Question 1easymultiple choice
Full question →easymultiple choiceObjective-mapped
A host sends traffic to a web server on another subnet. Which address is used as the destination MAC address in the first Ethernet frame sent by the host?
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
The MAC address of the remote web server
The remote server MAC is not used on the local LAN for off-subnet traffic.
B
Best answer
The MAC address of the local default gateway
Correct. The default gateway is the Layer 2 next hop for remote destinations.
C
Distractor review
The MAC address of the DNS server
DNS resolution is unrelated to the data frame's next-hop MAC here.
D
Distractor review
The broadcast MAC address
Broadcast is not used for ordinary unicast forwarding.
Common exam trap
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Read the requirement carefully. Cisco often uses subtle wording like 'most efficient' or 'industry standard' to eliminate technically correct but non-optimal answers.
Technical deep dive
How to think about this question
Treat this as a scenario question. Identify the problem, the constraint, and the best action. Then compare each option against those facts.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- A host determines if a destination IP address is on the local subnet by comparing it with its own IP address and subnet mask.
- When the destination IP is off-subnet, the host forwards packets to the default gateway’s IP address as the next-hop router.
- The Ethernet frame sent by the host uses the MAC address of the default gateway as the destination MAC for off-subnet traffic.
- The MAC address of the remote host is not used in the initial Ethernet frame because Layer 2 forwarding is limited to the local subnet.
- Routers perform Layer 3 routing between subnets and respond to ARP requests on their local interfaces to provide their MAC addresses.
- Broadcast MAC addresses are used only for specific purposes like ARP requests, not for unicast traffic to remote destinations.
- DNS servers resolve domain names to IP addresses but do not influence the MAC address used in Ethernet frames for routing.
- Understanding the separation of Layer 2 and Layer 3 addressing is essential for correctly determining next-hop MAC addresses in routed networks.
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 host determines if a destination IP address is on the local subnet by comparing it with its own IP address and subnet mask.
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: The MAC address of the local default gateway — When the destination is remote, the host sends the frame to its default gateway. The next-hop MAC is the gateway's MAC, not the remote host's MAC.
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.
Discussion
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