The answer is an iBGP route because the administrative distance is 200. In BGP, the default administrative distance for internal BGP (iBGP) routes is 200, while external BGP (eBGP) routes use a default of 20. This distinction is critical because the router uses administrative distance to select the best path when multiple routing protocols provide a route to the same destination; a lower distance is preferred. On the Cisco CCNP ENARSI 300-410 exam, this concept frequently appears in troubleshooting scenarios where you must interpret the show ip route output to determine whether a route was learned via iBGP or eBGP. A common trap is confusing the metric (which is 0 here) with the administrative distance—remember that the distance, not the metric, identifies the BGP type. A helpful memory tip: think of iBGP as “internal” and its distance 200 as “twice as far” from the router’s trust compared to eBGP’s 20.
300-410 Administrative Distance Practice Question
This 300-410 practice question tests your understanding of administrative distance. Examine the command output carefully: the correct answer depends on what the output actually shows, not on general recall alone. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. 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.
A network engineer runs the following command on Router R7:
R7# show ip route 172.16.0.0
Routing entry for 172.16.0.0/16
Known via "bgp 65000", distance 200, metric 0
Redistributing via bgp 65000
Last update from 10.0.0.1 00:00:20 ago
Routing Descriptor Blocks:
* 10.0.0.1, from 10.0.0.1, 00:00:20 ago
Route metric is 0, traffic share count is 1
Based on this output, what type of BGP route is this?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
This is an iBGP route because the distance is 200.
The administrative distance of 200 is the default for iBGP routes. eBGP routes have a default distance of 20. Therefore, this is an iBGP route.
Key principle: OSPF neighbour adjacency depends on matching area, hello/dead timers, network type, and authentication — IP reachability alone is not enough.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
✗
This is an eBGP route because the distance is 200.
Why it's wrong here
eBGP has a default distance of 20, not 200. A distance of 200 indicates iBGP.
✓
This is an iBGP route because the distance is 200.
The output shows the route is known via BGP, not OSPF. The distance indicates iBGP.
✗
The distance of 200 is non-default and manually configured.
Why it's wrong here
200 is the default distance for iBGP, not a manual configuration.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: OSPF can fail even when IP connectivity looks correct
OSPF neighbour formation depends on matching areas, timers, network type, authentication and passive-interface behaviour. Do not choose an answer only because the devices can ping.
Trap categories for this question
Command / output trap
The output shows the route is known via BGP, not OSPF. The distance indicates iBGP.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
OSPF questions usually test the details that control adjacency and route selection. Read the neighbour state, area, router ID and interface configuration before deciding what is wrong.
KKey Concepts to Remember
OSPF neighbours must agree on key parameters.
Router ID selection can affect neighbour relationships and LSDB output.
OSPF cost influences the preferred path.
A route can appear in OSPF information but not become the installed route.
TExam Day Tips
→Check area mismatch first when OSPF adjacency fails.
→Review passive interfaces when a network is advertised but no neighbour forms.
→Use show ip ospf neighbor and show ip route clues carefully.
Key takeaway
OSPF neighbour adjacency depends on matching area, hello/dead timers, network type, and authentication — IP reachability alone is not enough.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A network engineer at a university connects two campus buildings via a fibre link. Both routers run OSPF, but no adjacency forms — even though both routers can ping each other. The engineer finds one router is in area 0 and the other in area 1. OSPF adjacency requires matching area numbers, hello/dead timers, and network type. IP reachability alone is not enough.
Related glossary terms
Concepts from this question explained
These glossary pages explain the core terms tested in this 300-410 question in full detail.
Review OSPF neighbour requirements — matching area type, hello and dead timers, network type, stub flags, and authentication. Study show ip ospf neighbor states (INIT, 2-WAY, FULL). Then practise related 300-410 OSPF questions on adjacency and route selection.
Administrative Distance — This question tests Administrative Distance — OSPF neighbours must agree on key parameters..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: This is an iBGP route because the distance is 200. — The administrative distance of 200 is the default for iBGP routes. eBGP routes have a default distance of 20. Therefore, this is an iBGP route.
What should I do if I get this 300-410 question wrong?
Review OSPF neighbour requirements — matching area type, hello and dead timers, network type, stub flags, and authentication. Study show ip ospf neighbor states (INIT, 2-WAY, FULL). Then practise related 300-410 OSPF questions on adjacency and route selection.
What is the key concept behind this question?
OSPF neighbours must agree on key parameters.
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