# OSPF Path Selection explained

**URL:** https://forum.networklessons.com/t/ospf-path-selection-explained/969
**Category:** Lessons Discussion
**Created:** [December 24, 2016, 6:54pm UTC](https://forum.networklessons.com/t/ospf-path-selection-explained/969 "2016-12-24T18:54:27Z")
**Posts on this page:** 1
**Showing post:** 86

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### Author: ![lagapidis](https://cdn-forum.networklessons.com/user_avatar/forum.networklessons.com/lagapidis/32/4949_2.png) [@lagapidis](https://forum.networklessons.com/u/lagapidis)
#### Post date: [December 6, 2023, 6:01am UTC](https://forum.networklessons.com/t/ospf-path-selection-explained/969/86 "2023-12-06T06:01:45Z")

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Hello Samir

Yes, you are correct. I believe a more correct way of stating the overall order of preference of route types for OSPF becomes:

- Intra-Area Paths (O)
- Inter-Area Paths (O IA)
- External Type 1 (E1) Paths / NSSA Type 1 (N1) Paths
- External Type 2 (E2) Paths / NSSA Type 2 (N2) Paths

Within the same path-type category (like E1/N1 or E2/N2), OSPF will prefer **the path with the lower metric**. Only when the metric is the same will type E1 be preferred over N1, and type E2 be preferred over N2.

I will let Rene know so he can consider updates to the lesson. Thanks for sharing your thoughts and your experimentation with us!

I hope this has been helpful!

Laz

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