mediumMultiple Choice
350-401 Practice Question: Given the following configuration on a Cisco…
Given the following configuration on a Cisco IOS-XE device:
router ospf 1 network 10.0.0.0 0.255.255.255 area 0
!
interface GigabitEthernet0/0 ip address 10.1.1.1 255.255.255.0 ip ospf cost 10
!
interface GigabitEthernet0/1 ip address 10.2.2.1 255.255.255.0
!
Which statement is true about OSPF operation?
⚠ Common exam trap
The trap here is assuming that a cost configured on one interface applies to all interfaces in the same area, or misunderstanding the wildcard mask in the network command.
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
✓
GigabitEthernet0/0 will have an OSPF cost of 10, and GigabitEthernet0/1 will have a default cost based on its bandwidth.
The ip ospf cost 10 command is applied only to GigabitEthernet0/0, explicitly setting its OSPF cost to 10. GigabitEthernet0/1 does not have a cost configured, so OSPF will use the default cost calculated from the interface's bandwidth (reference bandwidth divided by interface bandwidth). Therefore, GigabitEthernet0/0 has cost 10, and GigabitEthernet0/1 has the default cost.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Both interfaces will have an OSPF cost of 10.
Why it's wrong here
The ip ospf cost 10 command applies only to GigabitEthernet0/0; GigabitEthernet0/1 has no explicit cost and derives its value from the reference bandwidth divided by interface bandwidth. Both interfaces fall inside network 10.0.0.0 0.255.255.255 area 0, so OSPF runs on each, but only one carries the configured cost.
- ✓
GigabitEthernet0/0 will have an OSPF cost of 10, and GigabitEthernet0/1 will have a default cost based on its bandwidth.
Why this is correct
The interface-level ip ospf cost 10 overrides the reference-bandwidth calculation on GigabitEthernet0/0, fixing its cost at 10. GigabitEthernet0/1 has no explicit cost, so IOS-XE derives the default from its bandwidth. Both interfaces fall within network 10.0.0.0 0.255.255.255 area 0.
- ✗
Both interfaces will have the same OSPF cost because they are in the same area.
Why it's wrong here
Cost is set per interface by the ip ospf cost command, not by area membership; Gi0/1 has no explicit cost and defaults to 1 based on bandwidth, while Gi0/0 is 10. Area 0 groups routers for topology, not cost equalisation. This would hold only if both interfaces shared identical bandwidth and cost settings.
- ✗
OSPF will not run on either interface because the network command uses a wildcard mask of 0.255.255.255.
Why it's wrong here
The wildcard 0.255.255.255 matches any address beginning 10, so both 10.1.1.1 and 10.2.2.1 fall within area 0 and OSPF forms adjacencies. A wildcard of 0.0.0.255 would match only the 10.0.0.0/24 subnet. The wide mask enables, rather than prevents, OSPF on these interfaces.
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.
Go deeper
Related to this question
About these practice questions
Courseiva writes every 350-401 question from scratch — 1,923 in total, each with an explanation and a wrong-answer breakdown. None are copied from real exams or dumps. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
JA
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
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.