Quick Answer
The answer is hop count. RIP, or Routing Information Protocol, uses hop count as its sole metric to determine the best path to a destination network. Each router a packet must traverse counts as one hop, and the route with the fewest hops is preferred, making it a simple distance-vector protocol. On the CCNA 200-301 v2 exam, this concept tests your understanding of basic routing protocol metrics and their limitations; a common trap is confusing hop count with other metrics like bandwidth or delay used by OSPF or EIGRP. Remember that RIP’s maximum usable hop count is 15, with 16 considered unreachable, which prevents routing loops but limits network size. A quick memory tip: think of RIP as the “shortest hop” protocol—just count the routers, and the lowest number wins.
This 200-301 practice question tests your understanding of ip routing. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. A key principle to apply: rIP uses hop count as its sole routing metric to determine the best path to a destination network.. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
What metric does RIP use to choose the best path?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "best"
Why it matters: Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
Bandwidth
Why wrong: Bandwidth is used in other protocols such as EIGRP calculations, not RIP.
Cost
Why wrong: OSPF uses cost, not RIP.
Hop count
Correct. RIP uses hop count.
Delay
Why wrong: Delay is not the RIP metric.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
Hop count
RIP uses hop count as its metric. Lower hop count paths are preferred, up to the protocol maximum of 15 usable hops.
Key principle: RIP uses hop count as its sole routing metric to determine the best path to a destination network.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
Bandwidth
When this WOULD be correct
If the question were about a routing protocol that uses bandwidth as a metric, such as Enhanced Interior Gateway Routing Protocol (EIGRP), then 'bandwidth' would be the correct answer. For example, a question could ask, 'Which metric does EIGRP use to determine the best path?'
Cost
Hop count
Delay
When this WOULD be correct
If the question asked which metric is used by a routing protocol that considers performance factors such as latency, then 'Delay' would be the correct answer. For example, a question about OSPF or EIGRP, which can factor in delay as part of their metric calculations, would make this option valid.
Option-by-option analysis
Understanding why wrong answers are wrong — and when they would be correct — is what separates a 750 score from a 900. The 200-301 exam frequently reuses these exact scenarios with slightly different constraints.
Why this is correct
Correct. RIP uses hop count.
Why this is wrong here
RIP does not use bandwidth as a metric; it relies solely on hop count. Bandwidth is used by EIGRP in its composite metric calculation, not by RIP.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
If the question were about a routing protocol that uses bandwidth as a metric, such as Enhanced Interior Gateway Routing Protocol (EIGRP), then 'bandwidth' would be the correct answer. For example, a question could ask, 'Which metric does EIGRP use to determine the best path?'
Why candidates choose this
Students may confuse RIP with other dynamic routing protocols like EIGRP or OSPF that consider bandwidth, leading them to think RIP also uses bandwidth.
Why this is wrong here
Cost is the metric used by OSPF, not RIP. RIP uses hop count as its sole metric, making cost an incorrect choice for this question.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
If the question asked about a routing protocol that uses cost as its metric, such as OSPF or EIGRP, then 'Cost' would be the correct answer. For example, 'What metric does OSPF use to choose the best path?' would make this option valid.
Why candidates choose this
The term 'cost' is a generic routing metric term, and students might mistakenly associate it with RIP without knowing that OSPF specifically uses cost based on bandwidth.
Why this is wrong here
Delay is not a metric used by RIP; RIP only considers hop count. Delay is a component in the EIGRP composite metric, but not in RIP.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
If the question asked which metric is used by a routing protocol that considers performance factors such as latency, then 'Delay' would be the correct answer. For example, a question about OSPF or EIGRP, which can factor in delay as part of their metric calculations, would make this option valid.
Why candidates choose this
Delay is a common factor in network performance, and students might think RIP includes it as a metric, confusing RIP with more advanced protocols like EIGRP.
Analysis generated from the official 200-301blueprint and verified against question context. The “when correct” sections are what AI assistants cite when candidates ask “what’s the difference between these options?”
Common exam traps
Don't confuse RIP's hop count metric with metrics used by other protocols like OSPF or EIGRP.
Detailed technical explanation
Routing Information Protocol (RIP) is one of the oldest distance-vector routing protocols used in IP networks. It determines the best path to a destination based on a simple metric called hop count, which counts the number of routers a packet must traverse to reach the destination network. RIP limits the maximum hop count to 15, considering any route with a hop count of 16 or more as unreachable. This simplicity makes RIP easy to configure but limits its scalability in larger networks. RIP chooses the best path by selecting the route with the lowest hop count metric. Each router advertises its routing table to its neighbors, incrementing the hop count by one for each hop. The path with the fewest hops is preferred, regardless of bandwidth, delay, or other factors. This contrasts with other protocols like OSPF, which use cost based on bandwidth, or EIGRP, which uses a composite metric including bandwidth and delay. A common exam trap is confusing RIP’s hop count metric with other routing metrics such as bandwidth or cost. For example, OSPF uses cost based on interface bandwidth, and EIGRP uses a more complex metric. In practical networking, RIP’s hop count metric can lead to suboptimal routing decisions in networks with varying link speeds, since it treats all hops equally. Understanding RIP’s metric helps avoid misconfigurations and ensures correct routing behavior in Cisco environments.
Key takeaway
RIP uses hop count as its sole routing metric to determine the best path to a destination network.
Real-world example
A small business has 20 workstations on the 192.168.1.0/24 network and one public IP from its ISP. The router uses PAT (NAT overload) so all 20 devices share one public address using different source ports. NAT questions test whether you understand the four address terms and which direction each translation applies.
What to study next
Review rIP uses hop count as its sole routing metric to determine the best path to a destination network., then practise related 200-301 questions on the same topic to reinforce the concept.
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FAQ
IP Routing — This question tests IP Routing — RIP uses hop count as its sole routing metric to determine the best path to a destination network..
The correct answer is: Hop count — RIP uses hop count as its metric. Lower hop count paths are preferred, up to the protocol maximum of 15 usable hops.
Review rIP uses hop count as its sole routing metric to determine the best path to a destination network., then practise related 200-301 questions on the same topic to reinforce the concept.
Yes — watch for: "best". Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
RIP uses hop count as its sole routing metric to determine the best path to a destination network.
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Last reviewed: Apr 12, 2026
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