router ospf 100' and re-entering the network command.
D.Issue 'clear ip ospf process' on R1 to restart OSPF and reattempt neighbor discovery.
AnswerA

This command lifts the passive restriction on Serial0/0/0, allowing OSPF hello packets to be sent and received, enabling the adjacency to form.

Why this answer

The most likely cause is that R1's Serial0/0/0 interface is configured as a passive interface under OSPF. When an interface is set as passive, OSPF does not send Hello packets out of it, preventing neighbor discovery and adjacency formation. The solution is to use the 'no passive-interface Serial0/0/0' command under router ospf 1 on R1, which allows Hello packets to be transmitted and the adjacency to establish.

Exam trap

Cisco often tests the misconception that OSPF process IDs must match between routers, leading candidates to choose option C, when in fact process IDs are locally significant and only area IDs and authentication must match.

Why the other options are wrong

B

A larger wildcard mask does not override the passive-interface setting; adjacency still fails.

C

Adjacency depends on area and authentication, not on the router-local process ID; passive-interface is the real issue.

D

The root cause is a configuration that blocks hellos, not a transient state; the reset is ineffective.

80
Multi-Selectmedium

Which TWO statements accurately describe OSPFv3 configuration and verification for IPv6?

Select 2 answers
A.OSPFv3 uses IPv6 link-local addresses for neighbor discovery and next-hop addresses.
B.The 'network' command under 'ipv6 router ospf' is used to advertise subnets into OSPFv3.
C.The 'ipv6 ospf <process-id> area <area-id>' command is used to enable OSPFv3 on an interface.
D.The 'ipv6 router ospf <process-id>' command is used on an interface to enable OSPFv3.
E.The 'show ipv6 ospf neighbor' command displays the OSPFv3 link-state database.
AnswersA, C

In OSPFv3, routers form adjacencies using their IPv6 link-local addresses, and these addresses are used as next-hop addresses in routing updates.

Why this answer

Option A is correct because OSPFv3 uses IPv6 link-local addresses for neighbor discovery and next-hop addresses. Option C is correct because the 'ipv6 ospf <process-id> area <area-id>' interface command enables OSPFv3 on that interface. Option B is incorrect: OSPFv3 does not use the 'network' command; instead, it relies on interface-level configuration.

Option D is incorrect: 'ipv6 router ospf <process-id>' is a global configuration command to enter OSPFv3 router configuration mode, not an interface command. Option E is incorrect: 'show ipv6 ospf neighbor' displays neighbor adjacencies, not the link-state database; use 'show ipv6 ospf database' for that.

Exam trap

Cisco often tests the misconception that OSPFv3 uses the same 'network' command as OSPFv2, when in fact OSPFv3 requires interface-level configuration with the 'ipv6 ospf <process-id> area <area-id>' command.

Why the other options are wrong

D

'ipv6 router ospf <process-id>' is a global configuration command, not an interface command; enabling OSPFv3 on an interface requires the 'ipv6 ospf <process-id> area <area-id>' command.

E

'show ipv6 ospf neighbor' displays OSPFv3 neighbor adjacencies, not the link-state database; to view the LSDB, use 'show ipv6 ospf database'.

81
Drag & Dropmedium

Drag and drop the following OSPFv2 neighbor state transitions into the correct order, starting from the initial state after an adjacency is attempted and ending with the fully adjacent state.

Drag steps to the numbered slots on the right, or tap a step then tap a slot.

Steps
Order
1Step 1
2Step 2
3Step 3
4Step 4

Why this order

OSPF neighbor states progress from Down to Init, then 2-Way, ExStart, Exchange, and finally Full (not listed).

Exam trap

Do not confuse the initial state with the first state where communication occurs. Down is the starting point, even though no communication has happened yet. Remember the full sequence: Down, Init, 2-Way, ExStart, Exchange, Loading, Full.

82
MCQmedium

A router learns the same prefix from both OSPF and EIGRP. Which route is installed by default?

A.The OSPF route because OSPF is link-state
B.The EIGRP route because it has the lower administrative distance
C.The route with the lower metric value regardless of protocol
D.Both routes are always installed
AnswerB

Correct. Lower AD wins between different routing protocols.

Why this answer

When identical prefixes are learned from different routing protocols, the router compares administrative distance first. EIGRP internal routes use AD 90, while OSPF uses AD 110.

Exam trap

Remember that lower administrative distance values indicate higher preference. Don't confuse protocol complexity with route preference.

Why the other options are wrong

A

The type of routing protocol (link-state vs. distance vector) does not determine route preference when comparing routes from different protocols. Route selection is based on administrative distance, not protocol characteristics.

C

Metrics are only comparable within the same routing protocol. Different protocols use different metrics (e.g., OSPF uses cost, EIGRP uses composite metric), so they cannot be directly compared. Administrative distance is used to choose between protocols.

D

By default, a router installs only the best route (lowest AD) for a given prefix into the routing table. Both routes are not installed unless features like equal-cost multipath or policy routing are configured, which is not the case here.

83
MCQhard

R1 and R2 are connected via a GigabitEthernet link in the same IPv4 subnet, and both routers have OSPF configured in the same area. However, R1 is not learning any OSPF routes from R2. What is the most likely cause?

A.GigabitEthernet0/0 is configured as a passive OSPF interface on R1.
B.The routers must use different OSPF process IDs to exchange routes.
C.The routers are in different IPv4 subnets.
D.OSPF can advertise routes only across serial links.
AnswerA

This is correct because a passive OSPF interface does not send hellos and therefore will not form a neighbor adjacency on that link.

Why this answer

The most likely reason is that one side has the interface configured as passive, which prevents OSPF hello packets from being sent on that interface. In practical terms, the network statement alone does not guarantee neighbor formation. OSPF still needs active neighbor discovery on the link. If the interface is passive, the router advertises the connected network into OSPF but does not attempt to form an adjacency there.

This is a realistic routing troubleshooting pattern because the configuration can look mostly correct until you inspect the passive-interface setting.

Exam trap

A frequent exam trap is to incorrectly believe that OSPF process IDs must match between routers to exchange routes or that OSPF only works on serial links. Candidates may also overlook the passive-interface setting, assuming that the presence of correct network statements guarantees neighbor formation. The passive-interface command disables hello packets, which are essential for OSPF adjacency.

This subtle configuration detail often causes confusion because the router still advertises the network but refuses to form neighbors, leading to missing routes despite seemingly correct OSPF setup.

Why the other options are wrong

B

Incorrect because OSPF process IDs are locally significant and do not need to match between routers for adjacency or route exchange.

C

Incorrect because both routers' interfaces are in the same subnet 10.20.12.0/24, so subnet mismatch is not the cause of missing routes.

D

Incorrect because OSPF supports multiple link types including Ethernet; it is not limited to serial links only.

84
MCQmedium

A router learns 203.0.113.0/24 through OSPF and 203.0.113.0/25 through a static route. Which route is used for traffic destined to 203.0.113.10?

A.The OSPF /24 route
B.The static /25 route
C.Both routes equally
D.Neither route because the prefixes overlap
AnswerB

Correct. The /25 is more specific and matches the destination.

Why this answer

Routers prefer the most specific matching route first. The /25 route is more specific than the /24 and includes 203.0.113.10.

Exam trap

Remember that the most specific route (longest prefix) is always preferred, regardless of the routing protocol.

Why the other options are wrong

A

The OSPF /24 route is less specific than the static /25 route. The longest prefix match rule dictates that the /25 route is preferred for destination 203.0.113.10, which falls within the /25 range.

C

Equal-cost load balancing only applies when multiple routes have the same prefix length and metric. Here, the prefix lengths differ (/24 vs /25), so the longest prefix match selects the /25 route exclusively.

D

Overlapping routes are common in routing tables and do not cause a problem. The router always selects the most specific match (longest prefix) for forwarding, so both routes can coexist.

85
MCQhard

Refer to the exhibit. A network engineer is troubleshooting connectivity to server 10.10.10.130. The routing table contains both a static route and an OSPF route for overlapping prefixes. The engineer examines the specific routing entry for 10.10.10.130. Based on the output, why does the router choose the route via 10.1.1.2 instead of the OSPF route via 10.2.2.2 (for 10.10.10.0/24)?

A.The static route has a lower administrative distance (1) than the OSPF route (110).
B.The OSPF route is inactive because its next-hop 10.2.2.2 is down.
C.The static route has a longer prefix length (/26) than the OSPF route (/24), making it a more specific match.
D.The router prefers the static route because it has a metric of 0, which is better than the OSPF metric.
AnswerC

The routing entry explicitly shows the subnet mask /26. Longest prefix match is the first rule in IP routing, so the /26 is preferred despite AD or metric.

Why this answer

The exhibit shows "Routing entry for 10.10.10.128/26", a /26 prefix. The router uses longest prefix match as the first step in route selection, so a /26 is more specific than the OSPF /24 and chosen regardless of AD or metric.

Exam trap

Many candidates incorrectly think the static route wins because of its lower administrative distance (1 vs 110), overlooking that prefix length always takes precedence in the routing decision process.

Why the other options are wrong

A

This reflects a common misunderstanding that AD is the sole tie-breaker between routes from different sources, ignoring prefix length priority.

B

Candidates might assume that if the OSPF route is not used, it must be inactive; however, the exhibit does not show this.

D

Candidates may mistake metric for the primary selection criterion, not realizing prefix length dominates all other route comparison steps.

86
MCQhard

A network engineer notices that an OSPF adjacency between R1 and R2 is flapping between FULL and DOWN state every 40 seconds. The dead interval on both routers is configured as 40 seconds. The hello interval on R1 is 10 seconds, and on R2 it is 30 seconds. What is the most likely cause?

A.Duplicate OSPF router IDs are causing the adjacency to reset each time the mismatched routers see each other's LSAs.
B.Mismatched hello intervals cause the dead timer on R1 to expire before receiving a hello from R2, tearing down the adjacency.
C.A network type mismatch between broadcast and point-to-point is causing periodic DR/BDR elections that reset the adjacency.
D.An OSPF authentication mismatch is causing periodic rejection of hello packets on one router.
AnswerB

R1 with a 10-second hello expects a hello within the 40-second dead interval. R2 sends hellos only every 30 seconds. Because of queuing or processing jitter, R1's dead timer can expire just before R2's hello arrives, dropping the adjacency. The dead interval restarting every 40 seconds aligns exactly with the observed flapping cycle.

Why this answer

The mismatched hello intervals cause the dead timer on R1 to expire before receiving a hello from R2. R1 sends hellos every 10 seconds and expects to hear from R2 at least once every 40 seconds (dead interval). R2, however, only sends hellos every 30 seconds.

Due to timing jitter and processing delays, R1's dead timer occasionally expires just before R2's hello arrives, leading to the adjacency being torn down. After the adjacency drops, OSPF attempts to re-establish it, resulting in a cyclical FULL-DOWN pattern every 40 seconds. The other options are real OSPF issues but do not produce this specific timing: duplicate router IDs would cause persistent instability without a regular interval; an authentication mismatch would prevent the adjacency from forming at all; a network type mismatch might cause DR/BDR election problems but would not flap with precise dead-interval regularity.

Exam trap

Many candidates immediately suspect an authentication mismatch because it is a common reason for OSPF adjacencies to fail. However, authentication problems prevent Hello exchange altogether, so the routers would never reach FULL state, eliminating the flapping symptom.

Why the other options are wrong

A

Candidates often recall that duplicate router IDs break adjacencies and assume any flapping must be caused by this. They miss the regular timing correlation with the dead interval.

C

Network type mismatch is a common OSPF troubleshooting topic, and candidates may attribute any flapping to mismatched types, overlooking the precise timer-derived timing.

D

Authentication problems are a frequent first guess for adjacency failures. The flapping behavior here contradicts a permanent rejection.

87
Multi-Selectmedium

Which two statements accurately describe OSPF route selection or behavior at the CCNA level?

Select 2 answers
A.OSPF uses cost as its metric for choosing paths within OSPF.
B.OSPF compares its metric directly against EIGRP metrics across protocols.
C.OSPF route preference versus other route sources involves administrative distance.
D.OSPF process IDs must match between all neighboring routers.
E.OSPF can never install equal-cost paths.
AnswersA, C

This is correct because cost is the standard OSPF metric.

Why this answer

OSPF uses cost as its metric for path selection within the protocol, and OSPF routes are compared against other route sources using administrative distance when cross-protocol decisions are needed. OSPF supports equal-cost multi-path (ECMP), meaning it can install multiple equal-cost paths to the same destination, so option E is incorrect. The wrong answers confuse cost with administrative distance, treat process IDs as globally significant, or incorrectly direct cross-protocol metric comparisons.

Exam trap

A frequent exam trap is confusing OSPF’s cost metric with administrative distance or thinking that OSPF process IDs must match between neighbors. Many candidates incorrectly believe that OSPF compares its metric directly against EIGRP metrics or that process IDs are globally significant. This misunderstanding leads to wrong answers because OSPF cost is only used internally within OSPF to select the best path, while administrative distance is used to compare routes from different protocols.

Also, OSPF process IDs are locally significant identifiers and do not need to match for adjacency to form.

Why the other options are wrong

B

Option B is incorrect because OSPF does not compare its metric directly against EIGRP metrics. Metrics are protocol-specific and only administrative distance is used to compare routes across different protocols.

D

Option D is incorrect because OSPF process IDs are locally significant and do not need to match between neighboring routers. Adjacency forms based on matching parameters like area ID and authentication, not process ID.

E

Option E is incorrect because OSPF supports equal-cost multipath (ECMP) routing, allowing multiple routes with the same cost to be installed and used simultaneously for load balancing.

88
Drag & Dropmedium

Drag and drop the following OSPFv2 neighbor state transitions into the correct order, starting from the initial Down state on a broadcast or point-to-point network (non-NBMA).

Drag steps to the numbered slots on the right, or tap a step then tap a slot.

Steps
Order
1Step 1
2Step 2
3Step 3
4Step 4

Why this order

The standard OSPF neighbor state machine on broadcast and point-to-point networks proceeds: Down, Init, 2-Way, ExStart, Exchange, Loading, Full. The Attempt state exists only on NBMA networks and is not used here. Option D correctly lists the first five states in order: Down → Init → 2-Way → ExStart → Exchange.

Other options incorrectly include the NBMA-only Attempt state or misorder the states like Loading before Exchange.

Exam trap

Do not confuse the standard OSPF neighbor states with the NBMA-specific Attempt state; unless the network type is explicitly NBMA, assume the common broadcast/point-to-point order omitting Attempt.

89
Drag & Dropmedium

Drag and drop the following steps into the correct order to configure and verify OSPFv3 neighbor adjacency using link-local addresses in area 0.

Drag steps to the numbered slots on the right, or tap a step then tap a slot.

Steps
Order
1Step 1
2Step 2
3Step 3
4Step 4
5Step 5

Why this order

The correct order enables IPv6 unicast routing globally, creates the OSPFv3 process, enters interface configuration, assigns the interface to the OSPFv3 process in area 0 (which activates OSPFv3 on the link), and finally verifies the neighbor relationship. IPv6 unicast routing must be enabled first because OSPFv3 requires IPv6 packet forwarding. The router process must exist before an interface can be associated with it.

Assigning the interface to area 0 triggers Hello packet exchange over link-local addresses. The show command confirms the adjacency formed.

90
MCQhard

Refer to the exhibit. A network administrator is troubleshooting why not all OSPF neighbors are fully adjacent on a multi-access broadcast segment. After issuing the show ip ospf neighbor command on R1, the output is displayed. What is the most likely cause of the 2WAY/DROTHER state for neighbor 172.16.1.1?

A.The neighbor is a DROther and a full adjacency with another DROther is not required; adjacency is formed only with the DR and BDR.
B.The OSPF hello and dead timers are mismatched between R1 and neighbor 172.16.1.1.
C.The network type is configured as point-to-point on one side and broadcast on the other, causing a DR/BDR election failure.
D.The neighbor's router ID 172.16.1.1 is not reachable, preventing the completion of the adjacency process.
AnswerA

The exhibit shows neighbor 172.16.1.1 in state 2WAY/DROTHER. In a broadcast multi-access OSPF network, DROthers exchange hellos and reach 2-Way state with each other but stop at that stage, establishing full adjacency only with the DR and BDR. This is standard OSPF behavior and the most likely reason for the state.

