300-410 OSPF Troubleshooting (v2/v3) Practice Question
This 300-410 practice question tests your understanding of ospf troubleshooting (v2/v3). 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.
Two routers R1 and R2 are connected via Ethernet link, but OSPF adjacency is not forming. Router R1 has the following relevant configuration: interface GigabitEthernet0/0 ip address 10.1.1.1 255.255.255.252 ip ospf network point-to-multipoint ip ospf 1 area 0 Router R2 shows: show ip ospf neighbor Neighbor ID Pri State Dead Time Address Interface 10.1.1.2 1 FULL/DR 00:00:35 10.1.1.2 GigabitEthernet0/0 But R2's configuration: interface GigabitEthernet0/0 ip address 10.1.1.2 255.255.255.252 ip ospf network broadcast ip ospf 1 area 0 What is the root cause?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Network type mismatch; change both to point-to-point or broadcast.
OSPF network type mismatch: R1 is configured as point-to-multipoint, which does not elect DR/BDR and uses multicast 224.0.0.5 for all neighbors. R2 is broadcast, expecting DR/BDR election and using 224.0.0.6 for DR/BDR communication. This mismatch prevents proper adjacency formation, though R2 sees R1 as FULL due to unidirectional hello. The correct fix is to match network types.
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.
✓
Network type mismatch; change both to point-to-point or broadcast.
Why this is correct
Point-to-multipoint and broadcast have different hello and DR election behaviors, causing adjacency failure.
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.
OSPF Troubleshooting (v2/v3) — This question tests OSPF Troubleshooting (v2/v3) — OSPF neighbours must agree on key parameters..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Network type mismatch; change both to point-to-point or broadcast. — OSPF network type mismatch: R1 is configured as point-to-multipoint, which does not elect DR/BDR and uses multicast 224.0.0.5 for all neighbors. R2 is broadcast, expecting DR/BDR election and using 224.0.0.6 for DR/BDR communication. This mismatch prevents proper adjacency formation, though R2 sees R1 as FULL due to unidirectional hello. The correct fix is to match network types.
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.
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Question Discussion
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