Question 1hardmultiple choice
Full question →hardmultiple choiceObjective-mapped
A subnet uses network address 192.168.200.96/28. Which range contains the usable host addresses?
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
192.168.200.97 to 192.168.200.110
This is correct because .96 is the network and .111 is the broadcast.
B
Distractor review
192.168.200.96 to 192.168.200.111
This is wrong because it includes the network and broadcast addresses.
C
Distractor review
192.168.200.98 to 192.168.200.111
This is wrong because it excludes one valid host and includes the broadcast.
D
Distractor review
192.168.200.81 to 192.168.200.94
This is wrong because that range belongs to a different subnet.
Common exam trap
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
A frequent exam trap is including the network or broadcast address as usable hosts. Many candidates mistakenly select the entire range from the network address to the broadcast address, forgetting these two addresses are reserved and cannot be assigned to hosts. This mistake often happens when candidates do not calculate the subnet block boundaries correctly or misunderstand the role of the network and broadcast addresses. Selecting an incorrect range that includes these reserved addresses leads to invalid host assignments and is a common pitfall in subnetting questions.
Technical deep dive
How to think about this question
Subnetting divides a larger IP network into smaller, manageable segments by borrowing bits from the host portion of the address to create subnetworks. A /28 subnet mask means 28 bits are fixed for the network portion, leaving 4 bits for host addresses. This results in 2^4 = 16 total IP addresses per subnet, including the network and broadcast addresses. The network address is always the first IP in the subnet block, and the broadcast address is the last IP. For 192.168.200.96/28, the block ranges from 192.168.200.96 to 192.168.200.111. The usable host addresses exclude these two reserved addresses, so they range from 192.168.200.97 to 192.168.200.110. This rule applies universally in IPv4 subnetting and is critical for proper IP address allocation. A common exam trap is confusing the network and broadcast addresses with usable hosts, leading to off-by-one errors in the range. Practically, Cisco devices rely on this addressing scheme for routing and access control. Misidentifying usable hosts can cause connectivity issues or misconfigured ACLs, so understanding the boundary addresses is essential for both exams and real-world networking.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- A /28 subnet mask allocates 28 bits for the network and 4 bits for host addresses, resulting in 16 total IP addresses per subnet.
- The first IP address in a subnet block is always the network address and cannot be assigned to a host.
- The last IP address in a subnet block is always the broadcast address and is reserved for broadcast traffic.
- Usable host addresses in a subnet exclude the network and broadcast addresses, reducing the total usable hosts by two.
- Calculating the subnet block range requires understanding the subnet mask and incrementing the block size accordingly.
- Cisco devices use subnetting rules to determine valid host addresses for routing and access control configurations.
- Misidentifying network or broadcast addresses as usable hosts leads to invalid IP assignments and connectivity issues.
- Subnetting questions often test the ability to calculate address ranges and exclude reserved addresses accurately.
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.
Related practice questions
Related 200-301 practice-question pages
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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 /28 subnet mask allocates 28 bits for the network and 4 bits for host addresses, resulting in 16 total IP addresses per subnet.
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: 192.168.200.97 to 192.168.200.110 — A /28 block contains 16 addresses. In practical terms, the block starting at 192.168.200.96 runs through 192.168.200.111. The first address is the network address and the last address is the broadcast address. That means the usable host range is 192.168.200.97 through 192.168.200.110. This question checks whether you can calculate the correct block and then exclude the two reserved boundary addresses.
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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