Why this answer

The output shows neighbor 172.16.1.1 in state 2WAY/DROTHER. On a broadcast multi-access network (indicated by the presence of DR and BDR roles), OSPF routers that are not the DR or BDR become DROthers. DROthers reach the 2-Way state with one another but do not form full adjacencies; full adjacency is established only with the DR and BDR.

Therefore, the 2WAY state is normal and expected for two DROthers. The output explicitly displays the neighbor role as DROTHER, confirming this interpretation.

Exam trap

Candidates often misinterpret 2WAY as a fault. The most common wrong choice is option B (timer mismatch) because they assume any non-FULL state indicates a parameter mismatch, but 2WAY is a correct operational state for DROthers on a broadcast network.

Why the other options are wrong

B

Candidates mistakenly think any non-FULL state implies a timer mismatch, overlooking that timer issues prevent even reaching 2WAY.

C

Some candidates assume any DR/BDR-related issue indicates a network type mismatch, but the exhibit clearly shows successful DR/BDR formation, ruling out this option.

D

Candidates may confuse LSA reachability with neighbor adjacency requirements. The 2WAY state proves basic connectivity is intact.

91
MCQhard

A network engineer configures a static route: ip route 192.168.10.0 255.255.255.0 10.1.1.2. The next hop 10.1.1.2 is reachable via OSPF. Later, the engineer notices that the route to 192.168.10.0/24 has disappeared from the routing table. What is the most likely cause?

A.The OSPF route to 10.1.1.0/30 has been lost, making the next-hop address 10.1.1.2 unresolvable.
B.The static route has a higher administrative distance than OSPF, so OSPF's route to 192.168.10.0/24 replaced it.
C.The static route uses a next-hop IP address that is not directly connected, which is unsupported on this platform.
D.A routing loop caused by recursive lookups has suppressed the static route to prevent loops.
AnswerA

A recursive static route requires a next-hop that is resolvable via an existing route. Without the OSPF route to the subnet containing 10.1.1.2, the router cannot reach the next hop and removes the static route from the routing table.

Why this answer

A recursive static route uses a next-hop IP address; the router must have a route that resolves that next hop. If the OSPF route to the 10.1.1.0/30 network is lost, the next-hop 10.1.1.2 becomes unreachable, and the static route is withdrawn from the routing table. None of the other explanations account for the route disappearance given the scenario.

Exam trap

The static route has a higher administrative distance than OSPF, so OSPF's route is used instead. This is tempting because many candidates believe that a static route is removed when a better route exists, but in reality the static route remains in the table (inactive) if its next hop is still reachable. The prompt states the route disappeared, not that it was overridden.

Why the other options are wrong

B

Believing that a static route is removed from the routing table when a better route exists, rather than understanding it remains but is inactive.

C

Assuming that a static route's next-hop must be directly attached, ignoring that recursive routing via another routing protocol or static route is allowed.

D

Thinking that recursive static routes are prone to loop suppression, rather than understanding that the route is simply withdrawn when the next-hop is no longer reachable.

92
MCQmedium

A router advertises its LAN network into OSPF, but no OSPF Hellos should be sent toward end-user devices on that LAN. Which configuration approach solves this cleanly?

A.Use ip ospf cost 65535 on the LAN interface
B.Configure the LAN interface as a passive interface in OSPF
C.Disable OSPF globally and redistribute connected routes
D.Convert the LAN interface to a loopback
AnswerB

Passive interface stops Hellos while still advertising the subnet.

Why this answer

A passive interface advertises the connected subnet into OSPF without sending or processing Hellos on that interface. That is exactly what you want for user-facing LANs with no OSPF neighbors.

Exam trap

A frequent exam trap is selecting the option to increase the OSPF cost on the LAN interface to prevent Hello packets. While adjusting the cost changes the metric used for route selection, it does not stop the router from sending or receiving OSPF Hellos. Another common mistake is to disable OSPF globally and redistribute connected routes, which is unnecessarily complex and does not address the problem of suppressing Hellos on a specific interface.

Additionally, converting the LAN interface to a loopback is irrelevant because loopbacks are logical interfaces used for router IDs and testing, not for controlling OSPF Hello behavior on physical LAN interfaces.

Why the other options are wrong

A

Using 'ip ospf cost 65535' on the LAN interface only changes the OSPF metric for that interface. It does not prevent the router from sending or receiving OSPF Hello packets, so neighbor adjacencies can still form, which is not the desired behavior.

C

Disabling OSPF globally and redistributing connected routes is an overly complex and unnecessary approach. It does not selectively stop Hello packets on the LAN interface and can introduce routing complexity and instability.

D

Converting the LAN interface to a loopback interface changes the interface type entirely and is not a standard or practical solution for suppressing OSPF Hellos on a LAN. Loopbacks are logical interfaces used for router IDs and testing, not for controlling OSPF Hello behavior.

93
MCQmedium

Which OSPF network type on Ethernet performs a DR and BDR election by default?

A.Point-to-point
B.Broadcast
C.Point-to-multipoint nonbroadcast
D.Loopback
AnswerB

Correct. Ethernet defaults to the broadcast network type.

Why this answer

Broadcast multiaccess networks such as Ethernet elect a DR and BDR by default.

Exam trap

A frequent exam trap is selecting point-to-point or point-to-multipoint nonbroadcast as the network type that performs DR/BDR elections. Candidates often assume any multi-router link requires DR/BDR, but OSPF only elects DR/BDR on broadcast and NBMA networks. Point-to-point links connect exactly two routers and do not need DR/BDR, while point-to-multipoint nonbroadcast requires manual neighbor configuration and does not elect DR/BDR by default.

Misunderstanding these distinctions leads to incorrect answers. Remember, Ethernet interfaces default to broadcast network type, which triggers DR/BDR elections automatically.

Why the other options are wrong

A

Point-to-point links connect only two routers directly and do not require or perform DR/BDR elections because there is no need to reduce flooding on a single link. Selecting this option is incorrect for Ethernet interfaces that default to broadcast.

C

Point-to-multipoint nonbroadcast network type requires manual neighbor configuration and does not perform DR/BDR elections by default. This does not match the default behavior of Ethernet interfaces.

D

Loopback interfaces are virtual interfaces used for router identification and do not participate in OSPF DR/BDR elections because they are not multiaccess networks.

94
MCQhard

A router has an OSPF-learned route to a destination prefix and also a directly connected route to a broader supernet that includes that destination. The OSPF route is more specific. Which route is used for the destination?

A.The more specific OSPF route
B.The directly connected broader route
C.Both routes equally
D.Neither route can be used because the sources differ
AnswerA

This is correct because the most specific matching prefix is preferred first.

Why this answer

The more specific OSPF route is used. In practical terms, route specificity is checked before broader route-source considerations when the prefixes are different. Even though the connected route is a directly attached source and often strongly trusted, it still loses if it is less specific than another matching route.

This is a subtle route-selection question because it combines source type and specificity. The key is that longest-prefix match comes first.

Exam trap

A common exam trap is assuming that directly connected routes always take precedence over OSPF routes because they have a lower administrative distance. Candidates may incorrectly select the broader directly connected route, forgetting that routers first apply longest prefix match before considering administrative distance. This leads to the mistaken belief that a less specific connected route overrides a more specific OSPF route.

The trap is confusing route source preference with prefix specificity, which can cause incorrect answers on routing questions involving multiple route sources.

Why the other options are wrong

B

This option is incorrect because a directly connected route, even though it has a lower administrative distance, does not override a more specific OSPF route due to prefix length precedence.

C

This option is incorrect because routers do not use multiple routes equally when one route is a more specific match; only the best matching route is used for forwarding.

D

This option is incorrect because routers can compare and select routes from different sources; differing sources do not prevent route usage if one route is the best match.

95
PBQhard

You have console access to both R1 and R2. Configure OSPFv2 on both routers to establish a single-area adjacency in area 0. The link between R1 and R2 uses 10.0.0.0/30. Currently, OSPF is not configured on either router. After configuration, verify the adjacency forms and routes are exchanged.

Network Topology
G0/010.0.0.1/30G0/010.0.0.2/3010.0.0.0/30R1R2

Hints

  • Use 'router ospf <process-id>' to enter OSPF configuration mode.
  • The network statement uses a wildcard mask, not a subnet mask. For a /30, use 0.0.0.3.
  • Remember to set a router-id; it can be any IP address, but must be unique per router.
A.Configure 'router ospf 1' on R1 and R2, set router-id, and use 'network 10.0.0.0 0.0.0.3 area 0' on both routers.
B.Configure 'router ospf 1' on R1 only, and use 'network 10.0.0.0 0.0.0.3 area 0' on R1; R2 does not need OSPF configuration because it will learn routes via the directly connected interface.
C.Configure 'router ospf 1' on both routers, set router-id, and use 'network 10.0.0.0 255.255.255.252 area 0' on both routers.
D.Configure 'router ospf 1' on both routers, set router-id, and use 'network 10.0.0.0 0.0.0.0 area 0' on both routers.
AnswerA
solution
! R1
configure terminal
router ospf 1
router-id 1.1.1.1
network 10.0.0.0 0.0.0.3 area 0
network 192.168.1.0 0.0.0.255 area 0
network 10.1.1.1 0.0.0.0 area 0
passive-interface GigabitEthernet0/1
passive-interface Loopback0
end

Why this answer

The essential requirement is enabling OSPFv2 on both routers with matching area 0 on the 10.0.0.0/30 link. On R1 and R2, enter 'router ospf 1', set a unique router-id, and use 'network 10.0.0.0 0.0.0.3 area 0' to advertise the link. The solution commands include optional networks (192.168.1.0/24 and Loopback0) that are not required for the adjacency and are shown only as examples; candidates should focus on the link network.

After configuration, 'show ip ospf neighbor' should show a FULL state. Common mistakes include using a subnet mask instead of a wildcard mask (option C) or a /32 wildcard (option D), and not configuring OSPF on R2 (option B).

Exam trap

Remember that OSPF network statements use wildcard masks, not subnet masks. Also, both routers must be configured; OSPF does not automatically enable on all interfaces. Use 'show ip ospf neighbor' to verify adjacency formation.

Why the other options are wrong

B

The specific factual error is that OSPF is a dynamic routing protocol that must be enabled on both ends of a link for adjacency to form; one-sided configuration does not work.

C

The specific factual error is confusing subnet masks with wildcard masks; OSPF uses inverse masks in network statements.

D

The specific factual error is using a host wildcard mask that does not cover the actual interface IPs; the correct wildcard mask must include the range of IPs on the link.

96
MCQhard

R1 and R2 are directly connected and both configured for OSPF area 0. The IP addresses are correct, but the routers do not become neighbors. What is the most likely cause?

A.The OSPF network types on the interfaces do not match.
B.The routers need matching hostnames to exchange LSAs.
C.The /30 subnet is too small for OSPF to operate.
D.The interfaces must be converted into switch trunks.
AnswerA

This is correct because OSPF network type mismatch can prevent normal adjacency formation.

Why this answer

The most likely cause is an OSPF network type mismatch. In practical terms, both routers are on the same IP segment and both are trying to use OSPF in the same area, but they do not agree on the type of OSPF network the interface represents. That matters because OSPF behavior changes depending on the network type, including how neighbors are discovered and how adjacencies are formed.

This is a classic exam-style troubleshooting case because the obvious items look correct: IP addressing works and the area matches. But a mismatch between point-to-point and broadcast expectations can still stop the relationship from forming cleanly. That makes network type mismatch the strongest answer here.

Exam trap

A frequent exam trap is to overlook the importance of matching OSPF network types on connected interfaces. Candidates might assume that correct IP addressing and area numbers are sufficient for adjacency. However, if one router uses a broadcast network type and the other uses point-to-point, they will not become neighbors despite appearing correctly configured.

This subtle mismatch is often missed because it does not generate explicit errors, leading to confusion and incorrect troubleshooting steps.

Why the other options are wrong

B

This option is incorrect because OSPF neighbor relationships do not depend on matching hostnames. Hostnames are administrative identifiers and do not affect OSPF protocol operations or LSA exchanges.

C

This option is incorrect because a /30 subnet is a standard subnet size for point-to-point links and does not prevent OSPF from operating or forming adjacencies. OSPF works normally over /30 subnets.

D

This option is incorrect because OSPF runs over routed interfaces and does not require interfaces to be configured as switch trunks. Trunking is related to VLAN tagging and switching, not OSPF adjacency.

97
PBQmedium

You are connected to R1 via console. R1 is connected to R2 via GigabitEthernet0/0 (10.0.0.1/30) and to R3 via GigabitEthernet0/1 (10.0.0.5/30). R1 has a management subnet 192.168.1.0/24 connected to GigabitEthernet0/2. The network administrator wants to ensure that traffic from the management subnet to the Internet (203.0.113.0/24) uses R2 as the primary path and R3 as a backup. Currently, OSPF is running with default metrics. You must configure a floating static route that will be used only if the OSPF route fails.

Network Topology
G0/010.0.0.1/30G0/110.0.0.5/30G0/2192.168.1.1/24R1R2R3Management subnet

Hints

  • Floating static route has a higher administrative distance than the dynamic route you want to back up.
  • The next-hop IP for the backup route is R3's interface IP connected to R1.
  • Check the OSPF administrative distance (default 110) and set the static route's AD accordingly.
A.ip route 203.0.113.0 255.255.255.0 10.0.0.6 150
B.ip route 203.0.113.0 255.255.255.0 10.0.0.2 150
C.ip route 203.0.113.0 255.255.255.0 10.0.0.6 110
D.ip route 0.0.0.0 0.0.0.0 10.0.0.6 150
AnswerA
solution
! R1
ip route 203.0.113.0 255.255.255.0 10.0.0.6 150

Why this answer

The floating static route is configured with an administrative distance of 150, which is higher than OSPF's default AD of 110. This ensures that the static route is only installed in the routing table when the OSPF route is not present (e.g., due to a failure). The next-hop is R3's IP on the directly connected link.

Exam trap

Remember that a floating static route requires an administrative distance higher than the dynamic protocol's default. Also, ensure the next-hop is the backup router's IP, not the primary. Do not confuse the destination network with a default route unless the question asks for Internet access in general.

Why the other options are wrong

B

The next-hop should be R3 (10.0.0.6), not R2 (10.0.0.2).

C

The AD must be higher than OSPF's 110 (e.g., 150) to act as a floating static route.

D

The destination network should be 203.0.113.0/24, not a default route.

98
MCQhard

Exhibit: OSPF neighbors are not reaching FULL state on an Ethernet segment with multiple routers. The output of show ip ospf neighbor on R2 shows a neighbor in the 2WAY/DROTHER state. What is the most likely reason?

A.Authentication mismatch between R2 and 3.3.3.3
B.The 2WAY state with another DROTHER on a broadcast segment is normal
C.R2 must be configured as a point-to-point network type
D.R2 has a duplicate router ID
AnswerB

DROTHER routers do not form full adjacency with every other DROTHER.

Why this answer

On a broadcast Ethernet network, two routers normally become fully adjacent through the DR or BDR. If the local router is stuck in 2WAY with another DROTHER, that is normal behavior. It is not a fault by itself.

Exam trap

A common exam trap is assuming that neighbors stuck in the 2-Way state indicate a problem requiring troubleshooting or configuration changes. Many candidates mistakenly believe that all OSPF neighbors on a broadcast segment must reach the FULL state with each other. However, OSPF’s design limits full adjacency to DR and BDR routers only.

DROTHER routers remain in 2-Way state with each other, which is normal and expected. Misinterpreting this behavior can lead to incorrect answers such as blaming authentication or router ID issues when the output actually reflects standard OSPF operation.

Why the other options are wrong

A

Authentication mismatches prevent OSPF neighbors from reaching the 2-Way state by blocking bidirectional communication. Since the neighbors here have reached 2-Way, authentication mismatch is unlikely the cause.

C

Configuring the network type as point-to-point is not required on Ethernet segments and would change the adjacency formation behavior rather than explain the current normal 2-Way state with DROTHER routers.

