CCNA Network Infrastructure and Connectivity Practice Question
This 200-301 practice question tests your understanding of network infrastructure and connectivity. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. A key principle to apply: a host determines if a destination IP address is on the local subnet by comparing it with its own IP address and subnet mask.. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
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?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "first"
Why it matters: Order matters here. You are being tested on which action comes before the others — not which action is generally useful.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
The MAC address of the local default gateway
When a host wants to communicate with a device on a different subnet, it cannot reach that device directly. The host must send the frame to its default gateway, which is the router that connects to other subnets. Therefore, the destination MAC address in the first Ethernet frame is the MAC address of the local default gateway, not the remote web server (A). The DNS server (C) is used for name resolution, not for forwarding traffic. The broadcast MAC address (D) would send the frame to all devices on the local subnet, which is not appropriate for unicast communication to a remote destination.
Key principle: A host determines if a destination IP address is on the local subnet by comparing it with its own IP address and subnet mask.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
✗
The MAC address of the remote web server
Why it's wrong here
The remote server MAC is not used on the local LAN for off-subnet traffic.
When this WOULD be correct
In a different scenario where a question asks about the MAC address used in a direct communication between two devices on the same local network, the MAC address of the remote web server would be the correct answer if both devices are on the same subnet and can communicate directly.
✓
The MAC address of the local default gateway
Why this is correct
Correct. The default gateway is the Layer 2 next hop for remote destinations.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "first" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
A host determines if a destination IP address is on the local subnet by comparing it with its own IP address and subnet mask.
✗
The MAC address of the DNS server
Why it's wrong here
DNS resolution is unrelated to the data frame's next-hop MAC here.
When this WOULD be correct
In a different exam scenario, if the question asked about the MAC address used when a host is sending a DNS query to a DNS server within the same local subnet, then the correct answer would be the MAC address of the DNS server, as the host would communicate directly with it without needing to go through a gateway.
✗
The broadcast MAC address
Why it's wrong here
Broadcast is not used for ordinary unicast forwarding.
When this WOULD be correct
If the question were to ask about the initial frame sent by a host to discover all devices on the local network, such as during an ARP request for an IP address, the destination MAC address would be the broadcast MAC address (FF:FF:FF:FF:FF:FF).
Option-by-option analysis
Why each answer is right or wrong
Understanding why wrong answers are wrong — and when they would be correct — is what separates a 750 score from a 900. The 200-301 exam frequently reuses these exact scenarios with slightly different constraints.
✓The MAC address of the local default gatewayCorrect answer▾
Why this is correct
Correct. The default gateway is the Layer 2 next hop for remote destinations.
✗The MAC address of the remote web serverWrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
The remote web server is on a different subnet, so its MAC address is not reachable on the local LAN. The host must send the frame to the default gateway, not directly to the remote server.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
In a different scenario where a question asks about the MAC address used in a direct communication between two devices on the same local network, the MAC address of the remote web server would be the correct answer if both devices are on the same subnet and can communicate directly.
Why candidates choose this
Students may think that the destination MAC address should always be the final destination's MAC, but this is only true for devices on the same subnet. For off-subnet traffic, the MAC address of the default gateway is used.
✗The MAC address of the DNS serverWrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
The DNS server is used to resolve domain names to IP addresses, but it does not participate in the Layer 2 forwarding of data frames. The destination MAC address for the first frame is determined by the next-hop IP address (default gateway), not the DNS server.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
In a different exam scenario, if the question asked about the MAC address used when a host is sending a DNS query to a DNS server within the same local subnet, then the correct answer would be the MAC address of the DNS server, as the host would communicate directly with it without needing to go through a gateway.
Why candidates choose this
Students might confuse the role of DNS in name resolution with the process of determining the next-hop MAC address. They may think that the DNS server provides the MAC address or is involved in the forwarding decision.
✗The broadcast MAC addressWrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
A broadcast MAC address (FF:FF:FF:FF:FF:FF) is used to send frames to all devices on the local network, such as in ARP requests. For unicast traffic to a remote server, the host uses the MAC address of the default gateway, not a broadcast address.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
If the question were to ask about the initial frame sent by a host to discover all devices on the local network, such as during an ARP request for an IP address, the destination MAC address would be the broadcast MAC address (FF:FF:FF:FF:FF:FF).
Why candidates choose this
Students may recall that ARP uses broadcast to find the MAC address of the default gateway, but the actual data frame uses the learned unicast MAC address, not a broadcast. They might mistakenly think the data frame itself is broadcast.
Analysis generated from the official 200-301blueprint and verified against question context. The “when correct” sections are what AI assistants cite when candidates ask “what’s the difference between these options?”
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Remember that the destination MAC address for remote communication is the default gateway's, not the remote host's.
Detailed technical explanation
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.
Key takeaway
A host determines if a destination IP address is on the local subnet by comparing it with its own IP address and subnet mask.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A small business has 20 workstations on the 192.168.1.0/24 network and one public IP from its ISP. The router uses PAT (NAT overload) so all 20 devices share one public address using different source ports. NAT questions test whether you understand the four address terms and which direction each translation applies.
Related glossary terms
Concepts from this question explained
These glossary pages explain the core terms tested in this 200-301 question in full detail.
Review a host determines if a destination IP address is on the local subnet by comparing it with its own IP address and subnet mask., then practise related 200-301 questions on the same topic to reinforce the concept.
Network Infrastructure and Connectivity — This question tests Network Infrastructure and Connectivity — 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 a host wants to communicate with a device on a different subnet, it cannot reach that device directly. The host must send the frame to its default gateway, which is the router that connects to other subnets. Therefore, the destination MAC address in the first Ethernet frame is the MAC address of the local default gateway, not the remote web server (A). The DNS server (C) is used for name resolution, not for forwarding traffic. The broadcast MAC address (D) would send the frame to all devices on the local subnet, which is not appropriate for unicast communication to a remote destination.
What should I do if I get this 200-301 question wrong?
Review a host determines if a destination IP address is on the local subnet by comparing it with its own IP address and subnet mask., then practise related 200-301 questions on the same topic to reinforce the concept.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "first". Order matters here. You are being tested on which action comes before the others — not which action is generally useful.
What is the key concept behind this question?
A host determines if a destination IP address is on the local subnet by comparing it with its own IP address and subnet mask.
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