Question 1hardmultiple choice
Full question →hardmultiple choiceObjective-mapped
A host address is 172.22.14.99/27. Which address is the broadcast address of the subnet?
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Good practice is not just finding the correct option. The wrong answers often show the exact trap the exam wants you to fall into.
A
Distractor review
172.22.14.95
This is wrong because .95 is the broadcast address of the previous /27 block.
B
Best answer
172.22.14.127
This is correct because .99 belongs to the 96-127 /27 subnet.
C
Distractor review
172.22.14.96
This is wrong because .96 is the network address of the subnet.
D
Distractor review
172.22.14.128
This is wrong because .128 starts the next subnet.
Common exam trap
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
A frequent exam trap is mistaking the broadcast address of the previous or next subnet block for the current subnet’s broadcast address. For example, 172.22.14.95 is the broadcast address of the 64-95 block, not the 96-127 block where 172.22.14.99 resides. Candidates often confuse the network address with the broadcast address, or select an address that starts the next subnet (like 172.22.14.128). This mistake happens because the block size and subnet boundaries are not carefully calculated, leading to incorrect subnet identification and broadcast address selection.
Technical deep dive
How to think about this question
Subnetting divides an IP network into smaller, manageable segments called subnets, each with its own network address, broadcast address, and host range. A /27 subnet mask corresponds to 255.255.255.224, which means 27 bits are fixed for the network portion and 5 bits are left for host addressing. This results in 32 IP addresses per subnet block, including the network and broadcast addresses. To find the broadcast address for a given host IP and subnet mask, you identify the subnet block the IP belongs to by calculating the block size (32 for /27) and determining the range of addresses within that block. For 172.22.14.99/27, the subnet block ranges from 172.22.14.96 to 172.22.14.127. The broadcast address is always the last IP in the subnet block, which is 172.22.14.127 in this case. A common exam trap is confusing the broadcast address with the network address or the broadcast address of an adjacent subnet. For example, 172.22.14.95 is the broadcast address of the previous subnet block (64-95), not the current one. Understanding the block boundaries and correctly calculating the broadcast address prevents such mistakes and ensures accurate subnetting in Cisco network configurations.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- A /27 subnet mask creates subnets with 32 IP addresses, including network and broadcast addresses.
- The broadcast address is the highest IP address in the subnet block and is used to send packets to all hosts within that subnet.
- Subnetting requires calculating the subnet block range by using the block size derived from the subnet mask bits.
- The network address is the lowest IP in the subnet block and identifies the subnet itself, not a host.
- Hosts must belong to the subnet range between the network and broadcast addresses, excluding these two reserved addresses.
- Incorrectly identifying the broadcast address as the network address or an adjacent subnet’s broadcast address is a common subnetting error.
- Cisco devices use the subnet mask to determine the network and broadcast addresses for routing and packet forwarding decisions.
- Understanding subnet boundaries is critical for IP addressing precision and avoiding address conflicts in Cisco network design.
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.
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More questions from this exam
Keep practising from the same exam bank, or move into a focused topic page if this question exposed a weak area.
Question 1
A router learns the same prefix from both OSPF and EIGRP. Which route is installed by default?
Question 2
A router shows this output: R1#show ip ospf neighbor Neighbor ID Pri State Dead Time Address Interface 10.1.1.2 1 FULL/DR 00:00:34 192.168.12.2 GigabitEthernet0/0 10.1.1.3 1 2WAY/DROTHER 00:00:39 192.168.12.3 GigabitEthernet0/0 Which statement is correct?
Question 3
What is the OSPF metric called?
Question 4
A non-root switch has two uplinks toward the root bridge. One path has a lower total STP cost than the other. What role will the lower-cost uplink have?
Question 5
A router interface applies this ACL inbound: 10 deny tcp any any eq 80 20 permit ip any any A user reports that web browsing to a server by IP address fails, but ping works. Which statement best explains the behavior?
Question 6
A router learns route 198.51.100.0/24 from OSPF with AD 110 and also has a static route to the same prefix configured with AD 150. Which route is installed?
FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this 200-301 question test?
A /27 subnet mask creates subnets with 32 IP addresses, including network and broadcast addresses.
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: 172.22.14.127 — A /27 subnet has a block size of 32. In practical terms, the relevant blocks are 0-31, 32-63, 64-95, 96-127, and so on. Because 99 falls within the 96-127 block, the broadcast address is the last address in that block: 172.22.14.127. This is a classic subnet-boundary question and remains important because addressing precision appears throughout the CCNA blueprint.
What should I do if I get this 200-301 question wrong?
Then try more questions from the same exam bank and focus on understanding why the wrong options are tempting.
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