Question 1,714 of 1,819
Network Infrastructure and ConnectivityhardMultiple ChoiceObjective-mapped

CCNA Network Infrastructure and Connectivity Practice Question

This 200-301 practice question tests your understanding of network infrastructure and connectivity. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. 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.

Exhibit

R1# show interfaces GigabitEthernet0/0
GigabitEthernet0/0 is up, line protocol is up (connected)
  Hardware is iGbE, address is 0011.2233.4455 (bia 0011.2233.4455)
  Internet address is 192.168.100.1/24
  MTU 1500 bytes, BW 1000000 Kbit/sec, DLY 10 usec,
     reliability 255/255, txload 1/255, rxload 1/255
  Encapsulation ARPA, loopback not set
  Keepalive set (10 sec)
  Full-duplex, 1000Mb/s, media type is 10/100/1000BaseTX
  input flow-control is off, output flow-control is unsupported
  ARP type: ARPA, ARP Timeout 04:00:00
  Last input 00:00:01, output 00:00:01, output hang never
  Last clearing of "show interface" counters never
  Input queue: 0/75/0/0 (size/max/drops/flushes); Total output drops: 0
  Queueing strategy: fifo
  Output queue: 0/40 (size/max)
  5 minute input rate 1000 bits/sec, 2 packets/sec
  5 minute output rate 5000 bits/sec, 3 packets/sec
     52345 packets input, 10243456 bytes, 0 no buffer
     Received 0 broadcasts (0 multicasts)
     0 runts, 0 giants, 0 throttles
     5231 input errors, 5200 CRC, 0 frame, 0 overrun, 0 ignored
     0 watchdog, 0 multicast, 0 pause input
     0 input packets with dribble condition detected
     245678 packets output, 54839203 bytes, 0 underruns
     0 output errors, 0 collisions, 0 interface resets
     0 unknown protocol drops
     0 babbles, 0 late collision, 0 deferred
     0 lost carrier, 0 no carrier, 0 pause output
     0 output buffer failures, 0 output buffers swapped out

Refer to the exhibit. A network engineer is investigating intermittent connectivity complaints on a gigabit uplink between two distribution switches. The engineer runs the show interfaces GigabitEthernet0/0 command on one of the switches. Based on the output, what is the most likely cause of the errors?

Clue words in this question

Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.

  • Clue: "most likely"

    Why it matters: Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.

Question 1hardmultiple choice
Full question →

Exhibit

R1# show interfaces GigabitEthernet0/0
GigabitEthernet0/0 is up, line protocol is up (connected)
  Hardware is iGbE, address is 0011.2233.4455 (bia 0011.2233.4455)
  Internet address is 192.168.100.1/24
  MTU 1500 bytes, BW 1000000 Kbit/sec, DLY 10 usec,
     reliability 255/255, txload 1/255, rxload 1/255
  Encapsulation ARPA, loopback not set
  Keepalive set (10 sec)
  Full-duplex, 1000Mb/s, media type is 10/100/1000BaseTX
  input flow-control is off, output flow-control is unsupported
  ARP type: ARPA, ARP Timeout 04:00:00
  Last input 00:00:01, output 00:00:01, output hang never
  Last clearing of "show interface" counters never
  Input queue: 0/75/0/0 (size/max/drops/flushes); Total output drops: 0
  Queueing strategy: fifo
  Output queue: 0/40 (size/max)
  5 minute input rate 1000 bits/sec, 2 packets/sec
  5 minute output rate 5000 bits/sec, 3 packets/sec
     52345 packets input, 10243456 bytes, 0 no buffer
     Received 0 broadcasts (0 multicasts)
     0 runts, 0 giants, 0 throttles
     5231 input errors, 5200 CRC, 0 frame, 0 overrun, 0 ignored
     0 watchdog, 0 multicast, 0 pause input
     0 input packets with dribble condition detected
     245678 packets output, 54839203 bytes, 0 underruns
     0 output errors, 0 collisions, 0 interface resets
     0 unknown protocol drops
     0 babbles, 0 late collision, 0 deferred
     0 lost carrier, 0 no carrier, 0 pause output
     0 output buffer failures, 0 output buffers swapped out

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 damaged or faulty cable is causing excessive CRC errors.

