Question 928 of 1,389
CCNA IP Routing Practice Question
A network engineer configures a static route: ip route 192.168.10.0 255.255.255.0 10.1.1.2. The next hop 10.1.1.2 is reachable via OSPF. Later, the engineer notices that the route to 192.168.10.0/24 has disappeared from the routing table. What is the most likely cause?
⚠ Common exam trap
Cisco often tests the concept that a static route with a next-hop IP requires a valid route to that IP in the routing table, and candidates mistakenly think the static route will always remain or that administrative distance is the cause of its removal.
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 OSPF route to 10.1.1.0/30 has been lost, making the next-hop address 10.1.1.2 unresolvable.
The static route to 192.168.10.0/24 uses 10.1.1.2 as the next-hop address. For a static route with a next-hop IP (rather than an exit interface) to be installed in the routing table, the next-hop must be reachable via a valid route in the routing table. If the OSPF route to the subnet containing 10.1.1.2 (e.g., 10.1.1.0/30) is lost, the next-hop becomes unreachable, and the static route is removed from the routing table. This is the most likely cause of the route disappearing.
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 OSPF route to 10.1.1.0/30 has been lost, making the next-hop address 10.1.1.2 unresolvable.
Why this is correct
A recursive static route requires a next-hop that is resolvable via an existing route. Without the OSPF route to the subnet containing 10.1.1.2, the router cannot reach the next hop and removes the static route from the routing table.
- ✗
The static route has a higher administrative distance than OSPF, so OSPF's route to 192.168.10.0/24 replaced it.
Why it's wrong here
If OSPF had a route to 192.168.10.0/24, the static route would remain in the routing table but would not be used (inactive). The prompt states the route has completely disappeared, indicating next-hop reachability failure, not route preference.
- ✗
The static route uses a next-hop IP address that is not directly connected, which is unsupported on this platform.
Why it's wrong here
Cisco routers fully support recursive static routes in which the next-hop address is not an attached interface but is reachable through some other route. A static route with next-hop 10.1.1.2 is valid as long as the router has any route that resolves 10.1.1.2; it need not be directly connected. The route disappears because that resolving OSPF route was lost, not because the next-hop is remote.
- ✗
A routing loop caused by recursive lookups has suppressed the static route to prevent loops.
Why it's wrong here
Recursive route resolution does not include a loop-suppression mechanism that removes static routes. A route is installed only after its next-hop lookup succeeds; if the lookup chain is circular, the route simply cannot be resolved and is not installed, which is not the same as suppression. Here the OSPF route to 10.1.1.0/30 is gone, making 10.1.1.2 unreachable, so the static route is removed by normal unreachable-next-hop processing.
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 OSPF route to 10.1.1.0/30 has been lost, making the next-hop address 10.1.1.2 unresolvable.Correct answer▾
Why this is correct
A recursive static route requires a next-hop that is resolvable via an existing route. Without the OSPF route to the subnet containing 10.1.1.2, the router cannot reach the next hop and removes the static route from the routing table.
✗The static route has a higher administrative distance than OSPF, so OSPF's route to 192.168.10.0/24 replaced it.Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
Believing that a static route is removed from the routing table when a better route exists, rather than understanding it remains but is inactive.
✗The static route uses a next-hop IP address that is not directly connected, which is unsupported on this platform.Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
Assuming that a static route's next-hop must be directly attached, ignoring that recursive routing via another routing protocol or static route is allowed.
✗A routing loop caused by recursive lookups has suppressed the static route to prevent loops.Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
Thinking that recursive static routes are prone to loop suppression, rather than understanding that the route is simply withdrawn when the next-hop is no longer reachable.
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.
About these practice questions
Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
Last reviewed: Jul 4, 2026
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.
Question Discussion
Share a tip, memory trick, or ask about the reasoning behind this question. Do not post real exam questions, leaked content, braindumps, or copyrighted exam material. Comments are moderated and may be removed without notice.
Sign in to join the discussion.