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350-401 Practice Question: Which two statements about OSPF network types are…
Which two statements about OSPF network types are true? (Choose two.)
⚠ Common exam trap
350-401 often tests whether candidates remember that point-to-point and point-to-multipoint network types skip DR/BDR election, while broadcast and NBMA do not — and that loopback defaults to the loopback network type, not point-to-point.
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
✓
On a broadcast multiaccess network, OSPF elects a DR and BDR to reduce LSA flooding.
Option A is correct because on a broadcast multiaccess network OSPF does elect a DR and BDR, which reduces the number of adjacencies and LSA flooding by having all other routers form full adjacencies only with the DR/BDR. Option C is correct because on an NBMA network OSPF does not automatically discover neighbors via multicast, so the neighbor command is used to manually specify neighbor IP addresses and enable unicast Hello packets. Option B is incorrect because the point-to-point network type does not require a DR/BDR election; it forms a direct adjacency. Option D is incorrect because point-to-multipoint treats the network as a collection of point-to-point links and does not elect a DR/BDR. Option E is incorrect because the default OSPF network type for a loopback interface is loopback, which is advertised as a stub host route, not point-to-point.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
On a broadcast multiaccess network, OSPF elects a DR and BDR to reduce LSA flooding.
Why this is correct
Broadcast multiaccess segments elect a DR and BDR, which form adjacencies with all routers and originate network LSAs on the segment's behalf. This reduces full-mesh adjacency count and consequent LSA flooding across the shared medium.
- ✗
The OSPF point-to-point network type requires a DR/BDR election.
Why it's wrong here
Point-to-point links form an automatic full adjacency between the two endpoints, so no DR/BDR election occurs; the election exists only on broadcast and non-broadcast multi-access segments. It tempts because point-to-point still runs the standard hello and adjacency process, which candidates may confuse with broadcast behaviour.
- ✓
On a non-broadcast multiaccess (NBMA) network, OSPF can use the neighbor command to manually discover neighbors.
Why this is correct
On NBMA networks, multicast and broadcast are unavailable, so OSPF cannot dynamically discover neighbours via Hello packets. The neighbour command statically lists each peer's unicast address, satisfying the manual-discovery constraint. This differs from point-to-multipoint, which emulates broadcast behaviour and permits automatic discovery without static configuration.
- ✗
The OSPF point-to-multipoint network type always elects a DR.
Why it's wrong here
Point-to-multipoint treats the segment as a collection of point-to-point links and elects no DR or BDR, so this statement is false. It tempts because point-to-multipoint is a multi-access-style topology, and candidates assume any multi-access network must run a DR election.
- ✗
The default OSPF network type for a loopback interface is point-to-point.
Why it's wrong here
A loopback interface defaults to the loopback network type, advertised as a stub host route with a /32 mask, not point-to-point. It tempts because loopbacks are treated as point-to-point in some other contexts, but OSPF defines a distinct loopback type for them.
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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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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