D

Duplicate router IDs cause adjacency failures and routing problems but do not cause neighbors to remain in the 2-Way state with DROTHER routers. The output does not indicate a router ID conflict.

99
MCQhard

An engineer configures a floating static route to 0.0.0.0/0 with an administrative distance of 200 while OSPF is providing a default route. What is the intended behavior?

A.The static default route acts as a backup and becomes active only if the OSPF default route is lost.
B.The static default route overrides OSPF immediately because it is manually configured.
C.Both default routes must always load-balance together.
D.The router ignores both defaults because they overlap.
AnswerA

This is correct because the higher administrative distance makes the static route float behind OSPF.

Why this answer

The intended behavior is that the static default route stays in reserve and becomes active only if the OSPF-learned default route disappears. In plain language, the administrator wants a backup path, not a replacement for the normal OSPF path. By assigning the static route a higher administrative distance than OSPF, the router treats it as less trustworthy during normal operation.

This is a standard floating-static design. The static route is still configured, but it does not normally appear as the preferred forwarding choice until the lower-distance route is lost. That is the key operational purpose of the configuration.

Exam trap

Don't assume static routes always take precedence over dynamic ones; administrative distance dictates preference.

Why the other options are wrong

B

The static default route has an administrative distance of 200, which is higher than OSPF's default distance of 110. Therefore, OSPF's route is preferred, and the static route does not override it. Manual configuration does not bypass administrative distance; the router always prefers the lower distance.

C

Load balancing requires multiple routes with equal administrative distance and metric. Here, OSPF and the static route have different administrative distances (110 vs. 200), so they are not equal. The router will only use the best route (OSPF) and not load-balance.

D

Overlapping default routes are common and do not cause the router to ignore them. The router uses the route with the lowest administrative distance (OSPF) and ignores the static route unless OSPF fails. There is no conflict that would cause both to be ignored.

100
MCQhard

A router learns the same destination from EIGRP and OSPF. The EIGRP route has a metric of 1000, and the OSPF route has a metric of 10. Which route is installed by default?

A.The OSPF route, because 10 is lower than 1000
B.The EIGRP route, because its source has a lower default administrative distance
C.Both routes automatically install for load balancing
D.Neither route installs until the administrator chooses manually
AnswerB

This is correct because EIGRP is preferred over OSPF by default due to administrative distance.

Why this answer

The EIGRP route is installed by default because route selection between different routing protocols is based on administrative distance before the protocol-specific metric is compared across sources. In plain language, the router does not compare an OSPF metric of 10 directly against an EIGRP metric of 1000 because those metrics come from different systems and are not numerically comparable in a meaningful cross-protocol way. Instead, the router first looks at the trustworthiness of the source.

By default, internal EIGRP routes have a lower administrative distance than OSPF routes, so EIGRP wins even though the OSPF metric value appears lower. This is a classic CCNA trap designed to catch people who compare metrics across different protocols without considering administrative distance first.

Exam trap

A common exam trap is to assume that the route with the numerically lowest metric is always preferred, regardless of the routing protocol. In this question, the OSPF route has a metric of 10, which looks better than the EIGRP metric of 1000. However, metrics from different protocols are not directly comparable.

The router first compares administrative distance, which rates the trustworthiness of the routing source. Since EIGRP’s default administrative distance (90) is lower than OSPF’s (110), the router installs the EIGRP route despite its higher metric. This trap tests your understanding of routing protocol preference, not just metric values.

Why the other options are wrong

A

This option is incorrect because it assumes the router compares OSPF and EIGRP metrics directly. Metrics from different protocols are not comparable until administrative distance is considered, so the lower OSPF metric does not guarantee route installation.

C

This option is incorrect because load balancing occurs only when multiple equal-cost routes exist within the same routing protocol. Routes from different protocols are not automatically load-balanced simply because they reach the same destination.

D

This option is incorrect because the router automatically selects the best route using its decision process based on administrative distance and metric. Manual intervention is not required for route installation in this scenario.

101
MCQhard

A router learns 172.16.0.0/16 from OSPF and 172.16.10.0/24 from a static route. Which route is used for traffic to 172.16.10.55?

A.The OSPF /16 route
B.The static /24 route
D.Neither route because the prefixes overlap
AnswerB

This is correct because 172.16.10.55 falls within the more specific /24 route.

Why this answer

The static /24 route is used because it is more specific than the OSPF /16 route. In plain language, even though OSPF is a dynamic source and the /16 covers the destination broadly, the router prefers the entry that describes the exact destination range more precisely. Since 172.16.10.55 falls within 172.16.10.0/24, that route wins under longest-prefix match.

This is a classic example of route specificity taking priority before broader route-source comparisons would matter between equal prefix lengths.

Exam trap

A frequent exam trap is assuming that the dynamic OSPF route will always be preferred over a static route, regardless of prefix length. Many candidates overlook that the router prioritizes the longest-prefix match before considering administrative distance or route source. Because 172.16.10.0/24 is more specific than 172.16.0.0/16, the router uses the static route for traffic to 172.16.10.55.

Misunderstanding this can lead to incorrect answers, especially when both routes overlap. Remember, overlapping routes are common and resolved by prefix specificity, not by route type alone.

Why the other options are wrong

A

The OSPF /16 route is less specific than the static /24 route. Although OSPF is a dynamic routing protocol, the router prefers the route with the longer prefix length, so this option is incorrect.

C

The default route is only used when no specific matching route exists. Since both OSPF and static routes cover the destination, the default route is not used here, so this option is incorrect.

D

Overlapping prefixes are normal in routing tables and do not prevent route selection. The router resolves overlaps using longest-prefix match, so this option is incorrect.

102
Multi-Selectmedium

Which TWO statements correctly describe OSPFv2 router-id selection and verification in a single-area configuration?

Select 2 answers
A.The OSPF router-id is automatically derived from the MAC address of the first Ethernet interface.
B.If the router-id is changed using the 'router-id' command, the change takes effect immediately without any additional action.
C.The router-id must be the same on all routers in a single OSPF area.
D.When no 'router-id' is configured, a loopback interface with the highest IP address is preferred over a physical interface for the router-id.
E.The 'show ip ospf' command displays the current OSPF router-id.
AnswersD, E

Loopback interfaces are preferred due to their stability.

Why this answer

OSPFv2 selects the router-ID based on the highest IP address of any loopback interface when no explicit 'router-id' is configured, making D correct. The 'show ip ospf' command displays the current router-ID, verifying choice E. Option A is incorrect because the router-ID is derived from IP addresses, not MAC addresses.

Option B fails because changing the router-ID requires a reload or clearing the OSPF process to take effect. Option C is wrong because each router must have a unique router-ID; they do not need to match across the area.

Exam trap

Cisco often tests the misconception that changing the router-id takes effect immediately, but in reality, you must clear the OSPF process or reload the router for the change to apply.

Why the other options are wrong

A

The router-ID is derived from the highest IP address on a loopback or physical interface, never from a MAC address.

B

A router-id change does not take effect immediately; you must clear the OSPF process or reload the router.

C

Router-IDs must be unique per router, not identical across all routers in the area.

103
Drag & Dropmedium

Drag and drop the following steps into the correct order to configure OSPFv3 for IPv6 on a Cisco router.

Drag steps to the numbered slots on the right, or tap a step then tap a slot.

Steps
Order
1Step 1
2Step 2
3Step 3
4Step 4

Why this order

After entering global config, create the OSPFv3 process, set a router ID, then enable OSPFv3 on the desired interfaces under interface configuration.

Exam trap

Remember that OSPFv3 requires a router ID to be explicitly configured (or derived from an IPv4 address) before enabling it on interfaces. The process must be created first, then the router ID, then interface enablement.

104
Multi-Selectmedium

A router learns a route to 172.16.0.0/16 via OSPF (administrative distance 110) and a route to 172.16.10.0/24 via EIGRP (administrative distance 90). No other overlapping routes exist. Which TWO statements about how the router handles these routes are correct?

Select 2 answers
A.The router installs only the EIGRP route because it has a lower administrative distance.
B.Both the OSPF and EIGRP routes are installed in the routing table.
C.Traffic to 172.16.10.100 is forwarded using the OSPF route.
D.The EIGRP route is used for all traffic destined to any address within 172.16.0.0/16.
E.The OSPF route is used for destinations within 172.16.0.0/16 that are not part of the 172.16.10.0/24 subnet.
AnswersB, E

Since the routes have different prefix lengths, they are treated as separate destinations and both are installed.

Why this answer

B is correct because the router installs both routes in the routing table when they have different prefix lengths. The EIGRP route to 172.16.10.0/24 (AD 90) is more specific than the OSPF route to 172.16.0.0/16 (AD 110). The router uses the longest prefix match rule for forwarding, so both routes coexist without conflict.

Exam trap

Cisco often tests the misconception that administrative distance alone determines which route is installed, ignoring the critical role of prefix length in the longest prefix match rule.

Why the other options are wrong

A

The router does not discard the OSPF route; it installs both /16 and /24 entries because they represent different network-specific entries.

C

The traffic matches the /24 route, not the /16, so it would be forwarded via the EIGRP next-hop.

D

The /24 is a subset; traffic outside 172.16.10.0/24 matches only the /16 OSPF route.

105
MCQhard

R1 and R2 are connected via Ethernet and are configured with OSPF, but they fail to form an adjacency. Upon checking the interface configurations, you see that R1’s interface is in OSPF area 0 while R2’s interface is in area 1, and both interfaces use default timers and are in the same subnet. What is the most likely reason?

A.The OSPF areas do not match on the shared segment.
B.The routers must use the same process ID.
C.The interfaces are in different IPv4 subnets.
D.OSPF cannot run on Ethernet interfaces.
AnswerA

This is correct because the same link is placed into area 0 on one side and area 1 on the other.

Why this answer

The most likely cause is an OSPF area mismatch on the shared segment. R1 and R2 are in the same IP subnet and use default hello/dead timers, so neither subnet mismatch nor timer mismatch is the problem. OSPF can run on Ethernet interfaces.

However, OSPF requires neighbors on the same link to agree on the area ID; here they differ, preventing adjacency. Option B is incorrect because OSPF process IDs are locally significant and do not need to match.

Exam trap

A common mistake is believing that OSPF process IDs must match between routers to form an adjacency; process IDs are locally significant and do not need to match.

Why the other options are wrong

B

This option is incorrect because OSPF process IDs are locally significant and do not need to match between routers. Different process IDs do not prevent adjacency formation.

C

This option is incorrect because the interfaces are in the same IPv4 subnet (10.1.50.0/24), which is a prerequisite for OSPF adjacency on broadcast networks.

D

This option is incorrect because OSPF commonly runs on Ethernet interfaces. Ethernet is a supported media type for OSPF neighbor discovery and adjacency formation.

106
PBQhard

You are connected to R1, a Cisco router that must establish OSPFv3 adjacency with R2 over its GigabitEthernet0/0 link. The link uses IPv6 addresses 2001:db8:1:1::1/64 on R1 and 2001:db8:1:1::2/64 on R2. R1 currently has IPv6 unicast routing enabled but no OSPFv3 process configured. Configure R1 so that it forms a full OSPFv3 neighbor relationship with R2 and installs the loopback network 2001:db8:2:2::/64 (advertised by R2) into its IPv6 routing table.

Network Topology
G0/02001:db8:1:1::1/64G0/02001:db8:1:1::2/64linkR1R2

Hints

  • OSPFv3 requires a router-id; use 1.1.1.1 for simplicity.
  • Activate OSPFv3 on the interface with the correct process ID and area.
  • Verify adjacency shows FULL state and the route appears in the IPv6 routing table.
A.ipv6 router ospf 1 router-id 1.1.1.1 interface GigabitEthernet0/0 ipv6 ospf 1 area 0
B.ipv6 router ospf 1 router-id 1.1.1.1 interface GigabitEthernet0/0 ipv6 ospf 1 area 0 network 2001:db8:1:1::0/64 area 0
C.ipv6 router ospf 1 router-id 1.1.1.1 interface GigabitEthernet0/0 ipv6 ospf 1 area 0 ipv6 ospf network point-to-point
D.ipv6 router ospf 1 router-id 1.1.1.1 interface GigabitEthernet0/0 ipv6 ospf 1 area 0 ipv6 ospf hello-interval 5
AnswerA
solution
! R1
ipv6 router ospf 1
router-id 1.1.1.1
interface GigabitEthernet0/0
ipv6 ospf 1 area 0

Why this answer

R1 requires OSPFv3 configuration: enable the process with 'ipv6 router ospf 1', set a router-id, then enable OSPFv3 on the interface with 'ipv6 ospf 1 area 0'. Option B incorrectly attempts to use a network command (OSPFv2 syntax). Option C sets a point-to-point network type, which on a broadcast link will mismatch with R2's default broadcast type and prevent adjacency.

Option D changes the hello interval to 5, causing a timer mismatch and adjacency failure.

Exam trap

Do not confuse OSPFv2 'network' commands with OSPFv3 interface configuration. Also, avoid adding unnecessary interface parameters that may disrupt adjacency.

Why the other options are wrong

B

The 'network' command is for OSPFv2 and does not exist in OSPFv3; interface configuration is done via interface commands.

C

Setting the network type to point-to-point changes the OSPF link type; without matching configuration on R2, adjacency will fail.

D

Mismatched hello intervals prevent OSPF neighbor relationships from forming.

107
MCQhard

Exhibit: R1 has the static route 'ip route 0.0.0.0 0.0.0.0 192.0.2.2 200' and also learns a default route from OSPF. Which default route will be installed while the OSPF route is present?

A.The static default route
C.Both default routes with per-packet load balancing
D.Neither route because floating statics suppress dynamic defaults
AnswerB

Correct choice.

Why this answer

The OSPF external default route wins because its administrative distance is 110, which is lower than the floating static route's distance of 200. The static route is intentionally given a higher AD so it is used only as a backup.

Exam trap

A common exam trap is assuming that static routes always override dynamic routes because static routes have a default administrative distance of 1. However, in this question, the static route is configured with an administrative distance of 200, making it less preferred than the OSPF route with an AD of 110. This floating static route is intended as a backup and will not be installed while the OSPF route is present.

Misreading the static route’s AD or ignoring it leads to the incorrect conclusion that the static route will be used, which is a frequent mistake in CCNA routing questions.

Why the other options are wrong

A

The static default route has an administrative distance of 200, which is higher than OSPF’s 110. Therefore, it is less preferred and will not be installed while the OSPF route is present, making this option incorrect.

C

Cisco routers do not perform per-packet load balancing between routes with different administrative distances. The route with the lowest AD is installed exclusively, so this option is incorrect.

D

Floating static routes do not suppress dynamic routes; instead, they serve as backups when dynamic routes are unavailable. Therefore, neither route is not installed is incorrect because the OSPF route will be installed.

108
Matchingmedium

Match each OSPF adjacency requirement or concept to its most accurate description.

Drag a concept onto its matching description — or click a concept then click the description.

Concepts
Matches

Must align between neighbors for stable adjacency formation

Must match on the shared OSPF segment

Identifies the router within the OSPF process

Stops hello exchange on that interface while still allowing advertisement of the connected network

Why these pairings

Hello/Dead timers must match between neighbors to form a stable OSPF adjacency; mismatched timers cause neighbor relationships to fail. Area must be identical on the shared OSPF segment because routers in different areas do not establish full adjacencies. Router ID uniquely identifies the router within the OSPF process, used for DR/BDR election and LSA origination.

Passive interface suppresses hello packets, preventing neighbor formation on that link, while still allowing the connected network to be advertised via the router's LSA.

Exam trap

Do not confuse the purpose of Hello packets with other OSPF mechanisms. Hello packets are for neighbor discovery and keepalives, not for exchanging routing information or computing routes.

109
MCQhard

R1 and R2 should form an OSPF adjacency on their shared GigabitEthernet link, but they remain stuck in EXSTART. What is the most likely cause?

A.The routers are using different OSPF areas.
B.The interface MTU values do not match.
C.One side is configured as passive-interface.
D.The subnet mask on the link is incorrect.
AnswerB

This is the classic cause of OSPF neighbors getting stuck in EXSTART or EXCHANGE.

