This 300-410 practice question tests your understanding of route summarization. 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 redistribution setup between OSPF and EIGRP is causing a routing loop for subnet 10.1.1.0/24. Router R1 runs OSPF and EIGRP with redistribution. R1's configuration:
router ospf 1
redistribute eigrp 100 subnets
!
router eigrp 100
redistribute ospf 1 metric 10000 100 255 1 1500
!
interface GigabitEthernet0/0
ip address 10.1.1.1 255.255.255.0
ip summary-address eigrp 100 10.1.0.0 255.255.255.0
!
Router R2 (EIGRP neighbor) shows:
R2# show ip route 10.1.1.0
Routing entry for 10.1.0.0/24, supernet
Known via "eigrp 100", distance 90, metric 30720, type internal
Last update from 10.1.1.1 on GigabitEthernet0/0, 00:00:05 ago
What is the root cause?
The summary route 10.1.0.0/24 is less specific and can cause routing loops when combined with redistribution because R2 may send traffic for 10.1.1.0/24 back to R1.
The summary creates a less specific route that can be redistributed, leading to a loop.
B
The redistribution metric is too high, causing EIGRP to prefer the OSPF route via another path.
Why wrong: Metric does not cause loops; it affects path selection.
C
OSPF does not support subnets keyword, so the route is not redistributed correctly.
Why wrong: The subnets keyword is correct for OSPF.
D
EIGRP is not enabled on the interface, so the summary is not advertised.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
The summary route 10.1.0.0/24 is less specific and can cause routing loops when combined with redistribution because R2 may send traffic for 10.1.1.0/24 back to R1.
The summary route 10.1.0.0/24 is being advertised via EIGRP, but it is a less specific prefix than the actual /24. When R1 redistributes OSPF into EIGRP, the summary may cause R2 to prefer the summary over a more specific route, and if R2 sends traffic back to R1 for 10.1.1.0/24, R1 might forward it to R2 again if the OSPF route is not present, creating a loop. The summary should match the exact subnet or be more specific to avoid loops.
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 summary route 10.1.0.0/24 is less specific and can cause routing loops when combined with redistribution because R2 may send traffic for 10.1.1.0/24 back to R1.
Why this is correct
The summary creates a less specific route that can be redistributed, leading to a loop.
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
Keyword trap
The subnets keyword is correct for OSPF.
Command / output trap
EIGRP is enabled via network command.
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.
Route Summarization — This question tests Route Summarization — OSPF neighbours must agree on key parameters..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: The summary route 10.1.0.0/24 is less specific and can cause routing loops when combined with redistribution because R2 may send traffic for 10.1.1.0/24 back to R1. — The summary route 10.1.0.0/24 is being advertised via EIGRP, but it is a less specific prefix than the actual /24. When R1 redistributes OSPF into EIGRP, the summary may cause R2 to prefer the summary over a more specific route, and if R2 sends traffic back to R1 for 10.1.1.0/24, R1 might forward it to R2 again if the OSPF route is not present, creating a loop. The summary should match the exact subnet or be more specific to avoid loops.
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
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 →
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.
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.
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.
Sign in to join the discussion.