easyMultiple Choice
300-410 Practice Question: The default administrative distance for internal…
What is the default administrative distance for internal EIGRP routes?
⚠ Common exam trap
Cisco often tests the distinction between internal and external EIGRP administrative distances, so the trap here is that candidates may confuse the default AD of 170 for external EIGRP routes with the AD of 90 for internal EIGRP routes.
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
✓
90
The default administrative distance for internal Enhanced Interior Gateway Routing Protocol (EIGRP) routes is 90. This value is used by Cisco routers to select the best path when multiple routing protocols provide route information for the same destination network, with a lower administrative distance being preferred over a higher one.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
90
Why this is correct
Internal EIGRP routes carry a default administrative distance of 90, making them more trusted than OSPF (110) or RIP (120) but less than directly connected or static routes. This value applies specifically to routes learned within the same autonomous system, satisfying the question's requirement for the internal EIGRP default.
- ✗
110
Why it's wrong here
110 is the default administrative distance for OSPF, not internal EIGRP, so this value would misrepresent EIGRP's trustworthiness in route selection. It is tempting because OSPF is a common interior gateway protocol, and 110 would be the correct answer if the question asked about OSPF instead.
- ✗
120
Why it's wrong here
120 is the default administrative distance for RIP, not internal EIGRP, so selecting it would rank EIGRP routes incorrectly against other sources. It is tempting because RIP is a widely taught routing protocol, and 120 would be correct if the question concerned RIP's default distance.
- ✗
170
Why it's wrong here
170 is the default administrative distance for external EIGRP routes, not internal ones, so it misstates how the router ranks internal EIGRP paths. It is tempting because it is a genuine EIGRP value, and would be correct if the question specified external EIGRP routes instead.
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.