Why this answer

The MTU values do not match. OSPF neighbors can discover each other and even move through earlier states, but an MTU mismatch commonly leaves them stuck in EXSTART or EXCHANGE because the routers do not agree on database description packet sizing. Area mismatch, network mismatch, and passive-interface issues usually prevent a much earlier stage of adjacency formation.

Exam trap

A common exam trap is selecting area mismatch or passive-interface as the cause of OSPF adjacency stuck in ExStart. While area mismatch prevents neighbor formation entirely, and passive-interface stops hello packets, these issues cause earlier failures, not ExStart stalls. The ExStart state specifically involves negotiating database description packets, which requires matching MTU values.

Candidates often overlook MTU mismatches because neighbors appear in the topology, misleading them to suspect other configuration errors. Understanding that MTU mismatch allows neighbor discovery but blocks database synchronization is key to avoiding this trap.

Why the other options are wrong

A

Both routers are configured in area 0, so area mismatch is not the cause. Area mismatches prevent neighbor discovery, which would stop adjacency formation before ExStart.

C

If one interface is passive, OSPF hello packets are not sent, preventing neighbor formation altogether. This would stop adjacency formation earlier than ExStart.

D

The subnet mask is consistent on both sides, allowing neighbor discovery. Incorrect subnet masks would prevent neighbors from recognizing each other, blocking adjacency before ExStart.

110
MCQhard

A network engineer notices that R1 is using the static route to 192.168.10.0/24 via next-hop 10.1.1.2 instead of the OSPF route via 10.2.2.2, even though the OSPF path has lower latency. What is the most likely cause?

A.The static route has a lower administrative distance than the OSPF route.
B.The OSPF route has a higher metric than the static route.
C.Equal-cost multi-path (ECMP) is disabled for OSPF.
D.The static route is configured with a higher next-hop IP address, so it is preferred.
AnswerA

Administrative distance is the first criterion used to select routes from different routing protocols. A static route has an AD of 1, while OSPF has an AD of 110. The lower AD wins, so the static route is installed in the routing table and used for forwarding, regardless of the OSPF path's better performance.

Why this answer

The static route is preferred because it has an administrative distance (AD) of 1, which is lower than OSPF's AD of 110. When multiple routes to the same destination exist from different routing sources, the route with the lowest AD is selected first. The static route's path might be slower, but AD comparison happens before any metric comparison.

To use the OSPF path, the static route must be removed or given a higher AD.

Exam trap

Many candidates mistakenly believe that the best path is determined solely by metric, and they might select option B, assuming the static route’s lower metric causes it to be preferred. However, administrative distance is evaluated before metrics.

Why the other options are wrong

B

Common misconception that metrics are compared across different routing protocols. In reality, AD is evaluated first, and only routes from the same protocol with equal AD are compared by metric.

C

Mistaking ECMP as the mechanism for selecting between two routes from different sources; in this scenario, the static route's AD disqualifies the OSPF route entirely.

D

Misunderstanding that IP addresses, not administrative distance or metrics, influence path selection.

111
PBQmedium

You are connected to R1 via console. R1 connects three subnets: 10.0.1.0/24 (area 0), 10.0.2.0/24 (area 0), and 10.0.3.0/24 (area 0). The serial link to R2 uses IP subnet 10.0.0.0/30 and is in OSPF area 1. The network administrator wants to advertise a single summary route for these three subnets to R2, reducing the OSPF link-state database size in area 1. R1 is already running OSPF with network statements for its connected subnets in their respective areas. You need to configure route summarization on R1 so that only the summary route is advertised to R2 via the serial link.

Hints

  • Summarization in OSPF is configured under the router ospf process using the area range command.
  • The summary route must cover all subnets with a single prefix.
  • Verify that the summary route appears in the OSPF database as a type 3 summary LSA.
A.router ospf 1 area 0 range 10.0.0.0 255.255.252.0
B.router ospf 1 summary-address 10.0.0.0 255.255.252.0
C.interface serial 0/0/0 ip summary-address ospf 1 10.0.0.0 255.255.252.0
D.router ospf 1 area 0 range 10.0.0.0 255.255.255.0
AnswerA
solution
! R1
router ospf 1
area 0 range 10.0.0.0 255.255.252.0

Why this answer

The 'area 0 range' command creates a summary route for the specified range, which is then advertised as a type 3 summary LSA to other areas. This reduces routing table size and prevents flapping.

Exam trap

Be careful not to confuse OSPF summarization commands with those of other routing protocols. OSPF uses 'area range' for internal summarization and 'summary-address' for external routes, while EIGRP uses 'summary-address' on interfaces. Also, ensure you calculate the correct summary mask that covers all subnets without being too broad or too specific.

Why the other options are wrong

B

The 'summary-address' command is not valid for OSPF; it is used in EIGRP and BGP.

C

The 'ip summary-address ospf' command is used for external route summarization, not for summarizing internal OSPF routes within an area.

D

The mask 255.255.255.0 is too specific and only covers a single /24 network, not the required range.

112
PBQhard

You are connected to R1. Configure OSPFv2 on R1 and R2 so that they form a full adjacency and can exchange routes. The current configuration has mismatched hello/dead timers blocking the adjacency. Adjust only the necessary settings on R1 to match R2's OSPF timers.

Network Topology
G0/0192.0.2.1/30G0/0192.0.2.2/30linkR1R2

Hints

  • Check the OSPF interface timers on both routers using 'show ip ospf interface'.
  • The dead interval must be exactly four times the hello interval unless manually set.
  • Use the 'ip ospf hello-interval' and 'ip ospf dead-interval' commands under the interface configuration.
A.Configure 'ip ospf hello-interval 5' and 'ip ospf dead-interval 20' on R1's GigabitEthernet0/0 interface.
B.Configure 'ip ospf hello-interval 10' and 'ip ospf dead-interval 40' on R2's interface to match R1's default timers.
C.Configure 'ip ospf hello-interval 5' on R1's GigabitEthernet0/0 interface only; the dead interval will adjust automatically.
D.Configure 'ip ospf dead-interval 20' on R1's GigabitEthernet0/0 interface only; the hello interval will adjust automatically.
AnswerA
solution
! R1
interface gigabitethernet0/0
ip ospf hello-interval 5
ip ospf dead-interval 20

Why this answer

The adjacency between R1 and R2 is not forming because the OSPF hello and dead timers are mismatched. R1 has default timers (Hello 10, Dead 40) while R2 has custom timers (Hello 5, Dead 20). To form an adjacency, OSPF timers must match on both ends.

On R1, you need to configure the OSPF interface timers to match R2 by issuing 'ip ospf hello-interval 5' and 'ip ospf dead-interval 20' on interface GigabitEthernet0/0. After applying these commands, the adjacency should come up.

Exam trap

A common trap is assuming that changing only the hello interval will automatically adjust the dead interval, or vice versa. In Cisco IOS, these timers are independent and must be set explicitly. Also, note that the dead interval must be at least four times the hello interval, but that relationship is not enforced automatically.

Why the other options are wrong

B

The specific factual error is that the instruction limits changes to R1 only; modifying R2 is not allowed.

C

The specific factual error is that the dead interval is not automatically derived from the hello interval; it must be set separately.

D

The specific factual error is that the hello interval is not automatically derived from the dead interval; both must be set explicitly.

113
Drag & Dropmedium

Drag and drop the following steps into the correct order to configure OSPFv3 for IPv6 on a Cisco IOS-XE router, including enabling IPv6 routing, setting up the OSPFv3 process, enabling it on an interface, and verifying the adjacency and routes.

Drag steps to the numbered slots on the right, or tap a step then tap a slot.

Steps
Order
1Step 1
2Step 2
3Step 3
4Step 4

Why this order

This order follows the logical workflow: first enable IPv6 globally, then configure the OSPFv3 process, apply it to the interface, and finally verify the results.

Exam trap

Students often forget to enable 'ipv6 unicast-routing' globally or try to enable OSPFv3 on an interface before explicitly creating the OSPF process, which may not fail but can result in an automatically assigned router ID.

114
Matchingmedium

Drag and drop the OSPFv2 commands on the left to their correct descriptions on the right.

Drag a concept onto its matching description — or click a concept then click the description.

Concepts
Matches

Enables OSPF on interfaces with IP addresses in the 10.0.0.0/8 range

Manually assigns the OSPF router ID

Suppresses OSPF hello packets on the specified interface

Manually defines an OSPF neighbor for non-broadcast networks

Displays the OSPF neighbor adjacency table

Resets the OSPF routing process and re-establishes adjacencies

Why these pairings

The `network 10.0.0.0 0.255.255.255 area 0` command activates OSPF on any interface with an IP in the 10.0.0.0/8 range (wildcard mask 0.255.255.255) and assigns it to area 0. `router-id 1.1.1.1` manually overrides the default router ID selection, ensuring a persistent OSPF identifier. `passive-interface g0/0` suppresses OSPF hello packets on that interface, so no neighbors are formed but the connected subnet is still advertised. `neighbor 192.168.1.2` statically defines an OSPF neighbor IP for non-broadcast networks where multicast hellos cannot reach the peer. `show ip ospf neighbor` is an EXEC command that displays the current neighbor adjacency table, including neighbor state and interface. `clear ip ospf process` resets all OSPF processes, forcing router ID re-election and full re-adjacency.

Exam trap

Learners often mistakenly interpret the OSPF network command’s wildcard mask as a subnet mask (e.g., think 0.255.255.255 means a /8 subnet mask), and they may treat passive-interface as completely disabling OSPF on the interface rather than just suppressing hello packets.

115
PBQhard

You are connected to R1 via console. R1 and R2 are directly connected via GigabitEthernet0/0. Configure OSPF process 1 on both routers so that they form a full adjacency. R1's router-id must be 1.1.1.1, and R2's router-id must be 2.2.2.2. Use network statements to advertise the direct link. Ensure that R1 does not send OSPF hellos out of its GigabitEthernet0/1 interface. The current configuration on R1 has mismatched hello and dead timers, and an incorrect network type, preventing adjacency. Fix all issues.

Network Topology
G0/0192.0.2.1/30G0/0192.0.2.2/30linkR1R2

Hints

  • Check the hello and dead timer values on R1 vs R2 using show ip ospf interface.
  • The default hello timer for broadcast networks is 10 seconds, dead timer 40 seconds.
  • Use interface configuration mode to change OSPF timers.
A.On R1, configure 'ip ospf hello-interval 10' and 'ip ospf dead-interval 40' under interface GigabitEthernet0/0, and ensure network type is broadcast. On R2, configure 'router-id 2.2.2.2' under router ospf 1. Also, on R1, add 'passive-interface GigabitEthernet0/1' under router ospf 1.
B.On R1, configure 'ip ospf hello-interval 30' and 'ip ospf dead-interval 120' under interface GigabitEthernet0/0, and set network type to point-to-point. On R2, configure 'router-id 2.2.2.2' under router ospf 1. Also, on R1, add 'passive-interface default' under router ospf 1.
C.On R1, configure 'ip ospf hello-interval 10' and 'ip ospf dead-interval 40' under interface GigabitEthernet0/0, and set network type to point-to-point. On R2, configure 'router-id 2.2.2.2' under router ospf 1. Also, on R1, add 'passive-interface GigabitEthernet0/1' under router ospf 1.
D.On R1, configure 'ip ospf hello-interval 10' and 'ip ospf dead-interval 40' under interface GigabitEthernet0/0, and ensure network type is broadcast. On R2, configure 'router-id 2.2.2.2' under router ospf 1. Also, on R1, add 'network 10.0.0.0 0.255.255.255 area 0' under router ospf 1.
AnswerA
solution
! R1
interface GigabitEthernet0/0
ip ospf hello-interval 10
ip ospf dead-interval 40

Why this answer

The adjacency was failing because R1 had incorrect hello (30) and dead (120) timers, while R2 used defaults (10/40). Additionally, R1’s network type was set to a non-broadcast type, causing a mismatch. To fix, on R1’s GigabitEthernet0/0, set hello-interval 10, dead-interval 40, and network type broadcast.

In OSPF process 1 on R1, configure passive-interface GigabitEthernet0/1 to suppress hellos on that interface. On R2, under router ospf 1, set router-id 2.2.2.2. Option A addresses all requirements.

Option B uses wrong timers and passive-interface default, which blocks hellos on all interfaces, breaking adjacency. Option C sets network type point-to-point, creating a type mismatch with R2’s broadcast, preventing adjacency. Option D omits the passive-interface command, failing to suppress hellos on GigabitEthernet0/1 as required.

Exam trap

The exam trap is that candidates may focus on the network type or extra network statements, but the primary issue is the timer mismatch. OSPF requires hello and dead timers to match for adjacency. Also, remember that 'passive-interface default' suppresses hellos on all interfaces, which would break the adjacency; use specific passive-interface commands.

Why the other options are wrong

B

Incorrect timers (30/120) break adjacency, and 'passive-interface default' suppresses hellos on all interfaces, including the transit link.

C

Network type point-to-point on R1 does not match R2's default broadcast, causing a type mismatch that prevents OSPF adjacency.

D

Omits the required 'passive-interface GigabitEthernet0/1' command, leaving hellos sending on that interface.

116
MCQhard

Two directly connected routers, R1 and R2, are configured with single-area OSPF in Area 0. The administrator notices that they are not forming a full OSPF neighbor adjacency. The exhibit displays relevant portions of the running configurations. What is the most likely cause of the problem?

A.The network command on R1 does not include the correct subnet mask.
B.R1's passive-interface default prevents OSPF hello packets from being sent on GigabitEthernet0/0.
C.The GigabitEthernet0/0 interface on R2 is administratively down.
D.The routers are configured with different OSPF area IDs.
AnswerB

The passive-interface default command makes all interfaces passive, disabling hello transmission, which is necessary for neighbor adjacency. Without hellos, no adjacency forms.

Why this answer

The passive-interface default command on R1 sets all interfaces to passive by default, which prevents OSPF hello packets from being sent out GigabitEthernet0/0. Without hello packets, R1 cannot discover R2 or form a neighbor adjacency, even though the network command is correctly configured. This is the most likely cause because the exhibit shows R1's configuration includes passive-interface default without a corresponding no passive-interface GigabitEthernet0/0 statement.

Exam trap

Cisco often tests the passive-interface default command as a trap, because candidates may overlook that it applies to all interfaces unless explicitly overridden, leading them to incorrectly focus on network command mismatches or area ID issues.

Why the other options are wrong

A

The network statement is syntactically correct and covers the interface IP address, so it does enable OSPF process on that interface (subject to the passive-interface setting).

C

The configuration shows 'no shutdown', indicating the interface is enabled. Administrative down would require the 'shutdown' command or lack of 'no shutdown'.

D

The output clearly shows 'area 0' in both routers' OSPF configurations, so area mismatch is not the cause.

117
MCQhard

Refer to the exhibit. A network engineer is troubleshooting an OSPF adjacency issue between R1 and R2. The output of the show ip ospf neighbor command on R1 shows the neighbor relationship with R2 stuck in the EXSTART/DROTHER state. What is the most likely cause?

A.OSPF network type mismatch between R1 and R2, preventing full adjacency.
B.Duplicate OSPF Router IDs on R1 and R2, causing DBD packet rejection.
C.OSPF authentication mismatch on the link, causing DBD packets to be rejected.
D.MTU mismatch on the link between R1 and R2, causing DBD packets to be dropped.
AnswerD

The EXSTART/DROTHER state in the exhibit indicates that OSPF is stuck in the DBD exchange phase. This is a classic symptom of an MTU mismatch, where one side creates DBD packets larger than the other's MTU, leading to silent drops. The output directly confirms the neighbor is in EXSTART, not EXCHANGE or FULL.

Why this answer

The output specifically shows neighbor 10.0.0.2 in the EXSTART/DROTHER state. This state indicates that the Database Description (DBD) packet exchange phase has not completed. The most common cause for a neighbor to remain stuck in EXSTART is an MTU mismatch on the link, causing DBD packets (which are larger than the MTU) to be silently dropped.

Exam trap

Many candidates incorrectly select authentication mismatch or network type mismatch. However, an authentication mismatch would prevent Hello processing and the neighbor would not appear in the table at all; a network type mismatch would typically result in a 2-WAY/DROTHER state, not EXSTART.

Why the other options are wrong

A

Candidates may confuse adjacency failures with DBD exchange problems, but network type mismatch leads to a different state (2-WAY).

