A phone and PC share one switchport. The phone works, but the PC cannot reach its normal data resources. The switchport voice VLAN is configured, and the access VLAN is incorrect. Which explanation is strongest?
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.
Best answer
The PC is likely in the wrong data VLAN even though the phone still uses the correct voice VLAN.
This is correct because voice and data use different VLAN roles on the same physical port.
Distractor review
If the phone works, the PC must also work because both use the same VLAN always.
This is wrong because the phone and PC can use different VLANs on that port.
Distractor review
The issue must be BGP because phones cannot use VLANs.
This is wrong because the scenario is clearly about voice/data VLAN separation.
Distractor review
The access VLAN becomes irrelevant whenever a voice VLAN is configured.
This is wrong because the access VLAN still matters for the PC's data traffic.
Common exam trap
Common exam trap: an active trunk can still block the VLAN you need
A trunk being up does not prove every VLAN is crossing it. Check allowed VLAN lists, native VLAN mismatch, VLAN existence and access-port assignment.
Technical deep dive
How to think about this question
VLAN questions usually combine access-port and trunking clues. The key is to identify whether the issue is local to one switchport, caused by the trunk, or caused by the VLAN not existing where it needs to exist.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- Access ports place end devices into a single VLAN.
- Trunk ports carry multiple VLANs between switches.
- Allowed VLAN lists decide which VLANs can cross a trunk.
- Native VLAN mismatch can create confusing symptoms.
TExam Day Tips
- Use show vlan brief to verify access VLANs.
- Use show interfaces trunk to verify trunk state and allowed VLANs.
- Do not treat every same-VLAN issue as a routing problem.
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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?
Access ports place end devices into a single VLAN.
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: The PC is likely in the wrong data VLAN even though the phone still uses the correct voice VLAN. — The strongest explanation is that voice and data traffic are being treated separately on the port, so a mistake in the data VLAN can break PC access even while phone service still works. In practical terms, the voice VLAN and access VLAN solve different roles. The phone may still be in the correct voice path while the attached workstation is placed into the wrong data segment. This is exactly why voice-plus-data edge ports require careful VLAN role assignment.
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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