hardMultiple Choice
Troubleshooting EIGRP Active Routes and Stuck-in-Active Conditions
A network engineer runs the following command on Router R1:
R1# show ip eigrp topology 10.50.50.0/24
EIGRP-IPv4 Topology Entry for AS(100)/ID(192.168.1.1) for 10.50.50.0/24 State: Active, Reply status: 0, Originating router: 192.168.1.1 Routing Descriptor Blocks:
10.1.1.2 (GigabitEthernet0/0), from 10.1.1.2, Send flag: 0x0
Composite metric: (4294967295/4294967295), Route is Internal Vector metric: Minimum bandwidth: 100000 Kbit Total delay: 100 microseconds Reliability: 255/255 Load: 1/255 Minimum MTU: 1500 Hop count: 1
Based on this output, what is the problem?
⚠ Common exam trap
Cisco often tests the misconception that a route in Active state with a high metric is still reachable or that the metric value is normal, when in fact the Active state and infinite metric together indicate a route that is being actively queried and is currently unreachable.
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 route is in Active state with an infinite metric, indicating that the router has lost the route and is querying for a new path.
The route is in Active state with a composite metric of 4294967295 (the maximum 32-bit value, effectively infinite), which indicates that the router has lost the feasible successor and is actively sending queries to neighbors to find an alternative path. This is a classic sign of an EIGRP query process in progress, meaning the route is not stable or reachable.
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 route is in Active state with an infinite metric, indicating that the router has lost the route and is querying for a new path.
Why this is correct
The Active state combined with the composite metric of 4294967295 (infinity) confirms R1 has lost its feasible successor and is awaiting replies to EIGRP queries. The zero Reply status shows no outstanding replies yet, so the route remains stuck in Active until neighbours respond or the stuck-in-active timer expires.
- ✗
The route is passive and stable.
Why it's wrong here
The output shows State: Active, meaning the route is stuck in active and awaiting replies, so it is not passive or stable. Passive state with a finite metric would be the answer if the question asked for a converged, usable route.
- ✗
The metric of 4294967295 is normal for a summary route.
Why it's wrong here
A metric of 4294967295 is unreachable, not normal for a summary; it signals the route is stuck active with no feasible successor. That value would be expected only when a route is being advertised as unreachable or poisoned.
- ✗
The hop count of 1 indicates the route is one hop away and reachable.
Why it's wrong here
The hop count of 1 is normal for a directly connected EIGRP neighbour and does not indicate a problem. It is tempting because a low hop count suggests reachability, but the composite metric of 4294967295 (unreachable) with State Active reveals the router is stuck awaiting replies to queries.
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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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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