B

Candidates think duplicate Router IDs might cause DBD exchange failure, but duplicate IDs prevent neighbor discovery entirely.

C

Many associate EXSTART with any adjacency issue, but authentication errors prevent the neighbor from being listed at all.

118
MCQmedium

A branch router learns a route to 10.20.30.0/24 from OSPF with metric 30 and also has a static route to the same prefix with an administrative distance of 5. Which route will appear in the routing table?

A.The OSPF route because metric 30 is lower than the static route metric
B.The static route because its administrative distance is lower
C.Both routes with equal preference because they point to the same prefix
D.Neither route until the router performs a full SPF recalculation
AnswerB

Correct choice.

Why this answer

The router installs the static route because administrative distance is compared before metric when two different routing sources advertise the same prefix. OSPF metric matters only against other OSPF choices, not against a lower-AD static route.

Exam trap

A common exam trap is to confuse the OSPF metric with administrative distance and assume the route with the lower metric is preferred. Since OSPF’s metric is 30 and the static route’s metric is not applicable or higher, candidates may incorrectly select the OSPF route. However, Cisco routers first compare administrative distance, which is a measure of route trustworthiness across different routing sources.

Because the static route has a lower administrative distance (5) than OSPF (110), the static route is preferred and installed in the routing table. Misunderstanding this leads to incorrect route selection and exam errors.

Why the other options are wrong

A

This option is incorrect because metric values are only compared among routes learned from the same routing protocol. The OSPF metric of 30 is irrelevant when compared to a static route, which is a different routing source with a lower administrative distance.

C

This option is incorrect because routers do not install multiple routes to the same prefix from different routing protocols unless they have equal administrative distance and are configured for load balancing. Here, the static route’s lower AD prevents the OSPF route from being installed.

D

This option is incorrect because the router does not delay route installation until a full SPF recalculation. Route selection is immediate based on administrative distance and metric rules. SPF recalculation only affects OSPF route selection, not cross-protocol comparisons.

119
MCQhard

R1 learns three OSPF routes to different destinations: O 10.10.10.0/24 O IA 10.20.20.0/24 O E2 10.30.30.0/24 Which statement is correct about these route types?

A.O IA is an external route redistributed from another routing protocol.
B.O E2 is an OSPF external type 2 route.
C.O means the route was learned through EIGRP.
D.All three routes were learned from the same OSPF area type.
AnswerB

That is exactly what the code means.

Why this answer

An O route is intra-area, O IA is interarea, and O E2 is an external type 2 route redistributed into OSPF. The codes describe route origin, not just preference. CCNA expects you to identify them quickly when reading the routing table.

Exam trap

A frequent exam trap is confusing the OSPF route codes, especially mistaking 'O IA' (inter-area) for an external route redistributed from another protocol. Candidates often incorrectly assume that 'O IA' means external, but it actually represents routes learned from a different OSPF area within the same autonomous system. Another common mistake is thinking the 'O' code indicates EIGRP routes, which it does not; EIGRP uses different codes such as 'D'.

This confusion can cause candidates to select incorrect answers about route origins or types. Carefully distinguishing between intra-area, inter-area, and external routes based on OSPF codes is essential to avoid this pitfall.

Why the other options are wrong

A

Option A incorrectly states that 'O IA' is an external route redistributed from another routing protocol. In reality, 'O IA' stands for inter-area routes within OSPF, not external routes. External routes use 'O E1' or 'O E2' codes.

C

Option C incorrectly claims that 'O' means the route was learned through EIGRP. The 'O' code is exclusive to OSPF intra-area routes. EIGRP routes use the code 'D' in Cisco routing tables.

D

Option D is incorrect because the three routes represent different OSPF route types: intra-area (O), inter-area (O IA), and external (O E2). They do not all come from the same OSPF area type.

120
PBQhard

You are connected to R1 via the console. Configure single-area OSPFv2 on R1 and R2 so that they form a full adjacency. The link between R1 and R2 uses 203.0.113.0/30. R1 has G0/0 203.0.113.1/30 and R2 has G0/0 203.0.113.2/30. R1's router-id must be 1.1.1.1, and R2's router-id must be 2.2.2.2. R1's GigabitEthernet0/0 interface is configured as a passive interface under OSPF, preventing OSPF hello messages from being sent out of that interface. Ensure that R1 does not send OSPF hellos out of its loopback0 interface (203.0.113.129/32). After configuration, verify the adjacency is established and OSPF routes are exchanged.

Hints

  • Check if G0/0 is passive on R1 using 'show ip ospf interface'
  • The passive-interface default command makes all interfaces passive unless explicitly excluded
  • Use 'no passive-interface <interface>' under router ospf to allow hellos on the link
A.The adjacency fails because R1's GigabitEthernet0/0 interface is configured as passive-interface. Remove the passive-interface command for G0/0.
B.The adjacency fails because the router-id 1.1.1.1 is not reachable from R2. Configure a static route for 1.1.1.1/32 on R2.
C.The adjacency fails because the subnet mask on the link is /30 but OSPF expects a /24. Change the mask to /24 on both interfaces.
D.The adjacency fails because OSPF is not enabled on R2's GigabitEthernet0/0 interface. Configure 'ip ospf 1 area 0' on R2's G0/0.
AnswerA
solution
! R1
router ospf 1
no passive-interface GigabitEthernet0/0

Why this answer

The adjacency fails because R1's GigabitEthernet0/0 interface is configured as passive-interface (the 'No Hellos' line in show ip ospf interface). This prevents R1 from sending OSPF hellos to R2. To fix, remove the passive-interface command for G0/0.

The loopback0 interface should remain passive. After removal, verify with 'show ip ospf neighbor' to see the neighbor state change to FULL and 'show ip route ospf' to see routes.

Exam trap

The trap is that candidates may overlook the 'passive-interface' command's effect on hello suppression. They might focus on router-id or subnet issues instead. Always check 'show ip ospf interface' for passive status when adjacency fails.

Why the other options are wrong

B

The router-id is used only for OSPF router identification and does not need to be reachable; adjacency uses interface IP addresses.

C

OSPF does not require a specific subnet mask; it uses the configured mask on the interface as the network type.

D

OSPF is enabled on R2's G0/0; the issue is on R1's side where the passive-interface prevents hellos.

121
MCQhard

Refer to the exhibit. A network engineer notices that traffic from R1 to the 10.1.0.0/16 network is taking a longer path than expected despite OSPF being the only routing protocol. The engineer examines the OSPF LSDB on R1 to investigate. Based on the output, what is the most likely cause of the suboptimal routing?

A.The reference bandwidth has been misconfigured on R1, causing the OSPF cost calculation to be inflated for some links.
B.The ABR is filtering the 10.1.0.0/16 route from Area 1 into Area 0, causing the router to recalculate the metric higher.
C.The ABR is configured with the 'area 1 range 10.1.0.0 255.255.0.0 cost 1000' command.
D.The metric-type for OSPF external routes has been set to type 2, causing the metric to be inflated to 1000 for the 10.1.0.0/16 prefix.
AnswerC

The ABR (10.1.1.1) is advertising a Type 3 summary LSA for 10.1.0.0/16 with a metric of 1000. This matches the behavior of the 'area range' command with the 'cost' keyword, which overrides the default metric calculation for inter-area summaries and injects the specified cost. The other LSAs from the same ABR use normal metrics, confirming the summary-specific configuration.

Why this answer

The exhibit shows three Type 3 summary LSAs from the same ABR (10.1.1.1). Two of them have metrics 10 and 20, which are consistent with normal OSPF intra-area path costs. The LSA for 10.1.0.0/16 has metric 1000, an abnormally high value.

This indicates that the ABR is injecting this summary with a manually configured cost, typically done with the 'area <id> range <network> <mask> cost <value>' command. Global reference bandwidth changes would affect all metrics equally, and route filtering does not alter metric values. External route metric types are unrelated to Type 3 inter-area summaries.

Exam trap

Candidates often choose misconfigured reference bandwidth (Option A) when they see an unexpected metric, but the fact that only one summary LSA has a high value while others are normal proves the cause is specific to that prefix, not a global parameter.

Why the other options are wrong

A

Candidates may attribute arbitrary high metrics to a bandwidth calculation error, without noticing that only one LSA is affected.

B

A misunderstanding that filtering can somehow alter the metric rather than block the advertisement completely.

D

Confusion between external and inter-area route types leads candidates to think that metric-type manipulation could affect an internal summary LSA.

122
MCQhard

Refer to the exhibit. A network engineer is troubleshooting an OSPFv2 neighbor adjacency that remains in the DOWN state between R1 and R2. The engineer issues the show cdp neighbors detail command on R1 and confirms that R1's GigabitEthernet0/1 interface is configured with IP address 192.168.1.1/30. What is the most likely cause of the problem?

A.The OSPF area IDs configured on R1 and R2 do not match.
B.There is an MTU mismatch between the two routers.
C.The IP addresses on the connected interfaces are in different subnets.
D.OSPF authentication is configured incorrectly on one of the routers.
AnswerC

The CDP entry for R2 shows an IP address of 10.1.1.2, while the local interface on R1 has 192.168.1.1/30, which is a different subnet. OSPF requires both ends of a link to share a common subnet.

Why this answer

The correct answer is C because OSPFv2 requires that neighboring interfaces share a common subnet to form an adjacency. The show cdp neighbors detail output confirms R1's GigabitEthernet0/1 is configured with IP address 192.168.1.1/30, but if R2's interface is on a different subnet (e.g., 192.168.2.0/30), the routers will not be able to communicate OSPF Hello packets, leaving the neighbor state in DOWN. This is a fundamental OSPF neighbor formation requirement, and a subnet mismatch will prevent the adjacency from progressing past the DOWN state.

Exam trap

Cisco often tests the specific OSPF neighbor state where a subnet mismatch causes the adjacency to remain in DOWN, tricking candidates into thinking it would cause a later state issue like EXSTART/EXCHANGE, which is actually associated with MTU or area ID mismatches.

Why the other options are wrong

A

Area mismatch is a valid cause but not supported by the given data; the IP addresses are on different subnets, which logically precedes area negotiation.

B

MTU is not shown; candidates may recall that mismatched MTU can cause OSPF problems but the scenario explicitly reveals an IP addressing inconsistency.

D

Authentication issues are common OSPF traps, but they are not indicated here; the IP address difference is explicitly observed.

123
PBQhard

You are connected to R1, a router that must establish OSPFv3 adjacency with R2 over the directly connected link G0/0. The current configuration is incomplete: OSPFv3 process is configured but not enabled on the interface, and global IPv6 unicast routing is missing. Configure R1 so that it becomes an OSPFv3 neighbor with R2 and learns the loopback route 2001:db8:1:2::/64 via OSPFv3. Then verify neighbor state and routing table.

Network Topology
G0/02001:db8:0:1::1/64G0/02001:db8:0:1::2/64linkR1R2

Hints

  • OSPFv3 requires IPv6 unicast routing to be enabled globally before it can operate.
  • OSPFv3 is enabled on an interface using the 'ipv6 ospf <process-id> area <area-id>' command.
  • Without the interface-level command, the router will not send hellos and will not form an adjacency.
A.Enable IPv6 unicast routing globally and activate OSPFv3 on GigabitEthernet0/0 with the command 'ipv6 ospf 1 area 0'.
B.Enable IPv6 unicast routing globally and configure OSPFv3 process 1 with the 'network' command under the OSPFv3 router configuration mode.
C.Enable IPv6 unicast routing globally and configure OSPFv3 process 1 with the 'router-id' command to ensure adjacency.
D.Enable IPv6 unicast routing globally and configure OSPFv3 process 1 with the 'passive-interface default' command to allow adjacency.
AnswerA
solution
! R1
ipv6 unicast-routing
interface GigabitEthernet0/0
ipv6 ospf 1 area 0

Why this answer

R1 is missing two critical configurations: global IPv6 unicast routing must be enabled with 'ipv6 unicast-routing', and OSPFv3 must be activated on GigabitEthernet0/0 using 'ipv6 ospf 1 area 0' under the interface. Without these, R1 cannot send or receive OSPFv3 hellos, so no adjacency forms and routes are not exchanged. After applying both commands, the neighbor state becomes FULL and the remote loopback appears in the IPv6 routing table.

Exam trap

The exam trap is that OSPFv3 configuration differs from OSPFv2: OSPFv3 does not use network statements under the router process; instead, it is enabled directly on the interface. Additionally, IPv6 unicast routing must be globally enabled before OSPFv3 can function. Candidates often forget one of these two steps.

Why the other options are wrong

B

The specific factual error is that OSPFv3 uses interface-level configuration, not network statements under the OSPF process.

C

The specific factual error is that setting a router ID alone does not activate OSPFv3 on an interface; OSPFv3 must be explicitly enabled on the interface.

D

The specific factual error is that 'passive-interface default' would actually prevent adjacency, not help form it.

124
Multi-Selecthard

Exhibit: An OSPFv2 adjacency between two routers on Ethernet is not forming. Which two mismatches would directly prevent the routers from becoming neighbors?

Select 2 answers
A.Different OSPF area assignments on the interfaces
B.Authentication mismatch between the interfaces
C.Different hostnames on the routers
D.Different loopback addresses used for management
E.One router using SSH version 2
AnswersA, B

Neighbors on the same link must agree on the area.

Why this answer

On an OSPFv2 network, area mismatch and authentication mismatch both directly prevent adjacency formation. Mismatched timers (such as hello or dead intervals) also block adjacency on all network types, including Ethernet. In this scenario, the correct choices are area mismatch (A) and authentication mismatch (B).

Exam trap

A common exam trap is selecting options like different hostnames or loopback addresses as causes for OSPF adjacency failure. Candidates may mistakenly believe that router identification parameters affect neighbor formation. However, OSPF adjacency strictly depends on protocol parameters such as area ID and authentication.

Hostnames and loopback interfaces are used for management or router ID purposes but do not block adjacency. Misunderstanding this can lead to incorrect troubleshooting steps or exam answers, wasting valuable time and causing confusion.

Why the other options are wrong

C

Different hostnames do not affect OSPF adjacency since hostnames are used only for identification and management, not neighbor formation.

D

Different loopback addresses used for management do not influence OSPF adjacency on Ethernet interfaces, so they do not block neighbor relationships.

E

One router using SSH version 2 is unrelated to OSPF adjacency because SSH is a management protocol and does not impact routing protocol neighbor formation.

125
MCQhard

Refer to the exhibit. A network administrator is troubleshooting an OSPF adjacency on R1's GigabitEthernet0/0 interface connected directly to R2. R2 is powered on and shows correct OSPF configuration, but the adjacency is stuck in the INIT or DOWN state. Based on the output, what is the most likely cause of the failure?

A.The OSPF network type on R1's GigabitEthernet0/0 does not match the network type on R2.
B.The OSPF hello and dead timers on R1 do not match those configured on R2.
C.The GigabitEthernet0/0 interface on R1 has been assigned to a different OSPF area than R2's connected interface.
D.The OSPF passive-interface command has been applied to GigabitEthernet0/0, preventing hello packets from being sent.
AnswerD

The line 'No Hellos (Passive interface)' in the output directly indicates that the interface has been configured as passive, which suppresses all OSPF hello messages and blocks adjacency formation.

Why this answer

The command output explicitly shows 'No Hellos (Passive interface)', confirming that the passive-interface command has been applied to GigabitEthernet0/0. With this configuration, OSPF does not send or receive hello packets on the interface, preventing any adjacency from forming with the directly connected neighbor R2.

Exam trap

Many candidates immediately suspect a Hello/Dead timer mismatch (Option B) because mismatched timers are a common cause of adjacency failures. However, the output clearly states that no hellos are being sent at all due to the passive state, making B incorrect.

Why the other options are wrong

A

Candidates may think network type mismatch when they see no adjacency, but the exhibit does not indicate a mismatch and explicitly shows the passive state.

B

Timer mismatch is a classic troubleshooting trap, but the 'No Hellos (Passive interface)' message overrides any timer considerations.

C

Candidates may guess area mismatch as a cause, but the exhibit provides no evidence of it, while the passive-interface message is a direct cause.

