CCNA Network Infrastructure and Connectivity Practice Question
A router interface is configured with 192.0.2.97/28. What is the network address of the subnet?
⚠ Common exam trap
Be careful not to confuse the given IP address or the broadcast address with the network address.
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
✓
192.0.2.96
A /28 uses blocks of 16 addresses. The block containing .97 runs from .96 through .111, so .96 is the network address.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
192.0.2.80
Why it's wrong here
That is part of a different /28 block.
When this WOULD be correct
If the question were to ask for the network address of a subnet with a different subnet mask, such as /26, which has a block size of 64, then 192.0.2.80 could be the correct answer as it would represent the network address for the range 192.0.2.64 to 192.0.2.127.
- ✓
192.0.2.96
Why this is correct
Correct. It is the first address in the 192.0.2.96/28 subnet.
- ✗
192.0.2.111
Why it's wrong here
That is the broadcast address of this subnet.
When this WOULD be correct
If the question were to ask for the broadcast address of the subnet 192.0.2.96/28, then 192.0.2.111 would be the correct answer, as it is the last address in that subnet range.
- ✗
192.0.2.112
Why it's wrong here
That is the next /28 network.
When this WOULD be correct
If the question asked for the broadcast address of the subnet instead of the network address, then 192.0.2.112 would be correct, as it is the last address in the subnet range for 192.0.2.96/28.
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.
✓192.0.2.96Correct answer▾
Why this is correct
Correct. It is the first address in the 192.0.2.96/28 subnet.
✗192.0.2.80Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
Option A (192.0.2.80) is incorrect because the subnet mask /28 indicates a block size of 16, making the valid network addresses range from 192.0.2.96 to 192.0.2.111. The network address for this subnet is 192.0.2.96.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
If the question were to ask for the network address of a subnet with a different subnet mask, such as /26, which has a block size of 64, then 192.0.2.80 could be the correct answer as it would represent the network address for the range 192.0.2.64 to 192.0.2.127.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates might choose this option due to a misunderstanding of subnetting, mistakenly calculating the network address based on an incorrect block size or misinterpreting the range of addresses within the subnet.
✗192.0.2.111Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
The address 192.0.2.111 is not a valid network address for the subnet defined by 192.0.2.97/28, as it falls outside the range of usable addresses for that subnet, which spans from 192.0.2.96 to 192.0.2.111.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
If the question were to ask for the broadcast address of the subnet 192.0.2.96/28, then 192.0.2.111 would be the correct answer, as it is the last address in that subnet range.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may confuse the network address with the last usable address in the subnet, leading them to mistakenly select 192.0.2.111, which is the highest usable IP address in that range.
✗192.0.2.112Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
Option D, 192.0.2.112, is wrong because it does not represent the network address for the subnet defined by the IP address 192.0.2.97/28. The correct network address is 192.0.2.96, which is the first address in the subnet range.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
If the question asked for the broadcast address of the subnet instead of the network address, then 192.0.2.112 would be correct, as it is the last address in the subnet range for 192.0.2.96/28.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may choose this option due to confusion between network and broadcast addresses, as they might remember that the last address in a subnet is often significant and mistakenly associate it with the question.
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
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
IPv4 Addressing and Address Classes
Key term
Subnet
A subnet is a logical subdivision of an IP network, created by partitioning a larger network address space using subnet masks.
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
Courseiva writes every 200-301 question from scratch — 1,389 in total, each with an explanation and a wrong-answer breakdown. None are copied from real exams or dumps. 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.