easyMultiple SelectObjective-mapped
350-401 Practice Question: Which two statements about OSPF neighbor states…
Which two statements about OSPF neighbor states are true? (Choose two.)
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
✓
The 2-Way state indicates that both routers have seen their own router ID in the neighbor's hello packet.
The 2-Way state indicates that both routers have received each other's hello packets, confirming bidirectional communication. Option B is correct because the Full state means that the routers have exchanged all LSAs and their databases are synchronized. Option C is incorrect because the ExStart state is where the master/slave relationship is established, not where LSAs are exchanged. Option D is incorrect because the Loading state is where LSRs and LSUs are exchanged, not the Exchange state. Option E is incorrect because the Down state is the initial state before any hello packets are received.
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 2-Way state indicates that both routers have seen their own router ID in the neighbor's hello packet.
Why this is correct
Correct because 2-Way confirms bidirectional communication, which is required before proceeding to database synchronization.
- ✓
The Full state indicates that the routers have synchronized their LSDBs and are fully adjacent.
Why this is correct
Correct because Full is the final adjacency state where both routers have identical link-state databases.
- ✗
In the ExStart state, routers exchange Database Description packets containing LSA headers.
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect because ExStart establishes the master/slave relationship and initial sequence numbers; DBD exchange occurs in the Exchange state.
- ✗
In the Exchange state, routers send Link State Requests and receive Link State Updates.
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect because LSRs and LSUs are exchanged in the Loading state, not the Exchange state.
- ✗
The Down state is the final state when a neighbor is unreachable.
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect because Down is the initial state; when a neighbor becomes unreachable, the state transitions to Down but it is not the final state in the normal progression.
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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Same concept, more angles
1 more way this is tested on 350-401
These questions test the same concept from different angles. Work through them to make sure you can recognise it however the exam phrases it.
Variation 1. Which two statements about OSPF neighbor states are true? (Choose two.)
medium- ✓ A.The 2-Way state indicates that the router has received a Hello packet from the neighbor with its own Router ID in the neighbor list.
- B.In the ExStart state, routers exchange Database Description (DBD) packets to describe their LSDB contents.
- ✓ C.The Full state means the routers have synchronized their link-state databases and are fully adjacent.
- D.The Loading state occurs before the Exchange state in the neighbor state machine.
- E.The Down state means the router has received a Hello packet from the neighbor but has not yet established two-way communication.
Why A: OSPF neighbor state machine progresses through several states. The 2-Way state indicates bidirectional communication has been established. The Full state means the routers have exchanged complete LSDB information. The ExStart state is where the master/slave relationship is determined. The Loading state occurs after the Database Description (DBD) exchange.
JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This 350-401 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 350-401 exam.