hardMultiple Choice
300-410 Practice Question: An EIGRP network is experiencing stuck-in-active…
An EIGRP network is experiencing stuck-in-active (SIA) routes after a link failure. Router R1 has the following relevant configuration: router eigrp 100 network 10.0.0.0 0.255.255.255 Router R2 shows: show ip eigrp topology 10.1.1.0/24 IP-EIGRP topology entry for 10.1.1.0/24 State: Active, 00:01:30, Reply status 10.2.2.2, 10.3.3.3 What is the root cause?
⚠ Common exam trap
The trap is assuming SIA is caused by a timer or metric mismatch; in reality, SIA is a query-scope problem, and the fix is stub routing or summarization, not tuning hold timers or K-values.
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
✓
Query scope is too wide; configure stub routing or summarization to limit queries.
Stuck-in-Active (SIA) occurs when a router sends a query for a lost route and does not receive a reply from all neighbors within the active timer (default 3 minutes). The output shows the route in Active state with replies pending from 10.2.2.2 and 10.3.3.3, indicating the query propagated widely. The root cause is that the query scope is too broad — the 'network 10.0.0.0 0.255.255.255' command on R1 activates EIGRP on all interfaces in that range, so queries flood the entire domain. Limiting query scope with EIGRP stub routing on spoke routers or route summarization prevents this.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Query scope is too wide; configure stub routing or summarization to limit queries.
Why this is correct
The wide network statement causes R1 to flood queries for the lost route to every EIGRP neighbour, and replies from distant routers exceed the active timer, producing stuck-in-active state. Stub routing or summarisation confines the query domain, so only relevant routers respond.
- ✗
The K-values are mismatched; check metric weights.
Why it's wrong here
Mismatched K-values prevent adjacency formation entirely, so R2 would never reach Active state or send queries to 10.2.2.2 and 10.3.3.3. K-value alignment is checked when troubleshooting neighbours stuck in a down or initialising state, not routes stuck in Active after a link failure.
- ✗
The network command includes too many interfaces; use passive-interface.
Why it's wrong here
An over-broad network statement merely enables EIGRP on extra interfaces; it does not stop a router replying to queries, and passive-interface would suppress adjacencies rather than resolve the SIA. Passive interfaces are configured to prevent routing updates on user-facing segments.
- ✗
The hold time is too short; increase to 180 seconds.
Why it's wrong here
EIGRP hold time governs how long a neighbour is considered reachable without a hello; it does not bound how long a route stays Active awaiting replies. Raising it to 180 seconds is a neighbour-liveness adjustment, relevant when adjacencies flap, not when queries go unanswered.
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.
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
ACL-Based Traffic Filtering and Policy-Based Routing
Key term
BGP Route Aggregation
BGP Route Aggregation is a technique that combines multiple specific network routes into a single summary route to reduce the size of routing tables and improve network efficiency.
Key term
EIGRP Stub Routing
EIGRP stub routing is a feature that restricts a router from learning routes from neighbors and limits the routes it advertises, improving network stability and reducing resource usage in remote or spoke locations.
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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
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