The output shows a high number of CRC errors and runts, which typically indicate a Layer 1 physical-layer issue such as a damaged or faulty cable. CRC errors occur when frames fail the cyclic redundancy check due to signal degradation, noise, or physical damage to the cabling. On a gigabit uplink, this is the most likely cause of intermittent connectivity.

Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.

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 interface is configured with an incorrect encapsulation type.

    Why it's wrong here

    The output shows 'Encapsulation ARPA', which is the standard Ethernet encapsulation. If the wrong encapsulation were configured, the interface would likely go down or show encapsulation mismatches, not high CRC counts.

  • A damaged or faulty cable is causing excessive CRC errors.

    Why this is correct

    The exhibit displays 5200 CRC errors (more than 5000) and 5231 input errors. High CRC counts directly indicate that received frames are being corrupted by physical layer issues such as a damaged cable, loose connector, or EMI on the copper segment.

    Clue confirmation

    The clue word "most likely" in the question point toward this answer.

    Related concept

    Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.

  • A duplex mismatch exists between the connected devices.

    Why it's wrong here

    The interface is running at full-duplex and shows zero collisions, late collisions, or runts. A duplex mismatch would typically exhibit collisions, late collisions, or runts on the half‑duplex side, none of which appear.

  • The interface is assigned to the wrong VLAN.

    Why it's wrong here

    VLAN assignment errors cause connectivity failures, not physical‑layer errors. The output shows no VLAN-specific counters like 'unknown protocol drops' related to VLAN mismatches, and the interface is otherwise passing traffic.

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 damaged or faulty cable is causing excessive CRC errors.Correct answer

Why this is correct

The exhibit displays 5200 CRC errors (more than 5000) and 5231 input errors. High CRC counts directly indicate that received frames are being corrupted by physical layer issues such as a damaged cable, loose connector, or EMI on the copper segment.

The interface is configured with an incorrect encapsulation type.Wrong answer — click to see why

Why this is wrong here

Encapsulation problems cause protocol failures, not corrupted frames with CRC errors.

A duplex mismatch exists between the connected devices.Wrong answer — click to see why

Why this is wrong here

Candidates often mistake high CRC counts for duplex issues. The absence of collision-related counters rules out a duplex mismatch.

The interface is assigned to the wrong VLAN.Wrong answer — click to see why

Why this is wrong here

A wrong VLAN does not generate CRC errors on the physical interface.

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

Cisco often tests the distinction between CRC errors (physical layer) and late collisions (duplex mismatch), so the trap here is that candidates see errors and assume a duplex mismatch without checking for the specific error types like late collisions or alignment errors.

Trap categories for this question

  • Command / output trap

    The output shows 'Encapsulation ARPA', which is the standard Ethernet encapsulation. If the wrong encapsulation were configured, the interface would likely go down or show encapsulation mismatches, not high CRC counts.

Detailed technical explanation

How to think about this question

CRC errors are calculated by the receiving interface using the Frame Check Sequence (FCS) in the Ethernet trailer; if the computed CRC does not match the received FCS, the frame is discarded. In a real-world scenario, a bent pin in an RJ-45 connector or a cable run exceeding 100 meters can cause signal attenuation that leads to CRC errors, even if link lights are green. The 'show interfaces' command also displays input errors, runts, and giants, which help differentiate physical issues from configuration problems.

KKey Concepts to Remember

  • Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
  • Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
  • Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.

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

Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.

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.

What to study next

Got this wrong? Here's your next step.

Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.

Related practice questions

Related 200-301 practice-question pages

Use these pages to review the topic behind this question. This is how one missed question becomes focused revision.

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FAQ

Questions learners often ask

What does this 200-301 question test?

Network Infrastructure and Connectivity — This question tests Network Infrastructure and Connectivity — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..

What is the correct answer to this question?

The correct answer is: A damaged or faulty cable is causing excessive CRC errors. — The output shows a high number of CRC errors and runts, which typically indicate a Layer 1 physical-layer issue such as a damaged or faulty cable. CRC errors occur when frames fail the cyclic redundancy check due to signal degradation, noise, or physical damage to the cabling. On a gigabit uplink, this is the most likely cause of intermittent connectivity.

What should I do if I get this 200-301 question wrong?

Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.

Are there clue words in this question I should notice?

Yes — watch for: "most likely". Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.

What is the key concept behind this question?

Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.

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Last reviewed: Jun 25, 2026

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