CCNA Network Infrastructure and Connectivity Practice Question
A host with IP address 172.16.50.130 and mask 255.255.255.192 needs to reach 172.16.50.190. Which statement is correct?
⚠ Common exam trap
Be cautious of subnet mask calculations and ensure you understand the IP range it defines.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
The destination is local, so the host ARPs for 172.16.50.190 directly.
Both 172.16.50.130 and 172.16.50.190 fall within the 172.16.50.128/26 subnet (range .128 to .191). Therefore, the destination is local, and the host will use ARP to resolve the destination IP directly. Option A is incorrect because the destination is not remote. Option C is incorrect because the directed broadcast address for this subnet is 172.16.50.191, not .190. Option D is incorrect because 172.16.50.130 is a valid host address, not the network address (.128).
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 destination is on a remote subnet, so the host must send to the default gateway.
Why it's wrong here
To require the default gateway, the destination must lie in a different subnet. The source .130 and destination .190 are both inside the 172.16.50.128/26 network, as the /26 mask yields a block of 64 addresses from .128 through .191. Hence no L3 routing is needed, and sending to the gateway would be wrong.
When this WOULD be correct
In a different scenario where the host's IP address is 172.16.50.130 with a subnet mask of 255.255.255.128, and the destination IP is 172.16.51.190, the destination would be on a different subnet, requiring the host to send packets to the default gateway.
- ✓
The destination is local, so the host ARPs for 172.16.50.190 directly.
Why this is correct
With a /26 mask, 172.16.50.130 and 172.16.50.190 both reside in the 172.16.50.128/26 subnet, whose broadcast address is .191. Because the destination is on the same data-link segment, the host does not involve the default gateway; instead, it sends an ARP request for .190 and forwards the frame directly to that resolved MAC address.
- ✗
The destination is a directed broadcast for the local subnet.
Why it's wrong here
A directed broadcast for this subnet would have all host bits set to 1, yielding 172.16.50.191, not .190. Also, .190 is the last usable host address in the /26 range, so the destination is a unicast address. Treating it as a broadcast would cause the frame to be flooded to all hosts, which is incorrect.
When this WOULD be correct
If the question stated that the host's subnet mask was 255.255.255.128, making the subnet range 172.16.50.128 to 172.16.50.255, then 172.16.50.190 would be a directed broadcast address for the subnet 172.16.50.128/25, making this option correct.
- ✗
The source host is using the network address of the subnet.
Why it's wrong here
The network address of this /26 subnet is 172.16.50.128, where all host bits are zero, so 172.16.50.130 is definitely not the network address. In fact, .130 is a valid assignable host address within the range 172.16.50.129 through 172.16.50.190. Using .130 as the source confirms the host is properly configured on this subnet.
When this WOULD be correct
In a different scenario where the question specifies that the host's IP address is 172.16.50.128 with the same subnet mask, option D would be correct, as 172.16.50.128 is indeed the network address of the subnet 172.16.50.128/26.
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 destination is local, so the host ARPs for 172.16.50.190 directly.Correct answer▾
Why this is correct
With a /26 mask, 172.16.50.130 and 172.16.50.190 both reside in the 172.16.50.128/26 subnet, whose broadcast address is .191. Because the destination is on the same data-link segment, the host does not involve the default gateway; instead, it sends an ARP request for .190 and forwards the frame directly to that resolved MAC address.
✗The destination is on a remote subnet, so the host must send to the default gateway.Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
This option is wrong because the destination IP 172.16.50.190 is within the same subnet as the source IP 172.16.50.130, so the host does not need to send packets to the default gateway to reach it.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
In a different scenario where the host's IP address is 172.16.50.130 with a subnet mask of 255.255.255.128, and the destination IP is 172.16.51.190, the destination would be on a different subnet, requiring the host to send packets to the default gateway.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may choose this option due to a misunderstanding of subnetting, leading them to incorrectly assume that any IP outside the first three octets must be on a different subnet.
✗The destination is a directed broadcast for the local subnet.Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
This option is incorrect because 172.16.50.190 is within the same subnet as the host 172.16.50.130, meaning it does not require a directed broadcast to reach it.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
If the question stated that the host's subnet mask was 255.255.255.128, making the subnet range 172.16.50.128 to 172.16.50.255, then 172.16.50.190 would be a directed broadcast address for the subnet 172.16.50.128/25, making this option correct.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may choose this option due to confusion about subnetting and broadcast addresses, leading them to incorrectly assume that any address outside the host's IP is a broadcast address.
✗The source host is using the network address of the subnet.Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
This option is incorrect because the source host's IP address (172.16.50.130) is not the network address of its subnet; the network address is 172.16.50.128. Therefore, the host is using a valid IP address within its subnet.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
In a different scenario where the question specifies that the host's IP address is 172.16.50.128 with the same subnet mask, option D would be correct, as 172.16.50.128 is indeed the network address of the subnet 172.16.50.128/26.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may be tempted by this option due to a misunderstanding of subnetting concepts, leading them to incorrectly identify valid host addresses as network addresses.
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?”
Visual reference
Quick reference
Access Control Model Comparison
| Model | Acronym | Who Controls Access? | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Discretionary Access Control | DAC | Resource owner | Small teams, file shares |
| Mandatory Access Control | MAC | System / security labels | Classified govt / military |
| Role-Based Access Control | RBAC | Administrator (via roles) | Enterprise environments |
| Attribute-Based Access Control | ABAC | Policy engine (user + resource attributes) | Fine-grained, dynamic policies |
| Rule-Based Access Control | RuBAC | System rules / ACLs | Firewall rules, network ACLs |
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
IPv4 Addressing and Address Classes
Key term
ARP
Address Resolution Protocol (ARP) is a network protocol used to map a device's IP address to its physical MAC address so data can be delivered correctly on a local network.
Key term
Network address
A network address is a unique identifier that allows devices to find and communicate with each other on a computer network.
About these practice questions
One of 1,389 original 200-301 practice questions on Courseiva, each with a full explanation and wrong-answer analysis — not exam dumps or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This 200-301 practice question is part of Courseiva's free Cisco certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the 200-301 exam.