How Routers Choose the Best Path | Longest Prefix vs AD vs Metric | CCNA 200-301

Two routes to 10.1.1.0/24 — which one does the router install in thebrouting table? In this video I break down the exact order of operations a router follows when more than one path is available. We cover: Longest Prefix Match — why /24 beats /16 no matter the protocol Administrative Distance — the tie-breaker between different protocols Metric / Cost — the tie-breaker inside the same protocol Equal-cost load balancing — what happens when nothing breaks the tie Using a simple 4-router OSPF topology (R1–R2–R4 and R1–R3–R4), I walk through each step and show which path actually wins. Useful for CCNA, network engineers, and anyone troubleshooting "why is traffic taking that path?" Drop your questions in the comments and subscribe for more networking fundamentals. #Routing #CCNA #Networking #OSPF #RoutingTable #LongestPrefixMatch #AdministrativeDistance #RoutingMetric #BestPathSelection #IPRouting #NetworkEngineer #CiscoRouting #RoutingProtocols #LoadBalancing #ECMP #NetworkFundamentals #CCNP #SubnetMask #RouterConfiguration #networkingbasics