The answer is that R2’s ‘distance ospf external 150’ command makes the redistributed BGP route less preferred than the default OSPF external administrative distance of 110 from R4. This occurs because the ‘distance ospf external’ command overrides the default AD for all OSPF external routes (Type 5 and Type 7 LSAs) on the router where it is configured, raising it to 150. On the Cisco CCNP ENARSI 300-410 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of how OSPF administrative distance can be tuned per route type, and it often appears as a trap where you might assume a route learned via an ABR is automatically preferred. The key insight is that R3 compares the AD values of the two competing paths and selects the lower one—110 from R4 over 150 from R2—regardless of OSPF path selection metrics like cost. A helpful memory tip: “External distance higher, the route gets tired; lower AD wins the wire.”
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.
Router R1 and R2 are running OSPF and BGP. R1 is an ASBR redistributing BGP routes into OSPF. R2 is an ABR between area 0 and area 1. R2 has 'distance ospf external 150' configured. R3 in area 1 learns a BGP-redistributed route 10.0.0.0/8 via R2 with AD 150. R3 also learns the same prefix via a different path from R4 (another ABR) with AD 110 (default OSPF external). R3's 'show ip route 10.0.0.0' shows the route via R4. What is the root cause?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
R2's 'distance ospf external 150' makes the external route less preferred than the default AD 110 from R4.
OSPFadministrative distance can be set per route type. With 'distance ospf external 150', the external routes from R2 have AD 150, while routes from R4 have default AD 110. R3 prefers the route with lower AD (110 via R4). This is expected behavior, but the question might imply that the route via R2 should be preferred due to some other reason. The correct answer is that the configuration on R2 increases the AD for external routes, making them less preferred.
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.
✓
R2's 'distance ospf external 150' makes the external route less preferred than the default AD 110 from R4.
Why this is correct
Higher AD means less trust; R3 chooses the lower AD route.
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.
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: R2's 'distance ospf external 150' makes the external route less preferred than the default AD 110 from R4. — OSPF administrative distance can be set per route type. With 'distance ospf external 150', the external routes from R2 have AD 150, while routes from R4 have default AD 110. R3 prefers the route with lower AD (110 via R4). This is expected behavior, but the question might imply that the route via R2 should be preferred due to some other reason. The correct answer is that the configuration on R2 increases the AD for external routes, making them less preferred.
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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