- A
Configure the dynamic protocol to export the route with a metric of 1.
Why wrong: Metric is not compared across protocols; preference is used.
- B
Configure a static route to 10.1.1.0/24 with next-hop 192.168.1.1 and preference 5.
Preference 5 is lower than most dynamic defaults, so static will be active.
- C
Configure a filter to reject the dynamic route.
Why wrong: This could work but is more complex and not the intended method.
- D
Configure a static route to 10.1.1.0/24 with next-hop 192.168.1.1 and preference 15.
Why wrong: Preference 15 is higher than OSPF's 10, so OSPF would still win.
Question 244 of 514
Forcing Traffic Through a Specific Next-Hop by Setting Static Route Preference
This JNCIA-JUNOS practice question tests your understanding of routing fundamentals. This is a configuration task: choose the command set that satisfies every stated requirement. Small differences — like 'secret' vs 'password' or 'transport input ssh' vs 'all' — change whether the answer is correct. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
A network must forward traffic to 10.1.1.0/24 through a specific next-hop 192.168.1.1, even if a dynamic route with a lower preference is available. Which configuration will achieve this?
Quick Answer
The answer is to configure a static route to 10.1.1.0/24 with next-hop 192.168.1.1 and preference 5. This works because Junos uses the route preference value to select the best route when multiple protocols know the same destination; a lower preference is more preferred. By setting the static route preference to 5—well below the default OSPF preference of 10 or BGP’s 170—you force traffic through the specified next-hop, effectively overriding the dynamic route with static route preference. On the JNCIA-Junos exam, this tests your understanding of route selection logic and the `preference` statement under `edit routing-options static`. A common trap is assuming any static route automatically wins over dynamic ones, but without an explicit lower preference, the dynamic route with a lower default preference (like OSPF’s 10) will still be chosen. Memory tip: think “5 is alive” for static routes—set it to 5 to keep your static route preferred and alive over any dynamic protocol.
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
✓
Configure a static route to 10.1.1.0/24 with next-hop 192.168.1.1 and preference 5.
Option B is correct because a static route can be configured with a preference value lower than any dynamic routing protocol's default preference. In Junos, the default preference for OSPF internal routes is 10, for IS-IS level 1 is 15, for RIP is 100, and for BGP is 170. By setting the static route to 10.1.1.0/24 with next-hop 192.168.1.1 and preference 5, it will have a lower preference value than these defaults. Therefore, even if a dynamic route with a lower preference (i.e., a smaller number but still greater than 5) exists, the static route will be installed in the routing table and used for forwarding, satisfying the requirement to always forward traffic through the specified next-hop.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Configure the dynamic protocol to export the route with a metric of 1.
Why it's wrong here
Metric is not compared across protocols; preference is used.
- ✓
Configure a static route to 10.1.1.0/24 with next-hop 192.168.1.1 and preference 5.
Why this is correct
Preference 5 is lower than most dynamic defaults, so static will be active.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Configure a filter to reject the dynamic route.
Why it's wrong here
This could work but is more complex and not the intended method.
- ✗
Configure a static route to 10.1.1.0/24 with next-hop 192.168.1.1 and preference 15.
Why it's wrong here
Preference 15 is higher than OSPF's 10, so OSPF would still win.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse metric with preference (administrative distance) and assume that a lower metric on a dynamic route will make it preferred over a static route, or they mistakenly think a higher preference value on a static route (like 15) still makes it preferred over OSPF (10).
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
In Junos, route preference (administrative distance) is the primary mechanism for selecting among routes to the same destination from different routing protocols. The default preference for static routes is 5, which is lower than most dynamic protocols, but explicitly setting it to 5 ensures it beats OSPF (10), IS-IS (15), RIP (100), and BGP (170). A real-world scenario is when you need to enforce a backup link via a static route that must always be preferred over a dynamically learned path, such as for policy-based routing or traffic engineering.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
- Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.
TExam Day Tips
- Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
- Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A network engineer at a university connects two campus buildings via a fibre link. Both routers run OSPF, but no adjacency forms — even though both routers can ping each other. The engineer finds one router is in area 0 and the other in area 1. OSPF adjacency requires matching area numbers, hello/dead timers, and network type. IP reachability alone is not enough.
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.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this JNCIA-JUNOS question test?
Routing Fundamentals — This question tests Routing Fundamentals — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Configure a static route to 10.1.1.0/24 with next-hop 192.168.1.1 and preference 5. — Option B is correct because a static route can be configured with a preference value lower than any dynamic routing protocol's default preference. In Junos, the default preference for OSPF internal routes is 10, for IS-IS level 1 is 15, for RIP is 100, and for BGP is 170. By setting the static route to 10.1.1.0/24 with next-hop 192.168.1.1 and preference 5, it will have a lower preference value than these defaults. Therefore, even if a dynamic route with a lower preference (i.e., a smaller number but still greater than 5) exists, the static route will be installed in the routing table and used for forwarding, satisfying the requirement to always forward traffic through the specified next-hop.
What should I do if I get this JNCIA-JUNOS question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Same concept, more angles
2 more ways this is tested on JNCIA-JUNOS
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. Your Juniper router is running OSPF with multiple neighbors. You have a prefix 10.10.10.0/24 that is being learned via OSPF from two different routers: Router A with metric 30 and Router B with metric 20. The OSPF route from Router B is active. You want to ensure that traffic to 10.10.10.0/24 uses the path through Router A instead, even though it has a higher metric. You cannot change the OSPF metric on Router A. Which action should you take?
medium- ✓ A.Use a routing policy to increase the preference of the OSPF route from Router B.
- B.Increase the metric on Router B for that prefix.
- C.Use a routing policy to reject the OSPF route from Router A.
- D.Configure a static route to 10.10.10.0/24 pointing to Router A.
Why A: In JUNOS, route preference (administrative distance) determines which route is installed in the routing table when multiple protocols or sources provide the same prefix. By default, OSPF internal routes have a preference of 10. You can use a routing policy to increase the preference of the OSPF route from Router B (making it less preferred), which will cause the route from Router A (with its default preference of 10) to become active, even though its metric is higher. This approach does not require changing the OSPF metric or removing the route from Router A.
Variation 2. A router has an OSPF route to 10.10.10.0/24 with preference 10 and a static route to the same prefix with preference 5. Which route is active in the routing table?
easy- A.The OSPF route
- ✓ B.The static route
- C.Neither route
- D.Both routes
Why B: In Junos, the active route in the routing table is determined by the route preference (administrative distance). A lower preference value indicates a more trusted route. Here, the static route has a preference of 5, which is lower than the OSPF route's preference of 10, so the static route is preferred and becomes active.
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Last reviewed: Jul 4, 2026
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