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300-410 The maximum hop count for a route in RIP? Practice Question
What is the maximum hop count for a route in RIP?
⚠ Common exam trap
Cisco often tests the distinction between the maximum hop count (15) and the unreachable metric (16), tricking candidates who think 16 is a valid route metric rather than a poison value.
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
✓
15
RIP (Routing Information Protocol) uses a maximum hop count of 15 to prevent routing loops. A route with a hop count of 16 is considered unreachable (infinite metric). This limit is defined in RFC 1058 for RIPv1 and RFC 2453 for RIPv2, ensuring that the network diameter remains small and loop-free.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
15
Why this is correct
Correct. The maximum valid hop count is 15; 16 indicates unreachable.
- ✗
16
Why it's wrong here
16 is the value used to denote an infinite metric (unreachable), not a valid hop count.
- ✗
255
Why it's wrong here
255 is the maximum TTL value, not the RIP hop count limit.
- ✗
32
Why it's wrong here
32 is not related to RIP hop count limits.
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 300-410 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 300-410 exam.