CCNA Switching and Network Access Practice Question
This 200-301 practice question tests your understanding of switching and network access. This is a configuration task: choose the command set that satisfies every stated requirement. Small differences — like 'secret' vs 'password' or 'transport input ssh' vs 'all' — change whether the answer is correct. A key principle to apply: a Cisco switch port configured with an access VLAN forwards untagged data frames from connected PCs in that 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 switch port should allow an IP phone and attached PC to operate correctly. The phone should place voice traffic in VLAN 200 while the PC remains in VLAN 20. Which configuration approach best supports that design?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "best"
Why it matters: Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Configure the port with an access VLAN for data and a voice VLAN for the phone
The best approach is to configure the access VLAN for user data and the voice VLAN separately. In plain language, the PC should remain a normal untagged data endpoint in VLAN 20, while the phone can tag its own voice traffic for VLAN 200. Cisco access-port designs support this exact use case and allow the switch to keep voice and user traffic logically separated without requiring two physical ports.
This is a classic CCNA edge-port design. It is not a general trunking problem, and it does not require EtherChannel or router subinterfaces. The important idea is that one switchport can support an access VLAN and a voice VLAN together in a way designed specifically for IP phones with downstream PCs.
Key principle: A Cisco switch port configured with an access VLAN forwards untagged data frames from connected PCs in that 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.
✓
Configure the port with an access VLAN for data and a voice VLAN for the phone
Why this is correct
This is correct because Cisco voice-VLAN design allows user data and tagged voice traffic to coexist correctly on one edge port.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "best" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
A Cisco switch port configured with an access VLAN forwards untagged data frames from connected PCs in that VLAN.
✗
Configure the port as a routed port with no switchport
Why it's wrong here
This is wrong because an end-user phone/PC port is not a routed-port design case.
When this WOULD be correct
In a scenario where a question asks for a configuration to route traffic between different VLANs without needing Layer 2 switching, such as when connecting to a router or Layer 3 switch, configuring the port as a routed port would be appropriate.
✗
Configure the port as an EtherChannel member
Why it's wrong here
This is wrong because EtherChannel bundles links and is unrelated to one phone-plus-PC edge connection.
When this WOULD be correct
In a scenario where the question specifies that multiple switch ports need to be aggregated for increased bandwidth without the need for VLAN separation, configuring the port as an EtherChannel member would be correct. For instance, if the question states that both devices operate in the same VLAN and require load balancing, this option would be appropriate.
✗
Use a native VLAN only and disable all tagging
Why it's wrong here
This is wrong because the design explicitly calls for distinct voice and data VLAN treatment.
When this WOULD be correct
In a scenario where a network design requires a simple setup with only one VLAN for both voice and data traffic, and where VLAN tagging is not needed due to the network's limited complexity, this option could be correct.
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.
✓Configure the port with an access VLAN for data and a voice VLAN for the phoneCorrect answer▾
Why this is correct
This is correct because Cisco voice-VLAN design allows user data and tagged voice traffic to coexist correctly on one edge port.
✗Configure the port as a routed port with no switchportWrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
A routed port (no switchport) is used for Layer 3 routing between switches or routers, not for connecting end devices like IP phones and PCs. It does not support VLAN assignment or the coexistence of multiple VLANs on a single port, making it unsuitable for this scenario.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
In a scenario where a question asks for a configuration to route traffic between different VLANs without needing Layer 2 switching, such as when connecting to a router or Layer 3 switch, configuring the port as a routed port would be appropriate.
Why candidates choose this
Students might confuse a routed port with a trunk port or think that routing is needed to separate voice and data traffic, but the correct approach is to use switchport features like voice VLAN, not routed ports.
✗Configure the port as an EtherChannel memberWrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
EtherChannel is used to aggregate multiple physical links into a single logical link for increased bandwidth and redundancy. It does not provide any mechanism to separate voice and data traffic into different VLANs on a single port, and it is not relevant to the requirement of connecting an IP phone and PC.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
In a scenario where the question specifies that multiple switch ports need to be aggregated for increased bandwidth without the need for VLAN separation, configuring the port as an EtherChannel member would be correct. For instance, if the question states that both devices operate in the same VLAN and require load balancing, this option would be appropriate.
Why candidates choose this
A test-taker might think that EtherChannel can be used to carry multiple VLANs, but that is the function of a trunk, not EtherChannel. EtherChannel itself does not affect VLAN assignment; it simply bundles links.
