- A
The preference of a route cannot be changed.
Why wrong: Incorrect: Preference can be changed using routing policies.
- B
Direct routes have a default preference of 0.
Correct: Direct routes have preference 0.
- C
OSPF internal routes have a default preference of 10.
Correct: OSPF internal routes have preference 10.
- D
Static routes have a default preference of 10.
Why wrong: Incorrect: Static routes have default preference 5.
- E
BGP routes have a default preference of 200.
Why wrong: Incorrect: BGP routes have default preference 170.
Question 218 of 514
Junos Route Preference Default Values
This JNCIA-JUNOS practice question tests your understanding of routing fundamentals. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. 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.
Which TWO statements about route preferences in Junos are correct?
Quick Answer
The correct statement is that OSPF internal routes have a default preference of 10. This is because Junos assigns a numerical preference to each route source, with lower values indicating a more preferred route, and OSPF internal routes are considered highly reliable within a single area. On the JNCIA-Junos exam, you are expected to memorize the default preferences for key protocols, as questions often test your ability to distinguish between them—common traps include confusing OSPF external routes (which have a default preference of 150) with internal ones, or mixing up static (5) and direct (0) preferences. Understanding route preferences is fundamental to Junos routing decisions, as they determine which route is installed in the forwarding table when multiple protocols learn the same destination. A useful memory tip is to think of the order as "Direct, Static, OSPF, BGP" with preferences 0, 5, 10, and 170—the numbers increase as the protocol’s trustworthiness decreases.
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
✓
Direct routes have a default preference of 0.
Option B is correct because in Junos, direct (connected) routes have a default route preference of 0, which is the highest possible preference, ensuring they are always preferred over other route types for directly attached networks. Option C is correct because OSPF internal routes (both intra-area and inter-area) have a default preference of 10 in Junos, which is lower than most other dynamic routing protocols, making OSPF routes more preferred by default.
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.
- ✗
The preference of a route cannot be changed.
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect: Preference can be changed using routing policies.
- ✓
Direct routes have a default preference of 0.
Why this is correct
Correct: Direct routes have preference 0.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✓
OSPF internal routes have a default preference of 10.
Why this is correct
Correct: OSPF internal routes have preference 10.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Static routes have a default preference of 10.
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect: Static routes have default preference 5.
- ✗
BGP routes have a default preference of 200.
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect: BGP routes have default preference 170.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse Junos default preference values with Cisco IOS administrative distance values, particularly for BGP (170 in Junos vs. 200 in Cisco) and static routes (5 in Junos vs. 1 in Cisco), leading them to select incorrect options based on Cisco knowledge.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Route preference (also known as administrative distance) in Junos is used to select the best route among multiple routes to the same destination from different routing protocols. The lower the preference value, the more preferred the route. Junos uses a unique preference for each route source: direct (0), static (5), OSPF internal (10), IS-IS Level 1 (15), IS-IS Level 2 (18), RIP (100), OSPF external (150), and BGP (170). This differs from Cisco's administrative distance values, which can cause confusion for multi-vendor engineers. The preference can be overridden per-protocol or per-route using routing policies, allowing fine-grained control over route selection.
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: Direct routes have a default preference of 0. — Option B is correct because in Junos, direct (connected) routes have a default route preference of 0, which is the highest possible preference, ensuring they are always preferred over other route types for directly attached networks. Option C is correct because OSPF internal routes (both intra-area and inter-area) have a default preference of 10 in Junos, which is lower than most other dynamic routing protocols, making OSPF routes more preferred by default.
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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Last reviewed: Jul 4, 2026
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