mediumMultiple Choice
300-410 Practice Question: Which statement correctly describes the behavior…
Which statement correctly describes the behavior of the 'default-information originate' command in OSPF?
⚠ Common exam trap
300-410 often tests the misconception that 'default-information originate' always injects a default route; candidates forget the requirement for an existing default route unless the 'always' keyword is used.
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
✓
It injects a default route as a Type 5 LSA only if a default route exists in the routing table.
The 'default-information originate' command in OSPF injects a default route (0.0.0.0/0) into the OSPF domain as a Type 5 External LSA, but only if a default route already exists in the routing table. Without an existing default route, the command has no effect unless the 'always' keyword is appended. This behavior ensures the router does not advertise a default path it cannot actually use.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
It always injects a default route into OSPF regardless of the routing table.
Why it's wrong here
Without the always keyword, the router injects the default only when a default route already exists in its routing table. The always variant is tempting because it does force injection unconditionally, but the bare command as written does not, so the absolute claim fails.
- ✗
It injects a default route as a Type 3 LSA.
Why it's wrong here
The command originates a default route as a Type 5 autonomous system external LSA, not Type 3, which is generated by ABRs for inter-area prefixes. Type 3 summarisation is tempting because ABRs do flood inter-area routes, but that mechanism describes area-range advertisement, not default-information originate.
- ✓
It injects a default route as a Type 5 LSA only if a default route exists in the routing table.
Why this is correct
Without the always keyword, OSPF originates the default as a Type 5 LSA only when a default route already exists in the routing table. This conditional dependency is the exact behaviour the stem asks about, distinguishing it from unconditional origination.
- ✗
It injects a default route as a Type 7 LSA in all OSPF areas.
Why it's wrong here
The default is advertised as a Type 5 external LSA throughout the OSPF domain, not Type 7, which is confined to NSSA areas and translated by the ABR. Type 7 is tempting when discussing NSSAs, but it does not apply to all areas.
Visual reference
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
OSPF Default Route Advertisement
OSPF Default Route Advertisement is the process by which a router using the OSPF routing protocol tells other routers to send all traffic for unknown destinations to it, acting as a gateway of last resort.
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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
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.