✗Use a native VLAN only and disable all taggingWrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
Using a native VLAN only and disabling all tagging would place all traffic (voice and data) in the same VLAN, which contradicts the requirement to separate voice into VLAN 200 and data into VLAN 20. The native VLAN is used for untagged traffic on a trunk, but this design requires distinct VLANs with tagging for voice.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
In a scenario where a network design requires a simple setup with only one VLAN for both voice and data traffic, and where VLAN tagging is not needed due to the network's limited complexity, this option could be correct.
Why candidates choose this
Students may think that the native VLAN can be used to carry both voice and data without tagging, but that would not achieve VLAN separation. The voice VLAN feature specifically uses tagging for voice traffic while keeping data untagged in the access VLAN.
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
Avoid assuming trunk mode is needed for VLANs; understand access vs. voice VLANs for edge ports.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
In Cisco networking, a switch port that connects both an IP phone and a PC must handle two types of traffic: voice and data. The IP phone typically tags its voice traffic with a specific VLAN ID (voice VLAN), while the PC sends untagged data traffic assigned to an access VLAN. Cisco switches support this design by allowing a single physical port to carry untagged data frames for the PC and tagged voice frames from the phone, keeping traffic logically separated without requiring multiple physical connections.
The configuration involves setting the switch port as an access port assigned to the data VLAN (VLAN 20 in this case) and enabling a voice VLAN (VLAN 200) on the same port. The voice VLAN feature instructs the switch to accept tagged frames from the IP phone on VLAN 200 while forwarding untagged frames from the PC on VLAN 20. This approach ensures proper QoS treatment for voice traffic and maintains network segmentation between voice and data.
A common exam trap is confusing this setup with trunk ports or routed ports. Trunk ports carry multiple VLANs tagged on all frames, which is unnecessary and less secure for edge ports with IP phones. Routed ports disable switching and are unsuitable for end devices. The voice VLAN feature is a Cisco-specific enhancement designed to simplify IP phone deployments and avoid the complexity of multiple physical ports or manual VLAN tagging on PCs.
KKey Concepts to Remember
A Cisco switch port configured with an access VLAN forwards untagged data frames from connected PCs in that VLAN.
The voice VLAN feature allows a switch port to accept tagged voice traffic from IP phones on a separate VLAN while maintaining untagged data traffic on the access VLAN.
Cisco IP phones tag their voice traffic with the configured voice VLAN ID, enabling QoS and traffic separation on a single physical port.
A switch port configured as a routed port disables switching functions and cannot support multiple VLANs or downstream devices like IP phones and PCs.
EtherChannel bundles multiple physical links into one logical link and is unrelated to single-port IP phone and PC connections.
Native VLANs carry untagged traffic on trunk ports but do not support the separation of voice and data VLANs on a single access port.
The voice VLAN feature simplifies network design by allowing logical separation of voice and data traffic without requiring multiple physical ports or complex trunking.
Proper VLAN configuration on IP phone ports ensures voice traffic receives priority and security distinct from user data traffic.
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 Cisco switch port configured with an access VLAN forwards untagged data frames from connected PCs in that 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 Cisco switch port configured with an access VLAN forwards untagged data frames from connected PCs in that 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 Cisco switch port configured with an access VLAN forwards untagged data frames from connected PCs in that VLAN..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Configure the port with an access VLAN for data and a voice VLAN for the phone — The best approach is to configure the access VLAN for user data and the voice VLAN separately. In plain language, the PC should remain a normal untagged data endpoint in VLAN 20, while the phone can tag its own voice traffic for VLAN 200. Cisco access-port designs support this exact use case and allow the switch to keep voice and user traffic logically separated without requiring two physical ports.
This is a classic CCNA edge-port design. It is not a general trunking problem, and it does not require EtherChannel or router subinterfaces. The important idea is that one switchport can support an access VLAN and a voice VLAN together in a way designed specifically for IP phones with downstream PCs.
What should I do if I get this 200-301 question wrong?
Review a Cisco switch port configured with an access VLAN forwards untagged data frames from connected PCs in that VLAN., then practise related 200-301 questions on the same topic to reinforce the concept.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "best". Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
What is the key concept behind this question?
A Cisco switch port configured with an access VLAN forwards untagged data frames from connected PCs in that VLAN.
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