Question 317 of 2,011
hardMultiple ChoiceObjective-mapped
300-410 Practice Question: An engineer is troubleshooting an EIGRP…
An engineer is troubleshooting an EIGRP convergence issue. After a link failure, the network takes an unusually long time to converge. The engineer notices that the EIGRP hello and hold timers are set to the default values. The network has many routers in a hub-and-spoke topology. What is the most likely cause of the slow convergence?
⚠ Common exam trap
Cisco often tests the misconception that slow convergence is always due to timer mismatches or stub configuration, but the trap here is that default timers are fine and the real issue is hub CPU overload from excessive neighbor processing, which causes hello packet drops.
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 hub router has too many EIGRP neighbors, causing CPU overload and dropped hello packets.
In a hub-and-spoke EIGRP topology, the hub router maintains a large number of neighbor adjacencies. When a link failure occurs, the hub must process many queries and replies, which can overwhelm its CPU. If the CPU is overloaded, hello packets may be dropped, causing neighbor hold timers to expire and triggering unnecessary route recomputations. This leads to the observed slow convergence, even though hello and hold timers are at default values.
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 hub router has too many EIGRP neighbors, causing CPU overload and dropped hello packets.
Why this is correct
Correct because a high number of neighbors can overwhelm the hub, leading to missed hello packets and adjacency resets, which prolongs convergence.
- ✗
The EIGRP stub feature is not enabled on the spoke routers.
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect because stub routing helps reduce query propagation, but it does not directly affect hello/hold timer issues or convergence time due to neighbor count.
- ✗
The EIGRP variance command is configured, causing unequal-cost load balancing.
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect because variance does not affect convergence time; it only affects path selection.
- ✗
The EIGRP router ID is not configured, so it defaults to the highest loopback IP.
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect because the router ID does not impact convergence time; it is used for route identification.
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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Last reviewed: Jul 4, 2026
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