hardMultiple Choice
300-410 Practice Question: Runs the following command on Router R8: R8# show…
A network engineer runs the following command on Router R8:
R8# show ip route 10.2.2.0
Routing entry for 10.2.2.0/24 Known via "eigrp 100", distance 90, metric 28160 Redistributing via eigrp 100 Last update from 192.168.2.1 on GigabitEthernet0/0, 00:00:05 ago Routing Descriptor Blocks:
* 192.168.2.1, from 192.168.2.1, 00:00:05 ago, via GigabitEthernet0/0
Route metric is 28160, traffic share count is 1
R8 also has a static route to 10.2.2.0/24 with next-hop 192.168.3.1 configured with distance 95. Which route will be used?
⚠ Common exam trap
The trap is assuming 'manually configured static routes always win' — candidates must remember that administrative distance, not configuration method, determines route selection.
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
✓
The EIGRP route will be used because it has a lower administrative distance.
Cisco IOS selects routes by comparing administrative distance (AD) first; EIGRP's internal AD is 90, while the static route was configured with AD 95. Since 90 < 95, the EIGRP-learned route wins and is installed in the routing table, regardless of the fact that the static route was manually configured.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
The static route will be used because it is manually configured.
Why it's wrong here
Manual configuration carries no inherent preference; Cisco IOS selects routes by lowest administrative distance, and EIGRP's 90 is lower than the static route's 95. A static route wins only when its distance is lowered below the competing protocol's default.
- ✓
The EIGRP route will be used because it has a lower administrative distance.
Why this is correct
Administrative distance breaks the tie between routing sources: EIGRP's 90 beats the static route's 95, so the EIGRP path via 192.168.2.1 is installed. The stem's distance values confirm this ordering, making the static route inactive for 10.2.2.0/24.
- ✗
Both routes will be used for load balancing.
Why it's wrong here
EIGRP's administrative distance of 90 beats the static route's 95, so the router installs only the EIGRP path; load balancing requires equal distance and metric across paths, which these two lack. Equal-cost static and dynamic routes would balance, but differing distances prevent it.
- ✗
Neither route will be used due to a routing loop.
Why it's wrong here
A routing loop needs mutually recursive next-hops, and nothing here shows R8 pointing back toward itself; the EIGRP route simply wins on administrative distance 90 versus 95. Loops arise from redistribution or summarisation errors, not from two valid competing routes.
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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Same concept, more angles
1 more way this is tested on 300-410
These questions test the same concept from different angles. Work through them to make sure you can recognise it however the exam phrases it.
Variation 1. A network engineer runs the following command on Router R5: R5# show ip route 192.168.100.0 Routing entry for 192.168.100.0/24 Known via "static", distance 1, metric 0 Redistributing via ospf 1 Last update from 10.0.0.2 on GigabitEthernet0/1, 00:00:05 ago Routing Descriptor Blocks: * 10.0.0.2, via GigabitEthernet0/1 Route metric is 0, traffic share count is 1 Based on this output, what is the likely issue if this route is not being preferred over an EIGRP route with distance 90?
medium- ✓ A.The static route is not preferred because its distance is higher than EIGRP's default distance of 90.
- B.The static route may have been configured with a higher distance as a floating static route.
- C.EIGRP always has a lower administrative distance than static routes.
- D.The static route is redistributed into OSPF, which changes its distance.
Why A: The show output displays a static route with administrative distance 1, which is lower than EIGRP's default distance of 90. If this route is not being preferred, the only logical explanation is that the static route's distance is actually higher than 90, contradicting the output. Therefore, the static route must be configured with a higher distance, making option A correct even though the output appears inconsistent. The output may be from a different route or there may be a misconfiguration not reflected.
JA
Written and reviewed by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
Last reviewed September 2026 · checked against the official Cisco exam blueprint
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