126
PBQmedium

You are connected to R1 via console. R1 is connected to three routers (R2, R3, R4) over Ethernet links, all in OSPF area 0. Due to network topology, R1 should not become the Designated Router (DR) or Backup Designated Router (BDR) on any of its interfaces. You need to configure R1's OSPF priority appropriately to ensure it never participates in DR/BDR elections.

Network Topology
G0/010.0.0.1/24G0/110.0.1.1/24G0/210.0.2.1/24R1R2R3R4

Hints

  • The DR/BDR election is based on the highest OSPF priority, with a tiebreaker on router ID.
  • Setting the priority to 0 on an interface means the router cannot become DR or BDR.
  • The command is configured under the interface.
A.Set the OSPF priority to 0 on all interfaces of R1.
B.Set the OSPF priority to 255 on all interfaces of R1.
C.Set the OSPF priority to 1 on all interfaces of R1.
D.Set the OSPF priority to 0 on the loopback interface of R1.
AnswerA
solution
! R1
interface GigabitEthernet0/0
ip ospf priority 0
interface GigabitEthernet0/1
ip ospf priority 0
interface GigabitEthernet0/2
ip ospf priority 0

Why this answer

Setting the OSPF priority to 0 on each Ethernet interface excludes R1 from DR/BDR elections entirely, as a priority of 0 signals that the router is ineligible. In contrast, option B (priority 255) is incorrect because the highest priority makes a router the most likely to become DR/BDR, not prevent it. Option C (priority 1) allows the router to participate in elections and could still become DR/BDR if no higher-priority router exists.

Option D is wrong because setting priority to 0 on the loopback interface does not affect the physical Ethernet interfaces where elections occur.

Exam trap

Remember that only a priority of 0 prevents a router from being elected as DR or BDR. Do not confuse priority with other OSPF parameters like cost or hello interval. Also, priority must be set on the actual interfaces facing the multiaccess network, not on loopback or other logical interfaces.

Why the other options are wrong

B

A priority of 255 is the highest possible value, ensuring the router becomes the DR or BDR, not excluding it.

C

Priority 1 is the default and allows the router to be elected if it has the highest priority or Router ID.

D

Loopback interfaces are not used for DR/BDR elections; they are logical interfaces. The priority must be set on the physical interfaces connecting to other routers.

127
MCQhard

A network engineer notices that traffic from the router to server 192.168.10.5 is being sent over a slow backup link, even though the primary high-speed link is up. The routing table has an OSPF route for 192.168.10.0/24 via the primary link and a static host route to 192.168.10.5/32 via the backup link. Why is the backup link used for traffic to the server?

A.The static route has an administrative distance of 1, which is lower than OSPF's 110, so it is always preferred.
B.The router is load-balancing between the two routes, and traffic is being hashed to the backup link for this particular flow.
C.The OSPF route is not installed in the routing table because the static route has a better AD.
D.The static /32 route is a more specific match than the OSPF /24 route, so it is selected regardless of administrative distance.
AnswerD

The router always picks the route with the longest prefix match. The /32 route matches 192.168.10.5 exactly, while the /24 route matches a broader range. Therefore, the /32 route is used.

Why this answer

The router uses the most specific matching route in the routing table to forward traffic. The static host route to 192.168.10.5/32 has a longer prefix length (32 bits) than the OSPF route for 192.168.10.0/24 (24 bits), making it a more specific match. Even though OSPF has a higher administrative distance, the longest prefix match rule takes precedence over administrative distance when both routes are present in the routing table.

Exam trap

Cisco often tests the misconception that administrative distance is the sole factor in route selection, when in fact the longest prefix match rule is evaluated first and takes priority over AD for any routes that are already in the routing table.

Why the other options are wrong

A

Administrative distance is only compared when two routes have the same prefix length. Here, the /32 route has a longer prefix, so it is chosen first.

B

Load balancing requires routes with identical prefix lengths and metrics. The /32 and /24 routes are treated as different destinations.

C

AD is only compared when routes have the exact same prefix length. The routing table can hold multiple overlapping routes as long as they differ in prefix length.

128
MCQhard

An OSPF-enabled router has two paths to the same destination network, and both paths have the same OSPF cost. What is the most likely default behavior?

A.Install both routes and use equal-cost multipath forwarding
B.Discard both routes because OSPF cannot handle duplicates
C.Always keep only the route learned first
D.Replace both routes with a default route
AnswerA

This is correct because OSPF can install multiple equal-cost paths to the same destination.

Why this answer

When OSPF learns two equally good paths to the same destination, the router can install both and perform equal-cost multipath forwarding. In plain language, the router does not have to throw one away simply because there are two valid answers. If the routes are truly equal from OSPF’s perspective, it can use both paths to improve resilience and share traffic.

This is a classic routing behavior question because many candidates assume the router must always choose only one best path. In reality, equal-cost multipath is a normal feature in many routing environments. The key is that the paths must be equally good according to the protocol’s metric logic.

Exam trap

A frequent exam trap is believing that OSPF must select only one best route when multiple paths have the same cost. Many candidates mistakenly think OSPF discards duplicates or keeps only the first learned route. This misunderstanding leads to incorrect answers suggesting route discarding or default route replacement.

The trap arises because some routing protocols or older implementations do not support equal-cost multipath. However, OSPF explicitly supports installing multiple equal-cost routes to improve load balancing and fault tolerance, so assuming otherwise causes errors in exam scenarios.

Why the other options are wrong

B

Incorrect because OSPF can handle multiple equal-cost routes and does not discard them; it uses all equal-cost paths to improve traffic distribution.

C

Incorrect since OSPF does not keep only the first learned route when multiple equal-cost paths exist; it installs all such routes for load balancing.

D

Incorrect because OSPF does not replace multiple valid equal-cost routes with a default route; default routes are used only when no specific routes exist.

129
MCQhard

R1 loses its route to 192.168.20.0/24 whenever R2's GigabitEthernet0/0 interface flaps. The network engineer has configured a floating static route with an administrative distance of 200. The OSPF route has an AD of 110. After R2's G0/0 interface recovers, the floating static route appears in the routing table instead of the OSPF route. What should the technician do next?

B.Check the carrier delay timers on R2's GigabitEthernet0/0 interface.
C.Clear the IP routing table and reset the OSPF process on R1.
D.Verify that the MTU on R1 and R2's GigabitEthernet0/0 interfaces match.
AnswerB

A high carrier-delay (interface debounce) timer can keep the link down for too long after a flap, delaying OSPF neighbor formation. While the interface remains down, the floating static route stays in the table. Checking this timer is a logical, non‑destructive next step.

Why this answer

The next step is to check the carrier delay timers on R2's G0/0 interface. If a high debounce (carrier-delay) timer is configured, the interface remains down for several seconds after physical link recovery. During this time OSPF neighbor adjacency cannot form, so the floating static route (which is already installed) remains in the table.

This is a Layer 2/Layer 1 timing issue that directly impacts OSPF convergence.

Exam trap

Many candidates will jump to adjusting the static route's AD or clearing the routing table, which skips the proper diagnostic sequence. They may incorrectly assume OSPF is misconfigured rather than verifying link‑level timers first.

Why the other options are wrong

A

Misunderstanding of route preference: a higher AD value does not keep a floating static installed when a better OSPF route becomes available.

C

Troubleshooting should follow the OSI model bottom‑up; immediately resetting processes skips basic interface‑level verification.

D

It targets a different root cause (OSPF adjacency failure due to MTU) that would manifest constantly, not only after interface recovery.

130
MCQhard

An engineer wants a static route to be used only if the OSPF route to the same network disappears. What should be configured?

A.A static route with lower administrative distance than OSPF
B.A static route with higher administrative distance than OSPF
C.A second OSPF route with a lower metric
D.A default route with no next hop
AnswerB

Correct. Higher-AD static routes provide backup behavior.

Why this answer

A floating static route is given a higher administrative distance than the preferred dynamic route so it stays out of the routing table unless the dynamic route is lost.

Exam trap

Remember, administrative distance determines route preference across different protocols, not metrics.

Why the other options are wrong

A

This option is wrong because a static route with a lower administrative distance than OSPF would take precedence over OSPF routes, making it active even when OSPF is available, contrary to the requirement of using the static route only when the OSPF route is unavailable.

C

This option is wrong because a second OSPF route with a lower metric would not serve as a backup to the existing OSPF route; instead, it would be preferred over the static route, which contradicts the requirement for the static route to be used only if the OSPF route disappears.

D

A default route with no next hop would not serve as a backup for an OSPF route because it lacks specificity and cannot direct traffic to a specific network. It would be ineffective in scenarios where a specific static route is needed when OSPF fails.

131
MCQhard

Refer to the exhibit. A network engineer is troubleshooting a missing route on R1. The router R3 is configured to advertise network 192.168.30.0/24 via OSPF, but the route is not present in the OSPF routing table of R1 when issuing the show ip route ospf command. What is the most likely cause?

A.R3 has not enabled OSPF on the network 192.168.30.0/24 using the network command.
B.R3 has passive-interface default configured and has not issued the no passive-interface command on the interface facing the OSPF neighbor.
C.R1 has an inbound ACL applied to GigabitEthernet0/1 that blocks OSPF multicast traffic to 224.0.0.5 and 224.0.0.6.
D.R3's OSPF router ID is duplicated with another OSPF router, causing the SPF algorithm to drop routes.
AnswerB

Passive-interface default suppresses OSPF hello packets on all interfaces unless explicitly enabled. Without hellos, an adjacency cannot form, so R1 never learns the 192.168.30.0/24 route. The exhibit shows OSPF working with another neighbor, confirming the problem is isolated to R3’s interface configuration.

Why this answer

The exhibit from R1# show ip route ospf displays OSPF routes for 192.168.10.0/24 and 192.168.20.0/24 learned via 10.1.1.2 on GigabitEthernet0/1, proving that OSPF is functioning with neighbor R2. The route 192.168.30.0/24 that R3 is supposed to advertise is missing, indicating that R1 has not formed an OSPF adjacency with R3. When 'passive-interface default' is configured, OSPF hello packets are suppressed on all interfaces unless explicitly overridden with 'no passive-interface'.

As a result, R3 does not send hellos, preventing adjacency and route advertisement. This directly explains why the exhibit lacks the 192.168.30.0/24 entry.

Exam trap

Candidates often jump to answer A, thinking that a missing route means the network command is missing under OSPF. However, the scenario explicitly states R3 is configured to advertise the network, so the real issue is an adjacency problem caused by passive-interface default, which stops hellos from being exchanged.

Why the other options are wrong

A

The question says R3 advertises the network via OSPF; a missing network command would contradict that, so the failure must be in adjacency formation.

C

The presence of other OSPF routes on the same interface disproves a blanket multicast ACL; the issue is specific to R3’s adjacency.

D

A duplicate router ID could prevent adjacency, but the scenario’s focus on passive-interface default provides a more common and direct cause for a total lack of adjacency when OSPF is correctly configured on the network.

132
MCQhard

Two directly connected routers running OSPFv3 do not form an adjacency. Both interfaces have valid IPv6 addresses and can ping each other using link-local addresses. What is the most likely cause?

A.The interfaces are assigned to different OSPFv3 areas.
B.The routers need global unicast addresses before OSPFv3 can run.
C.The router IDs must be identical before adjacency can form.
D.The link-local addresses must be learned from DHCPv6.
AnswerA

This is correct because OSPFv3 neighbors on the same link must agree on the area.

Why this answer

The most likely cause is an OSPFv3 area mismatch on the interface. In practical terms, OSPFv3 still requires neighbors on the same link to agree on the area assignment, just as OSPF for IPv4 does. Link-local reachability alone is not enough to form an adjacency. The protocol parameters still have to match.

This is an important IPv6 routing point because people sometimes assume that successful IPv6 ping means the routing protocol should automatically work. It does not. Adjacency depends on protocol alignment, not just basic connectivity.

Exam trap

A frequent exam trap is to assume that because two routers can ping each other using IPv6 link-local addresses, their OSPFv3 adjacency should automatically form. This mistake overlooks the critical requirement that both routers must be configured in the same OSPFv3 area. Candidates might also incorrectly believe that global unicast addresses are necessary for OSPFv3 adjacency or that router IDs must be identical.

These misconceptions lead to selecting incorrect answers, as adjacency depends on matching area IDs and unique router IDs, not on global addressing or identical IDs.

Why the other options are wrong

B

Incorrect. OSPFv3 forms adjacencies using IPv6 link-local addresses, so global unicast addresses are not mandatory for adjacency formation or neighbor discovery.

C

Incorrect. Router IDs must be unique identifiers for OSPF routers. Identical router IDs cause adjacency failure, but they do not need to be identical to form adjacency.

D

Incorrect. IPv6 link-local addresses are automatically configured on interfaces and do not require DHCPv6. OSPFv3 uses these link-local addresses for neighbor communication.

133
PBQhard

You are connected to R1 via console. Configure OSPFv3 for IPv6 on R1 and R2 so that IPv6 loopback interfaces on both routers can communicate. R1's GigabitEthernet0/0 and R2's GigabitEthernet0/1 are directly connected. Ensure OSPFv3 is enabled on the correct interfaces and verify neighbors and routes.

Network Topology
G0/02001:db8:12::1/64G0/12001:db8:12::2/64linkR1R2

Hints

  • OSPFv3 must be enabled per-interface, not globally.
  • Use the same OSPFv3 process ID and area on both routers.
  • Check which interfaces are physically connected between the routers.
A.Enable OSPFv3 on R1's GigabitEthernet0/0 and Loopback0, and on R2's GigabitEthernet0/1 and Loopback0.
B.Enable OSPFv3 only on the loopback interfaces of both routers.
C.Enable OSPFv3 on R1's GigabitEthernet0/0 and R2's GigabitEthernet0/1 only, without loopbacks.
D.Enable OSPFv3 on R1's Loopback0 and R2's GigabitEthernet0/1 only.
AnswerA
solution
! R1
interface GigabitEthernet0/0
ipv6 ospf 1 area 0
interface Loopback0
ipv6 ospf 1 area 0

! R2
interface GigabitEthernet0/1
ipv6 ospf 1 area 0
interface Loopback0
ipv6 ospf 1 area 0

Why this answer

The issue is that OSPFv3 is not enabled on the interfaces. On R1, OSPFv3 must be enabled on GigabitEthernet0/0 (the link to R2) and Loopback0 (to advertise the loopback). On R2, OSPFv3 must be enabled on GigabitEthernet0/1 (the link to R1) and Loopback0.

After enabling OSPFv3 on the correct interfaces, the neighbor adjacency forms and routes are exchanged.

Exam trap

A common trap is to enable OSPFv3 only on the link interfaces or only on the loopbacks. Remember that OSPFv3 must be enabled on every interface that needs to be advertised or that participates in neighbor discovery. Also, note that OSPFv3 uses 'ipv6 ospf <process-id> area <area-id>' under the interface, not the network statement used in OSPFv2.

Why the other options are wrong

B

OSPFv3 requires the link interface to be enabled to form neighbors; loopback-only configuration results in no neighbor relationship.

C

OSPFv3 must be enabled on the loopback interfaces to advertise their prefixes; otherwise, they remain unknown to the neighbor.

D

Both routers must have OSPFv3 enabled on the link interface to form an adjacency, and both loopbacks must be enabled to advertise their prefixes.

134
MCQhard

A router has the following routes in its routing table: a static route to 10.60.4.16/28, an OSPF route to 10.60.4.0/24, and an EIGRP route to 10.60.0.0/16. Which route will be used for a packet destined to 10.60.4.17?

A.The static route to 10.60.4.16/28
B.The OSPF route to 10.60.4.0/24
C.The EIGRP route to 10.60.0.0/16
D.No route at all
AnswerA

This is correct because the destination falls inside the more specific /28 prefix.

Why this answer

The route used will be the route with the longest matching prefix. In practical terms, 10.60.4.17 falls inside the /28 route shown, and that is more specific than the broader /24 and /16 alternatives. Because specificity comes first, the /28 route wins.

This is a clean route-table interpretation problem that mirrors actual exam-style thinking very closely.

Exam trap

Remember, the longest prefix match rule is crucial; don't assume broader prefixes are better.

