Question 1hardmultiple choice
Full question →hardmultiple choiceObjective-mapped
A subnet has the network address 192.168.30.0/26. What is the broadcast address?
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.
A
Best answer
192.168.30.63
This is correct because the .0/26 block ends at .63.
B
Distractor review
192.168.30.64
This is wrong because .64 is the first address of the next /26 block.
C
Distractor review
192.168.30.255
This is wrong because that would be the broadcast of the full /24, not the /26 subnet.
D
Distractor review
192.168.30.31
This is wrong because .31 would be the broadcast of a smaller /27 block.
Common exam trap
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
A frequent exam trap is selecting the broadcast address of the larger /24 network (192.168.30.255) instead of the specific /26 subnet broadcast. Candidates often overlook that subnetting divides the original network into smaller blocks, each with its own broadcast address. Another trap is confusing the first address of the next subnet (192.168.30.64) as the broadcast, or mixing it with smaller subnet sizes like /27, which have different broadcast addresses. This confusion arises from not calculating subnet boundaries precisely, leading to incorrect broadcast address identification.
Technical deep dive
How to think about this question
Subnetting is a fundamental concept in IP networking that divides a larger network into smaller, manageable segments called subnets. Each subnet is defined by a network address and a subnet mask, which determines the size of the subnet and the range of IP addresses it contains. In this question, the subnet 192.168.30.0/26 uses a 26-bit mask, meaning the first 26 bits are fixed for the network portion, and the remaining 6 bits are available for host addresses. The /26 subnet mask corresponds to 255.255.255.192, which creates subnets with 64 IP addresses each (2^(32-26) = 64). The network address is the first IP in the block (192.168.30.0), and the broadcast address is the last IP in the block (192.168.30.63). The broadcast address is used to send packets to all hosts within that subnet. This calculation is critical for Cisco networking because devices rely on correct subnet boundaries to route and forward traffic properly. A common exam trap is confusing the broadcast address of the subnet with the broadcast address of the larger network or adjacent subnets. For example, 192.168.30.255 is the broadcast for the entire /24 network, not the /26 subnet. Misidentifying the broadcast address can cause routing and communication failures. Practically, understanding subnet boundaries ensures proper VLAN segmentation, ACL application, and IP address planning in Cisco environments.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- A /26 subnet mask divides a network into blocks of 64 IP addresses, defining the network and broadcast boundaries precisely.
- The broadcast address is the highest IP address in the subnet and is used to send packets to all hosts within that subnet.
- Subnetting requires calculating the block size by subtracting the subnet mask bits from 32 and raising 2 to that power.
- Cisco devices use the subnet mask to determine network and broadcast addresses for routing and forwarding decisions.
- Incorrectly identifying the broadcast address can cause communication failures and misrouting in Cisco networks.
- The first IP address in a subnet is the network address, and the last IP address is the broadcast address, with usable hosts in between.
- Adjacent subnets start immediately after the broadcast address of the previous subnet, so the next subnet’s network address follows the current broadcast.
- Subnetting knowledge is essential for configuring VLANs, ACLs, and IP addressing schemes in Cisco network environments.
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.
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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?
A /26 subnet mask divides a network into blocks of 64 IP addresses, defining the network and broadcast boundaries precisely.
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: 192.168.30.63 — A /26 subnet contains 64 addresses. In plain language, the block that starts at 192.168.30.0 runs through 192.168.30.63. The first address is the network address and the last address is the broadcast address, so the broadcast for this subnet is 192.168.30.63. This is a standard subnet-boundary calculation. Once the block size is identified, the broadcast address is simply the final address in that block.
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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