easyMultiple ChoiceObjective-mapped
CCNP The maximum hop count for EIGRP? Practice Question
What is the maximum hop count for EIGRP?
⚠ Common exam trap
Cisco often tests the EIGRP hop count limit of 100 to trap candidates who confuse it with RIP's 15-hop limit or OSPF's 255-hop limit, especially when the question omits the protocol name in the stem.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
100
EIGRP uses a maximum hop count of 100 by default to prevent routing loops. This is a hard limit; if a route's hop count exceeds 100, EIGRP considers it unreachable. This value is configurable via the 'metric maximum-hops' command under the EIGRP process.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
100
Why this is correct
EIGRP’s default maximum hop count is 100, which satisfies the question’s constraint by defining the protocol’s loop-prevention boundary. Unlike RIP’s 15-hop limit, EIGRP uses a feasible successor mechanism and Diffusing Update Algorithm (DUAL) to maintain loop-free paths, but still enforces a hard hop-count ceiling of 100 to prevent indefinite routing loops in large topologies.
- ✗
15
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect. 15 is the maximum hop count for RIP, not EIGRP.
- ✗
255
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect. 255 is the maximum configurable hop count, but the default is 100.
- ✗
16
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect. 16 is the infinity metric for RIP, not EIGRP's hop count.
Visual reference
Quick reference
Routing Protocol Comparison
| Protocol | Metric | Max Hops | Algorithm | Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RIP v2 | Hop count | 15 | Bellman-Ford | Distance vector |
| OSPF | Cost (bandwidth) | Unlimited | Dijkstra (SPF) | Link state |
| EIGRP | Composite metric | Unlimited | DUAL | Hybrid |
| IS-IS | Cost | Unlimited | Dijkstra | Link state |
| BGP | Policy / attributes | Unlimited | Path vector | Path vector |
RIP's 15-hop limit makes it unsuitable for large networks. OSPF and EIGRP dominate modern enterprise deployments.
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JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This 350-401 practice question is part of Courseiva's free Cisco certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the 350-401 exam.