CCNA IP Routing Practice Question
Exhibit
Current state: O*E2 0.0.0.0/0 [110/1] via 192.0.2.2 Configured backup: ip route 0.0.0.0 0.0.0.0 198.51.100.2 250 Primary route is then removed or lost.
Based on the exhibit, which command is the best next step to verify whether the floating static route becomes active after the primary route is lost?
⚠ Common exam trap
A common exam trap is selecting commands unrelated to routing table verification, such as "show vlan brief" or "show spanning-tree." These commands provide information about VLAN configurations or Spanning Tree Protocol status but do not show whether a floating static route has become active. Candidates may mistakenly think these outputs indicate network failover status, but only the routing table output confirms if the backup route is installed after the primary route fails. Misunderstanding the purpose of these commands leads to incorrect answers.
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
✓
show ip route
The best next step is to examine the routing table directly after removing or losing the primary route. In practical terms, the purpose of a floating static route is to appear when the better route disappears. The clearest way to verify that behavior is to inspect the route table for the default route after the failure condition. This is a simulation-style verification question. It is not asking how to configure the route, but how to confirm failover actually happened.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
show ip route
Why this is correct
The 'show ip route' command is the correct next step because it displays the IPv4 routing table, directly showing whether the default route (0.0.0.0/0) has been installed. It will reveal the administrative distance and next-hop IP for both the primary and backup routes, allowing you to confirm if failover occurred after the primary route disappeared. This is the definitive way to verify routing-table state and default-route failover.
- ✗
show vlan brief
Why it's wrong here
The 'show vlan brief' command is wrong because it only displays VLAN-related information, such as VLAN IDs, names, and member ports. This command provides Layer 2 segmentation details but reveals nothing about Layer 3 routing, including whether a default route exists or whether it has failed over. Since the issue concerns a missing or backup default route, VLAN output cannot help diagnose the routing-table state.
When this WOULD be correct
In a different question scenario where the focus is on VLAN configurations, such as verifying the operational status of VLANs on a switch after a network change, 'show vlan brief' would be the correct command to use to ensure that all VLANs are up and functioning as expected.
- ✗
show spanning-tree
Why it's wrong here
The 'show spanning-tree' command is wrong because it outputs Spanning Tree Protocol status, including port roles, port states, and root bridge information. STP is designed to prevent Layer 2 loops and is relevant only to the switched topology, not to Layer 3 routing decisions. It does not expose the routing table or the status of a default route, so it cannot verify route failover after the primary route disappears.
When this WOULD be correct
If the question were focused on verifying the status of a network topology and ensuring there are no loops or issues in the spanning tree, then 'show spanning-tree' would be the correct command to use. For example, a question might ask about troubleshooting connectivity issues in a switched network environment.
- ✗
show power inline
Why it's wrong here
The 'show power inline' command is wrong because it is used to monitor and manage Power over Ethernet (PoE) settings on switch ports, including power allocation, consumption, and status for connected devices. PoE operation is completely unrelated to IP routing and does not provide any information about the routing table or the presence of a default route, so it cannot confirm whether a backup route was installed.
When this WOULD be correct
If the exam question asked about verifying the power status of devices connected to PoE ports after a network outage, 'show power inline' would be the correct command to check if the devices are receiving power.
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.
✓show ip routeCorrect answer▾
Why this is correct
The 'show ip route' command is the correct next step because it displays the IPv4 routing table, directly showing whether the default route (0.0.0.0/0) has been installed. It will reveal the administrative distance and next-hop IP for both the primary and backup routes, allowing you to confirm if failover occurred after the primary route disappeared. This is the definitive way to verify routing-table state and default-route failover.
✗show vlan briefWrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
The 'show vlan brief' command displays VLAN membership and status on switch ports, which is unrelated to routing table entries or default route failover. It does not provide any information about static routes or their activation.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
In a different question scenario where the focus is on VLAN configurations, such as verifying the operational status of VLANs on a switch after a network change, 'show vlan brief' would be the correct command to use to ensure that all VLANs are up and functioning as expected.
Why candidates choose this
Students might confuse VLAN configuration with routing, especially in a switched environment, or think that VLAN information is relevant to verifying connectivity after a link failure.
✗show spanning-treeWrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
The 'show spanning-tree' command displays Spanning Tree Protocol (STP) status, which is used to prevent loops in Layer 2 networks. It does not show routing table entries or the status of static routes, so it cannot verify floating static route activation.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
If the question were focused on verifying the status of a network topology and ensuring there are no loops or issues in the spanning tree, then 'show spanning-tree' would be the correct command to use. For example, a question might ask about troubleshooting connectivity issues in a switched network environment.
Why candidates choose this
Students may associate STP with redundancy and failover, mistakenly thinking it can verify route failover, or they may confuse Layer 2 loop prevention with Layer 3 path redundancy.
✗show power inlineWrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
The 'show power inline' command displays Power over Ethernet (PoE) status for connected devices, which is completely unrelated to routing or the routing table. It cannot verify whether a floating static route has become active.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
If the exam question asked about verifying the power status of devices connected to PoE ports after a network outage, 'show power inline' would be the correct command to check if the devices are receiving power.
Why candidates choose this
Students might be tempted by the word 'inline' or think that power status could indicate link status, but it has no bearing on routing protocol or static route activation.
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
Quick reference
Routing Protocol Comparison
| Protocol | Metric | Max Hops | Algorithm | Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RIP v2 | Hop count | 15 | Bellman-Ford | Distance vector |
| OSPF | Cost (bandwidth) | Unlimited | Dijkstra (SPF) | Link state |
| EIGRP | Composite metric | Unlimited | DUAL | Hybrid |
| IS-IS | Cost | Unlimited | Dijkstra | Link state |
| BGP | Policy / attributes | Unlimited | Path vector | Path vector |
RIP's 15-hop limit makes it unsuitable for large networks. OSPF and EIGRP dominate modern enterprise deployments.
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
OSPFv3 Single-Area Configuration for IPv6
Key term
Route table
A route table is a set of rules, called routes, that determine where network traffic from a subnet or virtual network is directed.
Key term
Failover
Failover is the automatic switching to a backup system when the primary system fails, ensuring continuous operation and minimal downtime.
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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.