Why the other options are wrong

B

This option is wrong because the OSPF route to 10.60.4.0/24 does not directly match the destination 10.60.4.17, which falls under the static route to 10.60.4.16/28. OSPF would not be preferred if a more specific static route exists.

C

The EIGRP route to 10.60.0.0/16 is not used for the destination 10.60.4.17 because it does not match the more specific subnet of 10.60.4.16/28, which is preferred in routing decisions.

D

This option is wrong because there is a valid static route to the destination 10.60.4.17 via the static route to 10.60.4.16/28, making it reachable. Therefore, stating 'no route at all' is incorrect in this context.

135
MCQhard

A network engineer configures OSPF between R1 and R2, but the routers never become neighbors on GigabitEthernet0/0. Based on the exhibit, what is the most likely cause?

A.The routers are using different OSPF areas.
B.The OSPF interface timers do not match.
C.The routers must use the same hostname to become neighbors.
D.The subnet mask prevents multicast OSPF traffic.
AnswerB

This is correct because OSPF neighbors on the same segment must agree on hello/dead intervals.

Why this answer

The most likely cause is a hello/dead timer mismatch. In practical terms, both routers are on the same subnet and both are trying to run OSPF in area 0, so the obvious items look correct. But OSPF does not form adjacency based on IP reachability alone. It also checks whether key interface parameters agree. Hello and dead intervals are among those required parameters.

On R1, the hello interval is 10 seconds and the dead interval is 40 seconds. On R2, the hello interval is 5 seconds and the dead interval is 20 seconds. That mismatch is enough to prevent the neighbor relationship from forming. This is a common CCNA troubleshooting pattern because the interfaces can still ping each other, which makes the failure look less obvious at first glance.

Exam trap

A frequent exam trap is assuming that OSPF adjacency forms as long as routers are in the same area and can ping each other. Candidates often overlook the necessity for matching hello and dead intervals, which are critical for neighbor discovery and maintenance. Because routers can still exchange ICMP packets, it may appear that the link is fully operational, leading to the mistaken belief that OSPF should work.

This misunderstanding causes candidates to select incorrect answers related to area mismatches or subnet masks, ignoring the timer mismatch that actually prevents adjacency.

Why the other options are wrong

A

This option is incorrect because both routers are configured to use the same OSPF area 0, so area mismatch is not the cause of adjacency failure.

C

Hostnames do not influence OSPF neighbor relationships; routers form adjacencies based on protocol parameters, not device names, so this option is invalid.

D

A /24 subnet mask does not block OSPF multicast traffic; OSPF uses multicast addresses that function normally on standard subnet masks, so this option is incorrect.

136
PBQhard

You are connected to R1. R1 has OSPF configured on GigabitEthernet0/0 with network 10.0.0.0 0.0.0.3 area 1, ip ospf hello-interval 10, and ip ospf dead-interval 40. R2 has OSPF configured on its GigabitEthernet0/0 with network 10.0.0.0 0.0.0.3 area 0, ip ospf hello-interval 5, and ip ospf dead-interval 20. Correct these mismatches so that R1 and R2 become OSPF neighbors.

Network Topology
G0/010.0.0.1/30G0/010.0.0.2/30linkR1R2

Hints

  • Check the OSPF area configuration on both routers.
  • Use 'show ip ospf interface' to compare hello and dead timers.
  • The timers must match exactly on both sides of the link.
A.On R1, change the network statement to area 0 and set ip ospf hello-interval 5 and ip ospf dead-interval 20 under the interface.
B.On R2, change the network statement to area 1 and set ip ospf hello-interval 10 and ip ospf dead-interval 40 under the interface.
C.On R1, change the network statement to area 0 and set ip ospf hello-interval 10 and ip ospf dead-interval 40 under the interface.
D.On R2, change the network statement to area 0 and set ip ospf hello-interval 10 and ip ospf dead-interval 40 under the interface.
AnswerA
solution
! R1
configure terminal
router ospf 1
no network 10.0.0.0 0.0.0.3 area 1
network 10.0.0.0 0.0.0.3 area 0
interface gigabitethernet 0/0
ip ospf hello-interval 5
ip ospf dead-interval 20
end

Why this answer

The OSPF adjacency fails due to two mismatches. First, the area is mismatched: R1 uses area 1, R2 uses area 0 (both must be the same area, typically area 0). Second, the hello and dead timers are mismatched: R1 uses Hello 10/Dead 40, R2 uses Hello 5/Dead 20.

To fix, on R1 change the network statement to area 0 and adjust timers to match R2 (or vice versa). The solution below changes R1's area to 0 and sets hello to 5 and dead to 20 to match R2.

Exam trap

The exam trap is that candidates may focus on only one mismatch (area or timers) and forget that both must match. Additionally, they might assume that the router they are connected to should not be changed, or that default timers are always correct. Always verify all OSPF parameters that must match: area ID, hello/dead intervals, network type, and authentication.

Why the other options are wrong

B

The specific factual error is that the question implies you are connected to R1, so configuring R1 is the expected action. Additionally, using area 1 instead of area 0 is not recommended for a single-area design.

C

The specific factual error is that the timers are not changed to match R2; they remain at the original values.

D

The specific factual error is that R2's area is already 0, so changing it to area 0 is redundant. Changing R2's timers to match R1's original timers would still leave a mismatch because R1's timers are not changed.

137
MCQhard

A router has a static route to 10.30.5.128/25, an OSPF route to 10.30.5.0/24, and a default route 0.0.0.0/0 in its routing table. Which route will the router use for destination 10.30.5.130?

A.The static route to 10.30.5.128/25
B.The OSPF route to 10.30.5.0/24
D.No route, because the destination is outside all prefixes shown.
AnswerA

This is correct because 10.30.5.130 falls inside the more specific /25 route.

Why this answer

The router selects the route with the longest prefix match between the destination IP and the prefixes in the routing table. 10.30.5.130 matches both 10.30.5.0/24 (prefix length 24) and 10.30.5.128/25 (prefix length 25); the /25 is more specific and wins. Option D is wrong because 10.30.5.130 falls within the subnet range of 10.30.5.128/25 (hosts .129–.254), so a valid route does exist.

Exam trap

Always prioritize the longest prefix match over broader subnets or default routes.

Why the other options are wrong

B

The OSPF route to 10.30.5.0/24 is less specific than the /25 static route, so the router prefers the longest mask.

C

The default route (0.0.0.0/0) has the shortest prefix length and would be used only if no other route matches.

D

10.30.5.130 is inside the 10.30.5.128/25 subnet range, meaning a route exists for this destination.

138
PBQhard

You are connected to R1 via console. You have attempted to configure single-area OSPFv2 on R1 and R2 so that they form a full adjacency, but the adjacency is not establishing. The link between them is 192.168.1.0/30. R1 uses G0/0 (192.168.1.1/30) and R2 uses G0/0 (192.168.1.2/30). R1's router-id must be 1.1.1.1, and R2's router-id must be 2.2.2.2. Additionally, ensure that no OSPF hello packets are sent on R1's loopback0 interface (10.0.0.1/32). After troubleshooting, identify what is causing the issue and what must be corrected. Then verify the adjacency is full and passive-interface is set correctly.

Network Topology
G0/0192.168.1.1/30G0/0192.168.1.2/30R1R2

Hints

  • Check the hello and dead timer values on both routers using 'show ip ospf interface'.
  • The timers must match for OSPF adjacency to form.
  • Use 'ip ospf hello-interval' and 'ip ospf dead-interval' under the interface to adjust.
A.The adjacency is not forming because the hello and dead timers are mismatched: R1 uses Hello 10 / Dead 40, but R2 uses Hello 5 / Dead 20. To fix, on R1's G0/0 interface, change the hello timer to 5 and dead timer to 20 using 'ip ospf hello-interval 5' and 'ip ospf dead-interval 20' (or adjust R2 to match R1's timers). After correction, the adjacency should become full. Additionally, R1's loopback0 is already correctly configured as passive-interface.
B.The adjacency is not forming because R1's router-id is not set correctly. To fix, configure 'router-id 1.1.1.1' under the OSPF process on R1, and 'router-id 2.2.2.2' on R2. After that, clear the OSPF process with 'clear ip ospf process' to force the new router-id to take effect. Additionally, R1's loopback0 is already correctly configured as passive-interface.
C.The adjacency is not forming because the network type is mismatched: R1 is configured as point-to-point, while R2 is broadcast. To fix, change the network type on both interfaces to the same type, e.g., 'ip ospf network point-to-point' on both. Additionally, R1's loopback0 is already correctly configured as passive-interface.
D.The adjacency is not forming because the passive-interface command is incorrectly applied to R1's G0/0 interface instead of loopback0. To fix, remove passive-interface from G0/0 using 'no passive-interface g0/0' and ensure it is only applied to loopback0. Additionally, verify that the router-ids are correctly set.
AnswerA
solution
! R1
interface gigabitethernet0/0
ip ospf hello-interval 5
ip ospf dead-interval 20

Why this answer

The correct answer is A: the adjacency is not forming because the hello and dead timers are mismatched. R1 uses Hello 10 / Dead 40, while R2 uses Hello 5 / Dead 20. To fix, on R1's G0/0 interface, change the hello timer to 5 and dead timer to 20 using 'ip ospf hello-interval 5' and 'ip ospf dead-interval 20' (or adjust R2 to match R1's timers).

After correction, the adjacency becomes full. The other options are incorrect: B is wrong because router-ids can be set after the process starts and a mismatch does not prevent adjacency; C is wrong because network type mismatch would still allow adjacency if both agree (or if one is point-to-point and the other broadcast they will not form, but that is not the case here); D is wrong because the passive-interface on G0/0 would prevent hello packets and thus adjacency, but the question states it is only on loopback0, so that is not the issue. Verify with 'show ip ospf neighbor' and 'show ip ospf interface loopback0'.

Exam trap

The trap is that candidates may overlook timer mismatch and focus on other common OSPF adjacency requirements like network type, area ID, or authentication. Always verify timers first when adjacency fails on a directly connected link. Also, remember that passive-interface on a loopback is normal and does not affect the link adjacency.

Why the other options are wrong

B

Router-ID mismatch does not block OSPF adjacency; an OSPF router can still form a neighbor relationship even if the router-ID is not explicitly set (it will use the highest loopback IP) and can be changed without issue.

C

Network type mismatch would prevent adjacency, but the scenario does not indicate a mismatch; the default for Ethernet is broadcast, so both should be broadcast, and if one were changed to point-to-point they would not form, but that is not stated.

D

Passive-interface on the link interface (G0/0) would suppress hello packets and prevent adjacency, but the configuration correctly has passive-interface only on loopback0, so this is not the problem.

139
Multi-Selectmedium

Which TWO statements are true about OSPFv2 neighbor adjacency, network statements, and passive interfaces?

Select 2 answers
A.Configuring an interface as passive stops OSPF from sending Hello packets out of that interface, but OSPF will still advertise the connected network in its LSAs.
B.For two OSPF routers to establish full adjacency, they must agree on the Hello and Dead intervals.
C.The network command with a wildcard mask of 0.0.0.0 will enable OSPF on the exact matching interface, but it will also prevent OSPF from forming adjacencies on that interface.
D.Using the passive-interface default command makes all OSPF interfaces passive, which means OSPF will not advertise any connected networks.
E.The network command with a wildcard mask of 0.0.0.255 area 0 will match any interface whose IP address falls within that /24 subnet, but OSPF will only attempt to form adjacencies on the interface with the highest IP address in that range.
AnswersA, B

Passive-interface suppresses OSPF Hello packets, preventing neighbor formation on that interface, yet the network is still advertised via the Router LSA.

Why this answer

Option A is correct because configuring an interface as passive in OSPFv2 prevents the router from sending Hello packets out of that interface, which stops neighbor discovery and adjacency formation. However, OSPF still includes the connected network of that passive interface in its Type 1 Router LSAs, allowing the network to be advertised to other OSPF routers.

Exam trap

Cisco often tests the misconception that a passive interface stops network advertisement, when in fact it only stops Hello packets and adjacency formation while still advertising the connected network in LSAs.

Why the other options are wrong

C

A wildcard mask of 0.0.0.0 only matches one exact IP address. It does not impose any restriction on adjacency.

D

Passive interfaces still advertise their networks—they just do not send or receive Hello packets. Only adjacency is suppressed.

E

The network command matches multiple interfaces; OSPF then tries to form adjacencies on every enabled interface, regardless of IP address order.

140
MCQmedium

A router learns 172.16.40.0/24 from OSPF with AD 110 and metric 20. It also learns the same prefix from EIGRP with AD 90 and feasible distance 30720. Which route is installed?

A.The OSPF route because metric 20 is lower than 30720
B.The EIGRP route because its administrative distance is lower
C.Both routes because ECMP is automatic across different protocols
D.Neither route until one is redistributed into the other protocol
AnswerB

Different protocols are compared by AD first.

Why this answer

When the same prefix is learned from different routing protocols, the router compares administrative distance first. EIGRP internal routes have AD 90, which beats OSPF AD 110, so the EIGRP path goes into the table.

Exam trap

A frequent exam trap is assuming that the route with the lower metric value is always preferred, regardless of the routing protocol. In this question, the OSPF route has a metric of 20, which seems better than EIGRP's feasible distance of 30720. However, Cisco routers do not compare metrics across different protocols.

Instead, they rely on administrative distance to choose the best route. Mistaking metric comparison for cross-protocol route selection can lead to choosing the wrong answer and misunderstanding how Cisco routing decisions work.

Why the other options are wrong

A

This option incorrectly assumes that the router compares OSPF metric 20 directly against EIGRP feasible distance 30720 to select the route. Cisco routers do not compare metrics across different routing protocols; they use administrative distance first. Therefore, this option is incorrect.

C

This option incorrectly claims that both routes are installed due to automatic ECMP across different protocols. Cisco routers do not perform equal-cost load balancing between different routing protocols without explicit redistribution or configuration, so this is false.

D

This option incorrectly states that neither route is installed until redistribution occurs. Redistribution is not necessary for a router to install a route learned from a routing protocol. The router installs the route with the lowest administrative distance immediately, so this option is incorrect.

141
MCQmedium

A router interface is configured for OSPF, but neighbors do not form. The engineer checks the interface and sees Hello 10 and Dead 40. The neighbor on the same segment uses Hello 30 and Dead 120. What is the most likely cause of the OSPF adjacency failure?

A.Router IDs are identical
B.OSPF timers do not match
C.The interface cost is too low
D.The subnet mask is invalid because it is a transit link
AnswerB

Correct. This is correct. OSPF neighbors must agree on timer values such as hello and dead intervals. If they do not, the devices will not form a full adjacency even if other parts of the link appear healthy.

Why this answer

The adjacency fails because the OSPF hello and dead timers do not match. OSPF neighbors on the same segment must agree on several key parameters before they accept each other as neighbors, and the timer settings are one of those required matches. In plain terms, each router is expecting to hear OSPF hellos at one rhythm, but the other side is speaking at a different rhythm, so the relationship never becomes valid.

This is different from cost, which matters later during path selection after neighbors are already exchanging information. The timer mismatch is a classic CCNA troubleshooting point because the interfaces can be up and IP connectivity can even appear normal while the OSPF adjacency still fails.

Exam trap

Be cautious of confusing OSPF timer mismatches with other common OSPF configuration issues like network types or authentication.

Why the other options are wrong

A

This option is wrong because OSPF allows multiple routers to have the same Router ID, but they can still form adjacencies if other parameters are correctly configured. The issue in this scenario is related to mismatched OSPF timers, not Router IDs.

C

This option is incorrect because the interface cost does not directly affect the formation of OSPF adjacencies; it only influences the route selection process once adjacencies are established.

D

The subnet mask being invalid is not the cause of the OSPF adjacency failure in this scenario, as the issue lies with the mismatch of OSPF timers rather than an incorrect subnet mask. Both routers are on the same segment and should have compatible subnet configurations.

142
PBQhard

You are connected to R1 via the console. Configure single-area OSPFv2 on R1, R2, and R3 so that all three routers can exchange routes. The current configuration has mismatched hello/dead timers on the link between R1 and R2, and an area mismatch on the link between R2 and R3. Correct these issues and ensure OSPF adjacencies form.

