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200-301 · Question #711

Which path does a router choose when it receives a packet with multiple possible paths to the destination over different routing protocols?

The correct answer is B. the path with the lowest administrative distance. When a router has multiple paths to a destination learned via different routing protocols, it prioritizes the path with the lowest administrative distance (AD). The administrative distance is a measure of the trustworthiness of a routing information source, and a lower AD indicat

Submitted by andres_qro· Mar 5, 2026

Question

Which path does a router choose when it receives a packet with multiple possible paths to the destination over different routing protocols?

Options

  • Athe path with both the lowest administrative distance and the highest metric
  • Bthe path with the lowest administrative distance
  • Cthe path with the lowest metric
  • Dthe path with both the lowest administrative distance and lowest metric

How the community answered

(27 responses)
  • A
    4% (1)
  • B
    89% (24)
  • C
    7% (2)

Why each option

When a router has multiple paths to a destination learned via different routing protocols, it prioritizes the path with the lowest administrative distance (AD). The administrative distance is a measure of the trustworthiness of a routing information source, and a lower AD indicates a more preferred source.

Athe path with both the lowest administrative distance and the highest metric

While a low administrative distance is correct, a router always prefers a lower metric, not a higher one, when comparing paths within the same protocol.

Bthe path with the lowest administrative distanceCorrect

Routers use administrative distance (AD) to determine the trustworthiness of routing information from different sources (e.g., directly connected, static routes, or different routing protocols). When multiple paths to the same destination are learned via different protocols, the path with the lowest AD is always preferred.

Cthe path with the lowest metric

The metric is used to compare paths within the same routing protocol. When comparing paths from different routing protocols, administrative distance is the primary decision factor.

Dthe path with both the lowest administrative distance and lowest metric

While a low AD and low metric are both desirable, AD is the primary decision factor between different protocols; the metric is only considered if AD values are equal (which is rare between different protocols).

Concept tested: Router path selection (Administrative Distance)

Source: https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/support/docs/ip/border-gateway-protocol-bgp/16449-router-selection.html

Topics

#Routing protocol preference#Administrative Distance#Path selection

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