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300-410 Practice Question: Which statement about the Next Hop Resolution…

Which statement about the Next Hop Resolution Protocol (NHRP) in DMVPN is correct regarding the purpose of NHRP Registration Request packets?

⚠ Common exam trap

300-410 often tests the confusion between NHRP Registration and Resolution messages, where candidates mistakenly think Registration resolves addresses instead of registering them.

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

✓

They are used to register the spoke's tunnel IP and NBMA address with the hub.

NHRP Registration Request packets are sent by spokes to the hub to register their tunnel IP address and NBMA (Non-Broadcast Multiple Access) address. This allows the hub to maintain a mapping of tunnel IPs to NBMA addresses, enabling dynamic tunnel establishment between spokes.

Answer analysis

Option-by-option breakdown

For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.

  • ✗

    They are used to resolve the NBMA address of a destination tunnel IP address.

    Why it's wrong here

    Resolution Request packets resolve the NBMA address of a destination tunnel IP; Registration Request packets instead bind a spoke's own tunnel and NBMA addresses on the hub, letting the hub build its mapping table. Resolution is tempting because it is the other NHRP request type, and it would be correct when a spoke needs to reach a peer's NBMA address for direct spoke-to-spoke tunnels.

  • ✓

    They are used to register the spoke's tunnel IP and NBMA address with the hub.

    Why this is correct

    NHRP Registration Request packets are sent by spokes to the next-hop server (hub) to bind the spoke's tunnel IP address to its NBMA address, allowing the hub to map tunnel endpoints to physical addresses for dynamic spoke-to-spoke resolution.

  • ✗

    They are used to purge outdated NHRP cache entries on the hub.

    Why it's wrong here

    Purge Request and Purge Reply packets remove stale NHRP cache entries, not Registration Requests. Registration Requests exist so a spoke can advertise its own tunnel-to-NBMA mapping to the next-hop server; they would be the correct answer if the question asked how a spoke initially registers with the hub.

  • ✗

    They are used to establish an IPsec security association between spokes.

    Why it's wrong here

    IPsec security associations are negotiated by IKE, not NHRP; Registration Request packets only carry tunnel-to-NBMA mapping information to the next-hop server. They are tempting because NHRP resolution triggers the spoke-to-spoke tunnel that IPsec then protects, but NHRP itself never establishes the SA.

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Same concept, more angles

2 more ways 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. What is the default authentication type for NHRP in a DMVPN configuration?

easy
  • A.Plaintext password
  • B.MD5 hash
  • ✓ C.No authentication
  • D.IPsec

Why C: By default, NHRP does not use any authentication. Authentication can be configured using the 'ip nhrp authentication' command, but it is disabled by default.

Variation 2. What is the default NHRP holdtime value on a Cisco router?

easy
  • ✓ A.3600 seconds
  • B.1800 seconds
  • C.7200 seconds
  • D.600 seconds

Why A: The default NHRP holdtime is 3600 seconds (1 hour). This value can be modified with the 'ip nhrp holdtime' command.

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

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.