CCNA Switching and Network Access Practice Question
This 200-301 practice question tests your understanding of switching and network access. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. A key principle to apply: a multilayer switch uses SVIs as Layer 3 interfaces to provide default gateways for hosts in each VLAN.. 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 multilayer switch has working SVIs for VLAN 10 and VLAN 20, but traffic between the VLANs fails. Hosts can ping their own gateway interfaces. Which misconfiguration is most strongly suggested if the SVIs themselves are correct?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
IP routing is not enabled on the multilayer switch.
The correct answer is A: IP routing is not enabled. The switch can ping SVIs locally because they are directly connected, but without `ip routing`, it cannot forward packets between VLANs. Option B is wrong because different VLANs require different subnets for routing. Option C is wrong because access ports do not need to be trunks; SVIs handle routing at Layer 3. Option D is wrong because the wireless controller does not provide the default gateway for wired VLAN routing; the SVI does.
Key principle: A multilayer switch uses SVIs as Layer 3 interfaces to provide default gateways for hosts in each VLAN.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
✓
IP routing is not enabled on the multilayer switch.
Why this is correct
This is correct because the switch needs Layer 3 forwarding enabled to route between VLAN interfaces.
Related concept
A multilayer switch uses SVIs as Layer 3 interfaces to provide default gateways for hosts in each VLAN.
✗
Both VLANs need to use the same IP subnet.
Why it's wrong here
This is wrong because different VLANs normally use different subnets for routed inter-VLAN communication.
When this WOULD be correct
In a different scenario where the question states that both VLAN 10 and VLAN 20 are configured with the same IP subnet, such as 192.168.1.0/24, this option would be correct. This would lead to IP address conflicts and prevent inter-VLAN communication.
✗
All access ports must be converted into trunks.
Why it's wrong here
This is wrong because host-facing ports do not all need to be trunks for inter-VLAN routing.
When this WOULD be correct
In a different scenario, if the question stated that VLANs 10 and 20 were configured on a switch with all ports set as access ports and required trunking to allow inter-VLAN traffic, then this option would be correct.
✗
The wireless controller must provide the default gateway.
Why it's wrong here
This is wrong because the question is about SVIs on the multilayer switch.
When this WOULD be correct
In a different scenario where the question states that hosts in VLAN 10 and VLAN 20 are connected to a wireless network and the wireless controller is responsible for routing traffic between VLANs, then this option would be correct. For example, if the question specifies that the wireless controller is the primary device managing VLAN traffic, then it would need to provide the default gateway.
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.
✓IP routing is not enabled on the multilayer switch.Correct answer▾
Why this is correct
This is correct because the switch needs Layer 3 forwarding enabled to route between VLAN interfaces.
✗Both VLANs need to use the same IP subnet.Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
This option is incorrect because VLANs can communicate with each other through a multilayer switch as long as they are configured with distinct subnets. The issue in the question is related to IP routing, not subnetting.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
In a different scenario where the question states that both VLAN 10 and VLAN 20 are configured with the same IP subnet, such as 192.168.1.0/24, this option would be correct. This would lead to IP address conflicts and prevent inter-VLAN communication.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may choose this option due to a misunderstanding of VLAN configurations, thinking that VLANs must share the same subnet for communication, which is a common misconception in networking.
✗All access ports must be converted into trunks.Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
This option is wrong because access ports do not need to be converted into trunks for inter-VLAN routing to function; SVIs can route traffic between VLANs as long as IP routing is enabled.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
In a different scenario, if the question stated that VLANs 10 and 20 were configured on a switch with all ports set as access ports and required trunking to allow inter-VLAN traffic, then this option would be correct.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may choose this option because they might confuse the need for trunking in scenarios involving multiple VLANs on a single physical link, leading them to mistakenly believe that all access ports must be trunks for routing to occur.
✗The wireless controller must provide the default gateway.Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
This option is incorrect because the default gateway for hosts in VLANs is typically configured on the multilayer switch's SVIs, not on the wireless controller. The issue in the question is related to inter-VLAN routing, not gateway configuration.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
In a different scenario where the question states that hosts in VLAN 10 and VLAN 20 are connected to a wireless network and the wireless controller is responsible for routing traffic between VLANs, then this option would be correct. For example, if the question specifies that the wireless controller is the primary device managing VLAN traffic, then it would need to provide the default gateway.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates might choose this option due to a common misconception that wireless networks always require a controller for routing, leading them to overlook the multilayer switch's role in inter-VLAN communication.
