mediumMultiple Choice
Understanding the EIGRP Topology Table with the All-Links Option
A network engineer runs the following command to troubleshoot an EIGRP issue:
R1# show ip eigrp topology 10.1.1.0/24 detail
IP-EIGRP (AS 100): Topology entry for 10.1.1.0/24 State: Passive, Query origin flag: 1, 1 Successor(s), FD is 131072 Routing Descriptor Blocks:
10.1.2.2 (GigabitEthernet0/0), from 10.1.2.2, Send flag: 0x0
Composite metric: (131072/130816), Route is Internal Vector metric: Minimum bandwidth is 10000 Kbit Total delay is 100 microseconds Reliability is 255/255 Load is 1/255 Minimum MTU is 1500 Hop count is 1 Originating router: 10.1.2.2 External data: Not advertised Protocol: EIGRP Route tag: 0 Extended community: None
What does this output indicate?
⚠ Common exam trap
300-410 often tests the misconception that 'Passive' means the route is down or inactive — candidates must remember that in EIGRP, Passive means stable and Active means recomputing.
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 learned from a single neighbor and is in a stable state.
The output shows 'State: Passive', '1 Successor(s)', and 'FD is 131072' with a single routing descriptor block, indicating the route is stable and learned from one neighbor. 'Passive' in EIGRP means the route is not undergoing recomputation (not in Active state), and the presence of one successor means no load balancing. The route is internal (not redistributed), so it is a stable, single-path EIGRP route.
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 an external EIGRP route redistributed from another protocol.
Why it's wrong here
The output states "Route is Internal" and "External data: Not advertised", so the prefix was learned natively within AS 100, not redistributed. External EIGRP routes carry an originating router, AS number and external metric; this option would be right had those fields been populated.
- ✓
The route is learned from a single neighbor and is in a stable state.
Why this is correct
The "Passive" state confirms no EIGRP queries are outstanding, so the route is stable. A single Routing Descriptor Block with one Successor, reachable via 10.1.2.2 on GigabitEthernet0/0, shows the prefix is learned from just one neighbour, satisfying both the stability and single-neighbour conditions.
- ✗
The route has multiple successors and is load-balanced.
Why it's wrong here
The output shows "1 Successor(s)" and a single routing descriptor block, so no load balancing occurs. Multiple successors with equal feasible distance would list several descriptor blocks; this option would apply only when two or more successor entries appear for the prefix.
- ✗
The route is in Active state, meaning a query is in progress.
Why it's wrong here
The output states State: Passive, meaning no query is outstanding and the route is settled; Active would show queries in progress. It is tempting because Active state does indicate a stuck route awaiting replies, which is the correct diagnosis when a successor is lost and no feasible successor exists.
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 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.