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350-401 Practice Question: The default OSPF hello interval on an Ethernet…
What is the default OSPF hello interval on an Ethernet link in a Cisco router?
⚠ Common exam trap
Cisco often tests the default OSPF hello interval on Ethernet (broadcast) networks, and the trap here is that candidates confuse it with the dead interval (40 seconds) or with the hello interval used on other network types like NBMA (30 seconds).
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
✓
10 seconds
The default OSPF hello interval on an Ethernet link (which is a broadcast multi-access network type) is 10 seconds. This is defined in RFC 2328 and is the default on Cisco routers for broadcast and point-to-point network types. The hello interval determines how often a router sends hello packets to discover and maintain neighbor relationships.
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 seconds
Why this is correct
Correct. The default hello interval for Ethernet is 10 seconds.
- ✗
30 seconds
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect. 30 seconds is the default for NBMA networks.
- ✗
5 seconds
Why it's wrong here
A 5-second hello interval is the default for OSPF on NBMA (Non-Broadcast Multi-Access) networks, not for Ethernet. On an Ethernet broadcast multi-access link, the default hello interval is 10 seconds. This option is tempting because 5 seconds is the default for OSPF point-to-point and NBMA interfaces, so it is correct for those specific network types, but the stem explicitly specifies an Ethernet link.
- ✗
40 seconds
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect. 40 seconds is the default dead interval for Ethernet.
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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Last reviewed: Jul 4, 2026
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