CCNA IP Routing Practice Question
Exhibit
R1# show run | include ^ip route ip route 192.168.40.0 255.255.255.0 203.0.113.2 ip route 0.0.0.0 0.0.0.0 198.51.100.1 R1# show ip route C 198.51.100.0/30 is directly connected, GigabitEthernet0/0 L 198.51.100.2/32 is directly connected, GigabitEthernet0/0
Based on the exhibit, why is traffic to 192.168.40.200 using the default route instead of the intended static route?
⚠ Common exam trap
Be cautious of confusing administrative distance with reachability issues. Always verify the next hop's reachability.
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
✓
The static route next hop is unreachable or invalid for forwarding.
The intended static route is not being used because the next hop for that static route is not reachable from the current routing table. In practical terms, a route can be configured, but the router still needs a way to resolve and forward to the next-hop address. If that next hop is unreachable, the route may not be installed or usable, so traffic falls back to the default route instead. This is a realistic troubleshooting pattern because the configuration line alone can look correct until you compare it with actual reachability.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
The static route next hop is unreachable or invalid for forwarding.
Why this is correct
The IPv4 routing table installs a static route only when the next-hop address is reachable via a valid connected or static interface route. If the next hop is unreachable—for example, no directly connected network matches it or the recursive lookup fails—the route is not inserted into the RIB, and traffic to 192.168.40.200 falls back to the default route. Therefore, the static route next hop being unreachable or invalid correctly explains why the destination is not using the static path.
- ✗
Default routes always override static routes.
Why it's wrong here
Default routes (0.0.0.0/0) have the shortest prefix length (0 bits) and only match when no more specific route exists. A static route to 192.168.40.0/24 is more specific and, when valid, is always preferred over a default route because routers select the longest prefix match. Thus, default routes do not override static routes; they only act as a fallback, making this option wrong.
When this WOULD be correct
In a different scenario where the question states that the routing protocol is configured to prioritize default routes over static routes due to specific administrative distance settings, option B could be correct. For example, if a network is designed to always prefer default routes for certain traffic types, this option would apply.
- ✗
The destination must be configured as a /16, not a /24.
Why it's wrong here
The /24 mask in the static route correctly identifies the 192.168.40.0/24 subnet that contains 192.168.40.200; changing it to a /16 would broaden the matched range to 192.168.0.0/16 but would not fix next-hop reachability. The prefix length affects which destinations match the route, not whether the next hop is reachable. Since the problem is an unreachable next hop, not an incorrect mask, this option is incorrect.
When this WOULD be correct
In a different scenario where a question specifies that a static route must match the subnet mask of the destination network exactly, and the configured static route is /24 while the destination is /16, this option would be correct as it would indicate a misconfiguration preventing traffic from routing properly.
- ✗
Static routes can be used only if OSPF is disabled.
Why it's wrong here
Static routes are independent of the routing protocol in use; OSPF can run concurrently with static routes and does not inhibit their installation. A static route is installed when it satisfies administrative distance and next-hop reachability criteria, regardless of whether OSPF is enabled or disabled. Disabling OSPF would not make an otherwise valid static route usable, so this statement is incorrect.
When this WOULD be correct
In a different scenario, if a question specifies that a network is configured to use OSPF exclusively and that static routes are not permitted due to policy or design constraints, then this option would 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.
✓The static route next hop is unreachable or invalid for forwarding.Correct answer▾
Why this is correct
The IPv4 routing table installs a static route only when the next-hop address is reachable via a valid connected or static interface route. If the next hop is unreachable—for example, no directly connected network matches it or the recursive lookup fails—the route is not inserted into the RIB, and traffic to 192.168.40.200 falls back to the default route. Therefore, the static route next hop being unreachable or invalid correctly explains why the destination is not using the static path.
✗Default routes always override static routes.Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
This option is incorrect because static routes do not inherently get overridden by default routes; rather, the routing table prioritizes routes based on their specificity and administrative distance.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
In a different scenario where the question states that the routing protocol is configured to prioritize default routes over static routes due to specific administrative distance settings, option B could be correct. For example, if a network is designed to always prefer default routes for certain traffic types, this option would apply.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates might choose this option due to a common misconception that default routes always take precedence over static routes, leading to confusion about route prioritization in routing protocols.
✗The destination must be configured as a /16, not a /24.Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
This option is incorrect because the subnet mask of the destination IP does not affect the functionality of static routes in this context; static routes can operate with various subnet masks without being limited to /16 or /24.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
In a different scenario where a question specifies that a static route must match the subnet mask of the destination network exactly, and the configured static route is /24 while the destination is /16, this option would be correct as it would indicate a misconfiguration preventing traffic from routing properly.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may find this option appealing due to a common misconception that subnet mask mismatches directly impact routing decisions, leading them to believe that the specific mask is critical to route functionality.
✗Static routes can be used only if OSPF is disabled.Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
This option is incorrect because static routes can coexist with dynamic routing protocols like OSPF; they do not require OSPF to be disabled to function properly.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
In a different scenario, if a question specifies that a network is configured to use OSPF exclusively and that static routes are not permitted due to policy or design constraints, then this option would be correct.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may choose this option due to a misunderstanding of routing protocols, believing that static routes are incompatible with dynamic protocols like OSPF, leading to confusion about their operational relationship.
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
Routing table
A routing table is a data set stored in a router or host that contains information about network paths and is used to determine where to forward data packets.
Key term
Route
A route is a path that data takes through a network from one device or network to another, determined by routing protocols and configured rules.
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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.