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350-401 The maximum hop count for EIGRP? Practice Question
What is the maximum hop count for EIGRP?
⚠ Common exam trap
Cisco often tests the difference between EIGRP's maximum hop count (255) and RIP's maximum hop count (15/16), tempting candidates who confuse the two distance-vector protocols or who mistakenly think all routing protocols have a low hop limit.
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
✓
255
EIGRP uses a maximum hop count of 255, which is the default and hard limit for the protocol. This is because EIGRP is a distance-vector protocol that uses hop count as one of its metrics, but unlike RIP (which has a limit of 15), EIGRP's DUAL algorithm allows for much larger networks without the same loop-prevention constraints.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
255
Why this is correct
Correct. EIGRP supports up to 255 hops.
- ✗
15
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect. 15 is the RIP maximum hop count.
- ✗
100
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect. 100 is the default, but the maximum is 255.
- ✗
16
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect. 16 is used by RIP to indicate unreachable.
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: Jun 24, 2026
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