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300-410 Practice Question: The default OSPF reference bandwidth used in the…
What is the default OSPF reference bandwidth used in the cost calculation formula on Cisco IOS?
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
✓
100 Mbps
The default reference bandwidth is 100 Mbps, meaning the cost is calculated as 100,000,000 / interface bandwidth in bps.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
10 Mbps
Why it's wrong here
10 Mbps is not the default; the default is 100 Mbps.
- ✓
100 Mbps
Why this is correct
Cisco IOS uses 100 Mbps as the reference bandwidth by default.
- ✗
1000 Mbps
Why it's wrong here
1000 Mbps is the default for newer routers but not for standard Cisco IOS.
- ✗
1 Gbps
Why it's wrong here
1 Gbps is not the default; it can be configured manually with the auto-cost reference-bandwidth command.
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.
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JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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.