Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) Practice Exam

What is the default STP bridge priority value?

1. 16,384

2. 32,768

3. 48,576

4. 65,536

The correct answer is: 32,768

The default Spanning Tree Protocol (STP) bridge priority value is 32,768. This value is significant because it is part of the decision-making process in determining the root bridge within the STP topology. STP uses both bridge priority and MAC addresses to elect the root bridge; lower values indicate a higher priority for becoming the root. When the STP process begins, each bridge starts with the default priority value of 32,768. If you want to influence which switch becomes the root bridge, you can configure a lower priority value compared to the default. By defaulting to 32,768, STP maintains a standard baseline, ensuring that there is a consistent starting point for all devices in the network. Understanding this concept is crucial for network engineers, as manipulating the bridge priority is a common technique used to optimize STP operations, especially in larger networks where controlling traffic flow and preventing loops is essential.