CCNA IP Routing Practice Question
Which TWO statements about IPv4 and IPv6 static routes, including floating static routes, are correct?
⚠ Common exam trap
Cisco often tests the distinction between IPv4 and IPv6 default route prefixes (0.0.0.0/0 vs ::/0) and the requirement for specifying the outgoing interface with IPv6 link-local next-hop addresses, which candidates frequently confuse.
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
✓
A floating static route uses a higher administrative distance than the primary route to provide backup connectivity.
A floating static route is configured with a higher administrative distance (AD) than the primary route. This ensures the floating route is only used when the primary route fails, as the router prefers routes with lower AD values. For example, if the primary route has an AD of 1 (static route default), the floating static route might be set to AD 200, making it a backup.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
A floating static route uses a higher administrative distance than the primary route to provide backup connectivity.
Why this is correct
A floating static route acts as a backup by intentionally using an administrative distance (AD) that is higher than that of the primary route. Since routing protocols and static routes are selected by lowest AD, the floating route remains out of the routing table while the primary route is active. Only when the primary route is removed due to failure does the router install the floating route, providing connectivity.
- ✓
An IPv6 static route using a link-local next-hop address must include both the next-hop address and the outgoing interface.
Why this is correct
In IPv6, link-local addresses are only unique on a specific link, so the router cannot determine the correct egress interface from the address alone. To install an IPv6 static route with a link-local next-hop, the configuration must include both the link-local address and the outgoing interface. This explicit interface binding gives the router the necessary context to forward packets correctly and prevents ambiguity.
- ✗
In IPv6, the default route prefix is 0.0.0.0/0.
Why it's wrong here
The default route prefix 0.0.0.0/0 is the IPv4 representation for a catch-all route, matching any destination address. IPv6 uses a different notation, ::/0, for the default route. Therefore, stating that IPv6's default route is 0.0.0.0/0 is incorrect because it applies the IPv4 concept to the IPv6 address family.
- ✗
For a floating static route to be installed in the routing table, it must have an administrative distance lower than that of the primary route.
Why it's wrong here
Assigning a floating static route an administrative distance lower than the primary route would make it the preferred route, not a backup. A backup must be less preferred, which means it needs a higher AD value so that it is only selected when the primary route is unavailable. The statement reverses the purpose of a floating static route.
- ✗
An IPv4 static route will only be inserted into the routing table if its next-hop IP address belongs to a directly connected subnet.
Why it's wrong here
An IPv4 static route can be inserted into the routing table even if the next-hop address is not directly connected, as long as that next-hop is reachable via another route in the table. The router performs a recursive lookup, resolving the next-hop through an intermediate route. Directly connected subnets are only one possible path; they are not a mandatory requirement for static route insertion.
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.
✓A floating static route uses a higher administrative distance than the primary route to provide backup connectivity.Correct answer▾
Why this is correct
A floating static route acts as a backup by intentionally using an administrative distance (AD) that is higher than that of the primary route. Since routing protocols and static routes are selected by lowest AD, the floating route remains out of the routing table while the primary route is active. Only when the primary route is removed due to failure does the router install the floating route, providing connectivity.
✗In IPv6, the default route prefix is 0.0.0.0/0.Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
0.0.0.0/0 is the IPv4 default route; the correct IPv6 default prefix is ::/0.
✗For a floating static route to be installed in the routing table, it must have an administrative distance lower than that of the primary route.Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
A floating static route must have a higher AD, not lower, so that it is less preferred and only installed when the primary (lower AD) route is lost.
✗An IPv4 static route will only be inserted into the routing table if its next-hop IP address belongs to a directly connected subnet.Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
Cisco IOS requires the next-hop to be reachable, but it does not have to be directly connected. As long as a route exists to reach that next-hop (even recursively), the static route can be installed.
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?”
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
OSPFv3 Single-Area Configuration for IPv6
Key term
Internet Protocol
Internet Protocol (IP) is the set of rules that governs how data is addressed, routed, and sent from one device to another across networks, including the internet.
Key term
Administrative distance
Administrative distance is a number that a router uses to decide which routing protocol's route to trust when it learns about the same destination from multiple different routing protocols.
About these practice questions
This 200-301 question is part of Courseiva's 1,389-question bank — original exam-style content with full explanations and wrong-answer analysis, never real exam questions or exam dumps. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
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.