The answer is the EIGRP route will be installed because it has a lower administrative distance of 90 compared to OSPF’s default of 110. Administrative distance is the first criterion Cisco routers use to select between routes from different routing protocols; the route with the lower distance is always preferred, regardless of metric values. In this scenario, even though the OSPF route has a metric of 20 and the EIGRP route has a higher metric of 28160, the EIGRP route wins due to its superior administrative distance preference. On the Cisco CCNP ENARSI 300-410 exam, this concept frequently appears in route selection questions designed to test your understanding that AD overrides metric when comparing routes from different protocols—a common trap is focusing on the metric instead of the distance. Remember the memory tip: “Lower AD wins the routing bin,” meaning the route with the smallest administrative distance gets installed first.
300-410 Administrative Distance Practice Question
This 300-410 practice question tests your understanding of administrative distance. Examine the command output carefully: the correct answer depends on what the output actually shows, not on general recall alone. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
A network engineer runs the following command on Router R9:
R9# show ip route 192.168.50.0
Routing entry for 192.168.50.0/24
Known via "ospf 1", distance 110, metric 20
Redistributing via ospf 1
Last update from 10.0.0.1 on GigabitEthernet0/0, 00:00:10 ago
Routing Descriptor Blocks:
* 10.0.0.1, from 10.0.0.1, 00:00:10 ago, via GigabitEthernet0/0
Route metric is 20, traffic share count is 1
R9 also has an EIGRP route for the same prefix with distance 90 and metric 28160. Which route will be installed?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
The EIGRP route will be installed because it has a lower administrative distance.
EIGRP internal routes have a default administrative distance of 90, which is lower than OSPF's default distance of 110. Therefore, the EIGRP route will be preferred and installed in the routing table.
Key principle: OSPF neighbour adjacency depends on matching area, hello/dead timers, network type, and authentication — IP reachability alone is not enough.
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 OSPF route will be installed because it has a lower metric.
Common exam trap: OSPF can fail even when IP connectivity looks correct
OSPF neighbour formation depends on matching areas, timers, network type, authentication and passive-interface behaviour. Do not choose an answer only because the devices can ping.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
OSPF questions usually test the details that control adjacency and route selection. Read the neighbour state, area, router ID and interface configuration before deciding what is wrong.
KKey Concepts to Remember
OSPF neighbours must agree on key parameters.
Router ID selection can affect neighbour relationships and LSDB output.
OSPF cost influences the preferred path.
A route can appear in OSPF information but not become the installed route.
TExam Day Tips
→Check area mismatch first when OSPF adjacency fails.
→Review passive interfaces when a network is advertised but no neighbour forms.
→Use show ip ospf neighbor and show ip route clues carefully.
Key takeaway
OSPF neighbour adjacency depends on matching area, hello/dead timers, network type, and authentication — IP reachability alone is not enough.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A network engineer at a university connects two campus buildings via a fibre link. Both routers run OSPF, but no adjacency forms — even though both routers can ping each other. The engineer finds one router is in area 0 and the other in area 1. OSPF adjacency requires matching area numbers, hello/dead timers, and network type. IP reachability alone is not enough.
Related glossary terms
Concepts from this question explained
These glossary pages explain the core terms tested in this 300-410 question in full detail.
Review OSPF neighbour requirements — matching area type, hello and dead timers, network type, stub flags, and authentication. Study show ip ospf neighbor states (INIT, 2-WAY, FULL). Then practise related 300-410 OSPF questions on adjacency and route selection.
Administrative Distance — This question tests Administrative Distance — OSPF neighbours must agree on key parameters..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: The EIGRP route will be installed because it has a lower administrative distance. — EIGRP internal routes have a default administrative distance of 90, which is lower than OSPF's default distance of 110. Therefore, the EIGRP route will be preferred and installed in the routing table.
What should I do if I get this 300-410 question wrong?
Review OSPF neighbour requirements — matching area type, hello and dead timers, network type, stub flags, and authentication. Study show ip ospf neighbor states (INIT, 2-WAY, FULL). Then practise related 300-410 OSPF questions on adjacency and route selection.
What is the key concept behind this question?
OSPF neighbours must agree on key parameters.
About these practice questions
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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. A network engineer runs the following command on Router R6:
R6# show ip route 10.0.0.0
Routing entry for 10.0.0.0/8
Known via "eigrp 100", distance 90, metric 28160
Redistributing via eigrp 100
Last update from 192.168.1.1 on GigabitEthernet0/0, 00:00:10 ago
Routing Descriptor Blocks:
* 192.168.1.1, from 192.168.1.1, 00:00:10 ago, via GigabitEthernet0/0
Route metric is 28160, traffic share count is 1
Additionally, an OSPF route for the same prefix is learned with distance 110. Which route will be installed in the routing table?
easy
A.The OSPF route will be installed because it has a lower metric.
✓ B.The EIGRP route will be installed because it has a lower administrative distance.
C.Both routes will be installed for load balancing.
D.Neither route will be installed due to a conflict.
Why B: EIGRP internal routes have a default administrative distance of 90, which is lower than OSPF's default distance of 110. Therefore, the EIGRP route will be preferred and installed in the routing table.
Last reviewed: Jun 18, 2026
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