Question 694 of 2,152

OSPF Troubleshooting (v2/v3) →easyMultiple ChoiceObjective-mapped

Quick Answer

The correct answer is that the route to 10.3.3.0/24 is learned from a different area, as indicated by the O IA code. In OSPF, routes marked simply with O are intra-area routes, learned within the same area via a Type 1 LSA, while O IA denotes inter-area routes, learned from a different area via a Type 3 summary LSA. This distinction is critical for the Cisco CCNP ENARSI 300-410 exam, where you must interpret the show ip route ospf output to verify OSPF path selection and area design; a common trap is assuming both routes are intra-area because they appear together, but the IA code explicitly signals a cross-area path. The intra-area route (O) is always preferred over an inter-area route (O IA) regardless of metric, so even if the IA route had a lower cost, the O route would still be chosen. Remember the mnemonic: “O is home, IA is away”—intra-area stays local, inter-area crosses boundaries.

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.

A network engineer runs the following command on Router R1:

R1# show ip route ospf

Codes: L - local, C - connected, S - static, R - RIP, M - mobile, B - BGP D - EIGRP, EX - EIGRP external, O - OSPF, IA - OSPF inter area N1 - OSPF NSSA external type 1, N2 - OSPF NSSA external type 2 E1 - OSPF external type 1, E2 - OSPF external type 2 i - IS-IS, su - IS-IS summary, L1 - IS-IS level-1, L2 - IS-IS level-2 ia - IS-IS inter area, * - candidate default, U - per-user static route o - ODR, P - periodic downloaded static route, H - NHRP, l - LISP a - application route + - replicated route, % - next hop override

Gateway of last resort is not set

O    10.2.2.0/24 [110/20] via 192.168.12.2, 00:12:34, GigabitEthernet0/0

O IA 10.3.3.0/24 [110/30] via 192.168.13.3, 00:10:21, GigabitEthernet0/1

Based on this output, what can be determined?

Question 1easymultiple choice

Review the full OSPF breakdown →

A
The route to 10.2.2.0/24 is an external OSPF route.
Why wrong: It is marked as O, which means intra-area, not external.
B
The route to 10.3.3.0/24 is learned from a different area.
The IA tag indicates it is an inter-area route, meaning it originates from another area.
C
Router R1 has a default route configured.
Why wrong: The output states 'Gateway of last resort is not set', so no default route.
D
Both routes have the same administrative distance.
Why wrong: Both have [110/...], so administrative distance is 110, but the statement is true; however, the question asks for what can be determined, and B is more specific.

Full breakdown with real-world context →

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 to 10.3.3.0/24 is learned from a different area.

The routing table shows two OSPF routes: one intra-area (O) and one inter-area (O IA). The intra-area route has a cost of 20, and the inter-area route has a cost of 30. Both are reachable via different next hops.

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 route to 10.2.2.0/24 is an external OSPF route.
Why it's wrong here
It is marked as O, which means intra-area, not external.
✓
The route to 10.3.3.0/24 is learned from a different area.
Why this is correct
The IA tag indicates it is an inter-area route, meaning it originates from another area.
Related concept
OSPF neighbours must agree on key parameters.
✗
Router R1 has a default route configured.
Why it's wrong here
The output states 'Gateway of last resort is not set', so no default route.
✗
Both routes have the same administrative distance.
Why it's wrong here
Both have [110/...], so administrative distance is 110, but the statement is true; however, the question asks for what can be determined, and B is more specific.

Common exam traps

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.

Trap categories for this question

Command / output trap
The output states 'Gateway of last resort is not set', so no default route.

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.

What to study next

Got this wrong? Here's your next step.

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.

Related 300-410 practice-question pages

Use these pages to review the topic behind this question. This is how one missed question becomes focused revision.

Layer 3 Technologies practice questions

Practise 300-410 questions linked to Layer 3 Technologies.

EIGRP Troubleshooting practice questions

Practise 300-410 questions linked to EIGRP Troubleshooting.

OSPF Troubleshooting (v2/v3) practice questions

Practise 300-410 questions linked to OSPF Troubleshooting (v2/v3).

BGP Troubleshooting practice questions

Practise 300-410 questions linked to BGP Troubleshooting.

Route Redistribution practice questions

Practise 300-410 questions linked to Route Redistribution.

Policy-Based Routing (PBR) practice questions

Practise 300-410 questions linked to Policy-Based Routing (PBR).

VRF-Lite practice questions

Practise 300-410 questions linked to VRF-Lite.

Route Maps and Route Filtering practice questions

Practise 300-410 questions linked to Route Maps and Route Filtering.

Administrative Distance practice questions

Practise 300-410 questions linked to Administrative Distance.

Route Summarization practice questions

Practise 300-410 questions linked to Route Summarization.

Bidirectional Forwarding Detection (BFD) practice questions

Practise 300-410 questions linked to Bidirectional Forwarding Detection (BFD).

VPN Technologies practice questions

Practise 300-410 questions linked to VPN Technologies.

Practice this exam

Start a free 300-410 practice session

Short sessions build daily habit. Longer sessions build exam-day stamina. Try a timed session to simulate real conditions.

10 questions 20 questions 30 questions 50 questions Timed 30

300-410 practice-test guide →Study guide →Browse all practice tests

FAQ

Questions learners often ask

What does this 300-410 question test?

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: The route to 10.3.3.0/24 is learned from a different area. — The routing table shows two OSPF routes: one intra-area (O) and one inter-area (O IA). The intra-area route has a cost of 20, and the inter-area route has a cost of 30. Both are reachable via different next hops.

What should I do if I get this 300-410 question wrong?

What is the key concept behind this question?

OSPF neighbours must agree on key parameters.

About these practice questions

Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →

How Courseiva writes practice questions · Editorial policy

Same concept, more angles

1 more ways this is tested on 300-410

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 to troubleshoot OSPF route installation: R1# show ip route ospf Codes: L - local, C - connected, S - static, R - RIP, M - mobile, B - BGP D - EIGRP, EX - EIGRP external, O - OSPF, IA - OSPF inter area N1 - OSPF NSSA external type 1, N2 - OSPF NSSA external type 2 E1 - OSPF external type 1, E2 - OSPF external type 2 i - IS-IS, su - IS-IS summary, L1 - IS-IS level-1, L2 - IS-IS level-2 ia - IS-IS inter area, * - candidate default, U - per-user static route o - ODR, P - periodic downloaded static route, H - NHRP, l - LISP a - application route + - replicated route, % - next hop override Gateway of last resort is not set O 10.1.1.0/24 [110/10] via 10.1.1.2, 00:12:34, GigabitEthernet0/0 O IA 192.168.1.0/24 [110/20] via 10.1.1.2, 00:10:00, GigabitEthernet0/0 O E2 5.5.5.5/32 [110/20] via 10.1.1.2, 00:05:00, GigabitEthernet0/0 What does this output indicate?

medium

✓ A.All OSPF routes are learned from the same next-hop 10.1.1.2.
B.The route to 5.5.5.5/32 is an intra-area route.
C.The route to 192.168.1.0/24 is a directly connected network.
D.The router has a default route installed.

Why A: The output shows OSPF routes in the routing table, including intra-area, inter-area, and external routes.

Keep practising

Question Discussion

Share a tip, memory trick, or ask about the reasoning behind this question. Do not post real exam questions, leaked content, braindumps, or copyrighted exam material. Comments are moderated and may be removed without notice.

Loading comments…

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.