CCNA IP Routing Practice Question
Exhibit
R1# show ip route
Codes: L - local, C - connected, S - static, R - RIP, M - mobile, B - BGP
D - EIGRP, EX - EIGRP external, O - OSPF, IA - OSPF inter area
N1 - OSPF NSSA external type 1, N2 - OSPF NSSA external type 2
E1 - OSPF external type 1, E2 - OSPF external type 2
i - IS-IS, su - IS-IS summary, L1 - IS-IS level-1, L2 - IS-IS level-2
ia - IS-IS inter area, * - candidate default, U - per-user static route
o - ODR, P - periodic downloaded static route, H - NHRP, l - LISP
a - application route
+ - replicated route, % - next hop override, p - overrides from PfR
Gateway of last resort is 203.0.113.1 to network 0.0.0.0
S* 0.0.0.0/0 [1/0] via 203.0.113.1
10.0.0.0/8 is variably subnetted, 2 subnets, 2 masks
C 10.1.1.0/24 is directly connected, GigabitEthernet0/0
L 10.1.1.1/32 is directly connected, GigabitEthernet0/0
192.168.1.0/24 is variably subnetted, 2 subnets, 2 masks
C 192.168.1.0/24 is directly connected, GigabitEthernet0/0.10
L 192.168.1.1/32 is directly connected, GigabitEthernet0/0.10Refer to the exhibit. An administrator is troubleshooting connectivity from a branch router R1 to the internet. A ping to 8.8.8.8 from R1 fails. The output of the show ip route command is shown. What is the most likely cause?
⚠ Common exam trap
Cisco often tests the misconception that a missing default route is the only reason for internet connectivity failure, but the trap here is that the default route is present yet the next-hop is unreachable, which candidates overlook because they focus solely on the existence of the route rather than its 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 next-hop IP address for the default route is not reachable.
The ping to 8.8.8.8 fails because the default route (0.0.0.0/0) points to a next-hop IP address that is not reachable. The routing table shows the default route is present, but if the next-hop address is not in the routing table via a connected or static route, the router cannot resolve the Layer 2 adjacency and will not forward packets. This is confirmed by the fact that the default route exists but the ping fails, indicating a reachability issue with the next hop.
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 default route is missing from the routing table.
Why it's wrong here
The exhibit explicitly lists an 'S* 0.0.0.0/0' entry, which is the IPv4 default route. If this route were absent, the router would have no path for traffic destined to any network not in the table, but that is not the case here. The presence of the star indicates the route is valid and installed, so this answer is incorrect.
- ✓
The next-hop IP address for the default route is not reachable.
Why this is correct
The default route via 203.0.113.1 is present, but the routing table contains no connected or static route to reach 203.0.113.1. Without a route to the next-hop, the default route cannot be used, causing the ping failure.
- ✗
The static route has an incorrect administrative distance.
Why it's wrong here
Static routes have a default administrative distance of 1, and the value shown in the table is 1, which is the most trustworthy value possible after connected routes. Even if the AD were changed, it would only affect whether the router prefers this route over other routes to the same destination; it would not prevent the default route from being used if the next-hop were reachable. Since the next hop is unreachable, the AD is irrelevant to the failure.
- ✗
The ip routing process has not been enabled.
Why it's wrong here
When IP routing is disabled, a router acts like a host and will not install static routes, nor will it generate an 'S*' default route entry. The table contains both connected routes and a static default route, which proves the ip routing process is enabled and functioning. Therefore, this option is not the cause of the ping failure.
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 next-hop IP address for the default route is not reachable.Correct answer▾
Why this is correct
The default route via 203.0.113.1 is present, but the routing table contains no connected or static route to reach 203.0.113.1. Without a route to the next-hop, the default route cannot be used, causing the ping failure.
✗The default route is missing from the routing table.Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
Candidates may misinterpret a failed ping as indicating no default route exists, overlooking that the route is present but unusable.
✗The static route has an incorrect administrative distance.Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
Candidates may think a higher AD is blocking the route, but the AD is standard and not the issue.
✗The ip routing process has not been enabled.Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
A common troubleshooting step is to verify ip routing, but the exhibit clearly shows an active routing table.
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
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Related to this question
Learn chapter
Interpreting HSRP and VRRP Operational Status
Key term
Default route
A default route is a catch-all routing entry that tells a network device where to send packets when no specific route matches the destination address.
Key term
IP address
An IP address is a unique numerical label assigned to each device connected to a computer network that uses the Internet Protocol for communication.
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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.