Network Topology
G0/010.0.12.1/30G0/110.0.23.2/30G0/110.0.23.2/30G0/010.0.13.2/30G0/010.0.13.2/30G0/110.0.13.1/30R1R2 (G0/0 10.0.12.2/30)R3 (G0/1 10.0.23.2/30)

Hints

  • Check the hello/dead timers on R2's G0/0 using 'show ip ospf interface'.
  • Check the OSPF area on R2's G0/1 and R3's G0/1 using 'show ip ospf interface'.
  • On R2, use 'ip ospf hello-interval' and 'ip ospf dead-interval' under G0/0, and 'network' command under router ospf to change area.
A.On R2, configure interface G0/0 with 'ip ospf hello-interval 10' and 'ip ospf dead-interval 40', and modify the OSPF network statement for 10.0.23.0/30 to area 0.
B.On R2, configure interface G0/0 with 'ip ospf hello-interval 30' and 'ip ospf dead-interval 120', and modify the OSPF network statement for 10.0.23.0/30 to area 1.
C.On R1, configure interface G0/0 with 'ip ospf hello-interval 30' and 'ip ospf dead-interval 120', and on R3, change the OSPF network statement for 10.0.23.0/30 to area 1.
D.On R1, configure interface G0/0 with 'ip ospf hello-interval 10' and 'ip ospf dead-interval 40', and on R2, modify the OSPF network statement for 10.0.23.0/30 to area 1.
AnswerA
solution
! R1

Why this answer

The adjacency between R1 and R2 fails because R1 has hello/dead timers of 10/40, while R2 has 30/120 on G0/0. The adjacency between R2 and R3 fails because R2's G0/1 is in area 1, but R3's G0/1 is in area 0. On R2, change the hello/dead timers on G0/0 to match R1 (10/40) using 'ip ospf hello-interval 10' and 'ip ospf dead-interval 40'.

Also change the network statement for 10.0.23.0/30 to area 0 using 'network 10.0.23.0 0.0.0.3 area 0'. Verify with 'show ip ospf neighbor' on all routers.

Exam trap

A common trap is to assume that timers must be changed on the router with the 'non-default' values, but OSPF requires timers to match on both ends; either router can be adjusted. Another trap is to think that the area mismatch can be resolved by changing the area on either router, but the correct area must be consistent with the network design. In this scenario, the existing explanation specifies the correction on R2.

Why the other options are wrong

B

The specific factual error is that the timers should be made consistent by adjusting R2 to match R1, not the other way around, and the area mismatch requires both routers to be in the same area, which is area 0.

C

The specific factual error is that the timers can be adjusted on either router, but the area mismatch must be resolved by making both routers use the same area. Changing R3 to area 1 would not fix the adjacency if R2 is already in area 1? Actually, R2 is in area 1 on G0/1, so changing R3 to area 1 would make them match, but the question states the area mismatch is on the link between R2 and R3, and the existing explanation says to change R2's network statement to area 0. This option changes R3 instead, which could also work, but the question expects the correction on R2 as per the existing explanation.

Additionally, changing R1's timers is not the most efficient if R1 is already configured correctly.

D

The specific factual error is that the timers on R1 are already correct, and the area mismatch requires both routers to be in the same area. Changing R2's area to area 1 would not match R3's area 0.

143
Multi-Selectmedium

Which two statements accurately describe passive interfaces in OSPF?

Select 2 answers
A.It suppresses OSPF hello packets on that interface.
B.It can still allow the connected network to be advertised into OSPF.
C.It converts OSPF on that interface into static routing.
D.It forces the interface IP address to become the router ID.
E.It disables OSPF on every interface in the router automatically.
AnswersA, B

This is correct because passive interfaces do not actively form OSPF neighbors.

Why this answer

A passive interface stops the router from sending OSPF hello packets on that interface, which means the router will not try to form neighbors there. In practical terms, this is useful on user-facing or stub-like links where no OSPF neighbor should exist. However, passive does not necessarily mean the connected network disappears from OSPF. The network can still be advertised through the router’s other active adjacencies.

This is a common design and security practice because it reduces unnecessary routing chatter on interfaces that should not form adjacencies in the first place.

Exam trap

A frequent exam trap is assuming that configuring an interface as passive disables OSPF routing on that interface or converts OSPF routes into static routes. Candidates may also mistakenly believe that passive interfaces automatically disable OSPF on all router interfaces or force the interface IP to become the router ID. These misunderstandings arise because passive interfaces stop hello packets but do not disable OSPF or affect router ID selection.

Misreading this can lead to incorrect answers about OSPF behavior and network design.

Why the other options are wrong

C

Option C is incorrect because passive interfaces do not convert OSPF into static routing; OSPF remains active and continues to advertise routes.

D

Option D is incorrect because passive interface configuration does not influence router ID selection, which is determined by other OSPF rules.

E

Option E is incorrect because passive interface settings apply only to the specified interface and do not disable OSPF on all router interfaces.

144
PBQhard

You are connected to R1. The network must route IPv6 traffic between two directly connected routers using OSPFv3. Configure OSPFv3 on R1's GigabitEthernet0/0 interface in area 0, enable IPv6 unicast routing, and verify that R1 forms an OSPFv3 neighbor adjacency with R2 and learns the remote network 2001:DB8:CAFE:2::/64 via OSPFv3.

Network Topology
G0/02001:DB8:CAFE:1::1/64G0/02001:DB8:CAFE:1::2/64linkR1R2

Hints

  • OSPFv3 is enabled per interface, not as a network statement.
  • You need to create the OSPFv3 process before enabling it on the interface.
  • The OSPFv3 process ID must match on both routers.
A.Enable OSPFv3 on the interface with 'ipv6 ospf 1 area 0' under GigabitEthernet0/0.
B.Configure 'ipv6 router ospf 1' and then 'network 2001:DB8:CAFE:1::/64 area 0' under the OSPFv3 process.
C.Enable OSPFv3 on the interface with 'ipv6 ospf 1 area 0' under the OSPFv3 router configuration mode.
D.Configure 'ipv6 unicast-routing' and then 'ipv6 ospf 1 area 0' under the interface.
AnswerA
solution
! R1
router ospfv3 1
exit
interface GigabitEthernet0/0
ipv6 ospf 1 area 0

Why this answer

The issue is that OSPFv3 is not enabled on R1's GigabitEthernet0/0 interface, and the OSPFv3 routing process has not been started. To fix this, first ensure ipv6 unicast-routing is already enabled (it is). Then configure the OSPFv3 process with a process ID (e.g., 1) and enable OSPFv3 on the interface in area 0 using the command 'ipv6 ospf 1 area 0' under the interface.

After that, R1 will form a neighbor adjacency with R2 and learn the remote route.

Exam trap

Do not confuse OSPFv3 configuration with OSPFv2. OSPFv3 uses interface-level activation, not the 'network' command. Also, ensure you apply the command in the correct configuration mode (interface mode, not router mode).

Why the other options are wrong

B

The 'network' command is not valid for OSPFv3; OSPFv3 uses interface-level configuration.

C

This command is only valid in interface configuration mode.

D

The question explicitly says IPv6 unicast routing is already enabled, so this option includes an unnecessary step.

145
MCQhard

Exhibit: R3 learns 10.50.0.0/16 by OSPF through two equal-cost paths. What will R3 do by default?

A.Install both routes and load balance
B.Choose the route from the neighbor with the highest router ID only
C.Install only one route because OSPF does not support ECMP
D.Prefer the path with the lower next-hop IP address
AnswerA

Equal-cost OSPF paths are installed by default.

Why this answer

When OSPF has equal-cost routes to the same destination, the router installs multiple paths and can load balance across them, assuming the platform supports the default maximum-paths value.

Exam trap

A frequent exam trap is believing that OSPF will choose only one route when multiple equal-cost paths exist, often assuming it picks the route from the neighbor with the highest router ID or the path with the lowest next-hop IP address. This misconception leads to incorrect answers because OSPF’s path selection process installs all equal-cost routes by default. Misunderstanding this behavior can cause candidates to overlook OSPF’s load balancing capability and mistakenly select options that describe single-route preferences, which do not apply to equal-cost multipath scenarios.

Why the other options are wrong

B

Incorrect because OSPF does not select a single route based on the highest router ID when multiple equal-cost paths exist; it installs all such routes.

C

Incorrect because OSPF explicitly supports equal-cost multipath (ECMP) routing and does not limit itself to installing only one route.

D

Incorrect because the next-hop IP address is not a factor in OSPF’s path selection among equal-cost routes; cost metric is the deciding factor.

146
Multi-Selectmedium

A network engineer needs a floating static route to back up an OSPF-learned route. Which two configurations are necessary for the static route to remain unused until OSPF fails?

Select 2 answers
A.Configure the static route with an administrative distance higher than 110
B.Point the static route toward a valid next-hop or exit interface
C.Set the static route metric lower than the OSPF cost
D.Configure the route as directly connected with no next-hop information
AnswersA, B

It must be less preferred than OSPF while OSPF is available.

Why this answer

A floating static route requires an administrative distance higher than OSPF's default of 110 (option A) so that the static route is less preferred and remains inactive while OSPF is available. Additionally, the static route must point to a valid next-hop IP or exit interface (option B); without a valid next-hop, the route cannot be installed in the routing table and would never serve as a backup. Option C is incorrect because Cisco routers compare administrative distance before metric when routes come from different sources, so a lower metric cannot override the AD difference.

Option D is wrong because a directly connected route (with no next-hop) would be treated as a connected route, not a static route, and would be preferred over OSPF due to its AD of 0, defeating the purpose of a floating backup.

Exam trap

A common mistake is assuming that lowering the static route's metric makes it preferred, but Cisco routers compare administrative distance before metric when routes originate from different sources.

Why the other options are wrong

C

Setting the static route metric lower than the OSPF cost is ineffective because Cisco routers compare administrative distance first across different routing sources.

D

Configuring the route as directly connected with no next-hop information would give it an administrative distance of 0, making it preferred over OSPF, which is not the behavior of a floating static route.

147
MCQmedium

Exhibit: R1 has learned 10.50.0.0/24 through OSPF and also has a floating static route to the same prefix with administrative distance 130. Which route is installed while OSPF is healthy?

A.The static route because static routes always win over dynamic routes
B.The OSPF route because its administrative distance is lower than the floating static route
C.Both routes because the prefix length matches
D.Neither route until equal-cost load balancing is configured
AnswerB

OSPF AD 110 beats the floating static AD 130.

Why this answer

A floating static route is meant to stay out of the table until the preferred route disappears. OSPF has administrative distance 110, which is lower than the static route AD 130, so the OSPF route is installed while the OSPF path is still present.

Exam trap

Remember that administrative distance determines route preference. A lower value means higher preference.

Why the other options are wrong

A

This option is incorrect because static routes do not always win over dynamic routes; the route with the lowest administrative distance is preferred. In this case, OSPF has a lower administrative distance (110) than the floating static route (130).

C

This option is incorrect because only one route can be installed in the routing table for a specific prefix, and in this case, OSPF has a lower administrative distance than the floating static route, so only the OSPF route will be installed.

D

This option is incorrect because OSPF is healthy and has a lower administrative distance than the floating static route, meaning the OSPF route will be preferred and installed in the routing table.

148
Drag & Dropmedium

Drag and drop the following steps into the correct order to retrieve the current OSPF configuration via RESTCONF and apply a change to the OSPF process ID on a Cisco IOS-XE device.

Drag steps to the numbered slots on the right, or tap a step then tap a slot.

Steps
Order
1Step 1
2Step 2
3Step 3
4Step 4

Why this order

First, send a GET request to retrieve the current OSPF configuration. Then parse the JSON/XML payload to identify the OSPF process ID. Next, modify the OSPF process ID in the payload.

Finally, send a PUT or PATCH request to apply the change.

Exam trap

Do not assume that modification or update is the first step. RESTCONF operations require a read-modify-write sequence. Always start with a GET to retrieve the current configuration.

149
PBQhard

You are connected to R1. R1, R2, and R3 are connected via serial links as shown. Configure single-area OSPFv2 on all three routers so that all interfaces in the 10.0.0.0/8 range participate in OSPF area 0, except the loopback interfaces. Currently R1 cannot form OSPF adjacencies with R2 and R3. Examine the running-config of R1 below and determine the corrective actions needed.

Network Topology
Se0/0/010.0.1.1/30Se0/0/010.0.1.2/30Se0/0/110.0.2.1/30Se0/0/010.0.2.2/30R1R2R3

Hints

  • Check the passive-interface configuration under router ospf.
  • Verify hello and dead timers on serial interfaces.
  • Use show ip ospf interface serial0/0/0 to see timer values.
A.Remove the passive-interface configuration from GigabitEthernet0/0, Serial0/0/0, and Serial0/0/1, and adjust the hello timer on Serial0/0/0 to 30 seconds.
B.Change the OSPF network type on all interfaces to point-to-point and increase the dead timer to 120 seconds.
C.Add the network 10.0.0.0 0.255.255.255 area 0 command under router ospf and enable OSPF on all interfaces.
D.Configure the loopback interfaces with the ip ospf network point-to-point command to ensure they participate in OSPF.
AnswerA
solution
! R1
configure terminal
router ospf 1
no passive-interface GigabitEthernet0/0
no passive-interface Serial0/0/0
no passive-interface Serial0/0/1
interface Serial0/0/0
ip ospf hello-interval 30
ip ospf dead-interval 120
end

Why this answer

R1 has passive-interface configured on all active interfaces (G0/0, Se0/0/0, Se0/0/1), which prevents OSPF hello packets from being sent and stops adjacencies from forming. Additionally, the hello timer on Serial0/0/0 is mismatched (default 10 vs. required 30). To resolve the adjacency issues while keeping loopback interfaces inactive, the passive-interface command must be removed from only the necessary interfaces and the hello timer on Se0/0/0 must be set to 30 seconds.

Exam trap

This question tests your ability to identify two common OSPF adjacency issues: passive interfaces and hello/dead timer mismatches. Many candidates focus only on one issue and miss the other. Always check both the passive-interface configuration and timer values when troubleshooting OSPF adjacencies.

Why the other options are wrong

B

The specific factual error is that changing network type is unnecessary and does not fix the passive-interface or timer mismatch problems.

C

The specific factual error is that the network command is already configured, so adding it again does not solve the adjacency problem.

D

The specific factual error is that loopback interfaces are intentionally excluded from OSPF, and forcing them to participate is not required and would be incorrect.

150
MCQhard

Two routers are in the same OSPF area and on the same subnet, but they do not form an adjacency. One interface uses a hello interval of 10 seconds and the other uses 5 seconds. What is the most likely cause?

A.The OSPF hello timers do not match.
B.The routers need matching hostnames.
C.The subnet must be changed to /24 before OSPF can work.
D.The routers must both use static routes first.
AnswerA

This is correct because OSPF neighbors must agree on hello timing in order to form an adjacency.

Why this answer

An OSPF timer mismatch is the most likely cause. In plain language, the routers are trying to discover each other, but they are speaking on different timing expectations. OSPF neighbors on the same segment must agree on certain parameters before they trust each other enough to form an adjacency, and the hello and dead timers are among those critical values.

This is a very common OSPF troubleshooting issue because the interfaces may still be reachable with ping and may even appear correctly addressed and placed in the same area. But OSPF is stricter than simple IP reachability. If the hello interval does not match, the adjacency usually fails before it becomes fully operational.

Exam trap

A common exam trap is assuming that because two routers can ping each other on the same subnet, their OSPF adjacency will form automatically. The trap lies in overlooking the importance of matching OSPF hello and dead timers. Many candidates focus only on IP addressing or area configuration and miss that OSPF requires exact timer agreement.

This leads to confusion when adjacency never forms despite correct IP setup. The exam tests your understanding that OSPF is a protocol with strict neighbor parameter requirements, not just IP reachability.

Why the other options are wrong

B

Incorrect because router hostnames do not affect OSPF adjacency formation. OSPF neighbors identify each other by router IDs and interface parameters, not hostnames.

C

Incorrect because OSPF supports various subnet masks and does not require a /24 subnet. The problem is related to timer mismatch, not subnet size.

D

Incorrect because static routes are not necessary for OSPF adjacency. OSPF dynamically discovers neighbors using hello packets and forms adjacencies based on protocol parameters.

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