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 SVIs alone do not enable inter-VLAN routing; IP routing must be explicitly enabled on the switch.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
A multilayer switch combines Layer 2 switching and Layer 3 routing capabilities, allowing it to route traffic between VLANs using Switch Virtual Interfaces (SVIs). Each SVI acts as a logical Layer 3 interface for its VLAN, providing the default gateway for hosts within that VLAN. However, for inter-VLAN communication to succeed, the multilayer switch must have IP routing enabled to forward packets between these SVIs. Without IP routing, the switch can respond to pings on each SVI because the interfaces exist locally, but it cannot route traffic across VLAN boundaries.
The decision to enable IP routing on a multilayer switch is critical for inter-VLAN routing. By default, many multilayer switches have IP routing disabled, meaning SVIs only function as Layer 3 interfaces for their own VLANs without forwarding between them. Enabling IP routing activates the Layer 3 routing engine, allowing the switch to examine destination IP addresses and forward traffic between VLANs accordingly. This is a fundamental step in configuring inter-VLAN routing on Cisco multilayer switches.
A common exam trap is assuming that simply configuring SVIs is sufficient for inter-VLAN routing. Candidates may overlook the need to explicitly enable IP routing, leading to confusion when hosts can ping their gateways but cannot communicate across VLANs. Practically, this means the switch is not performing Layer 3 forwarding, and traffic remains isolated within each VLAN. Understanding this distinction helps avoid misdiagnosing the problem as a VLAN or subnetting issue.
KKey Concepts to Remember
A multilayer switch uses SVIs as Layer 3 interfaces to provide default gateways for hosts in each VLAN.
IP routing must be explicitly enabled on a multilayer switch to allow traffic forwarding between VLANs.
Without IP routing enabled, SVIs respond locally but do not route traffic across VLAN boundaries.
Different VLANs require separate IP subnets to enable proper inter-VLAN routing and segmentation.
Access ports connected to hosts should remain in access mode; they do not need to be trunks for inter-VLAN routing.
The wireless controller does not provide default gateways for VLANs configured on a multilayer switch.
Enabling IP routing activates the switch’s Layer 3 forwarding engine, allowing inter-VLAN packet routing.
Hosts can ping their own gateway SVI even if IP routing is disabled, which can mislead troubleshooting efforts.
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 multilayer switch uses SVIs as Layer 3 interfaces to provide default gateways for hosts in each VLAN.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A help-desk technician troubleshoots why a newly connected PC cannot reach shared printers on the same floor. The cable is good, the switch port is active, but the PC is in VLAN 20 and the printers are in VLAN 10. The uplink trunk only allows VLAN 10. A trunk being up does not mean every VLAN crosses it.
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 multilayer switch uses SVIs as Layer 3 interfaces to provide default gateways for hosts in each VLAN., then practise related 200-301 questions on the same topic to reinforce the concept.
Switching and Network Access — This question tests Switching and Network Access — A multilayer switch uses SVIs as Layer 3 interfaces to provide default gateways for hosts in each VLAN..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: IP routing is not enabled on the multilayer switch. — The correct answer is A: IP routing is not enabled. The switch can ping SVIs locally because they are directly connected, but without `ip routing`, it cannot forward packets between VLANs. Option B is wrong because different VLANs require different subnets for routing. Option C is wrong because access ports do not need to be trunks; SVIs handle routing at Layer 3. Option D is wrong because the wireless controller does not provide the default gateway for wired VLAN routing; the SVI does.
What should I do if I get this 200-301 question wrong?
Review a multilayer switch uses SVIs as Layer 3 interfaces to provide default gateways for hosts in each VLAN., then practise related 200-301 questions on the same topic to reinforce the concept.
What is the key concept behind this question?
A multilayer switch uses SVIs as Layer 3 interfaces to provide default gateways for hosts in each VLAN.
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