mediumMultiple Choice
350-401 Practice Question: Given this OSPF configuration: router ospf 1…
Given this OSPF configuration:
router ospf 1
router-id 1.1.1.1
network 192.168.1.0 0.0.0.255 area 0 network 10.0.0.0 0.255.255.255 area 1
default-information originate always
What is the effect of the 'default-information originate always' command?
⚠ Common exam trap
Cisco often tests the distinction between 'default-information originate' (which requires a default route in the routing table) and 'default-information originate always' (which does not), leading candidates to mistakenly think the 'always' keyword is optional or that the command only affects area 0.
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
✓
OSPF will advertise a default route into all OSPF areas even if no default route is present in the routing table.
The 'default-information originate always' command instructs OSPF to generate and advertise a default route (0.0.0.0/0) into the OSPF domain as a Type 5 External LSA, regardless of whether a default route exists in the router's own routing table. This ensures that all OSPF routers in every area receive the default route, making the advertising router a gateway of last resort.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
OSPF will advertise a default route into all OSPF areas even if no default route is present in the routing table.
Why this is correct
The 'always' keyword in the 'default-information originate' command forces OSPF to generate and advertise a default route (0.0.0.0/0) throughout the entire OSPF domain, irrespective of whether a default route exists in the routing table. This guarantees connectivity to external networks via the advertising router even when it has no default route of its own, preventing blackholing in certain topologies.
- ✗
OSPF will only advertise a default route if a default route is already in the routing table.
Why it's wrong here
Without the 'always' keyword, OSPF's 'default-information originate' command requires a default route to be present in the routing table before it will inject a default into OSPF. Since the question's configuration uses 'always', the test scenario is unconditional, making the statement incorrect for the given command. In other words, the conditional behavior is overridden.
- ✗
OSPF will redistribute all connected routes as type 5 LSAs.
Why it's wrong here
The command does not redistribute all connected routes; it specifically originates a single default route as a Type 5 LSA (or Type 3 in stub areas). Redistributing connected routes is performed with the 'redistribute connected' command, which creates separate Type 5 LSAs for each subnet. Therefore, this option confuses the focused purpose of default-route injection with broader route redistribution.
- ✗
OSPF will generate a default route only for area 0.
Why it's wrong here
The default route injected by 'default-information originate always' is advertised into all OSPF areas, not just area 0. OSPF's flooding mechanism propagates the resulting LSA throughout the entire autonomous system (subject to area type restrictions). Restricting advertisement to only area 0 would contradict OSPF's inter-area routing principles.
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 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.