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CCNA Practice Question: Which TWO statements are true regarding HSRP…

This 200-301 practice question tests your understanding of 200-301 exam topics. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. 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.

Which TWO statements are true regarding HSRP active/standby election, priority, and preemption?

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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 router with the highest priority becomes the active router.

In HSRP, the router with the highest priority (default 100) becomes the active router. Preemption allows a higher-priority router to take over the active role from a lower-priority router that is already active. Option A is correct because a router with priority 150 will win the election over a router with priority 100. Option E is correct because preemption enables a higher-priority router to become active even if a lower-priority router is already active.

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 router with the highest priority becomes the active router.

    Why this is correct

    HSRP uses a priority value (0–255, default 100) to determine the active router; the highest priority wins.

    Related concept

    Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.

  • The router with the lowest IP address in the standby group becomes the active router.

    Why it's wrong here

    HSRP does not use IP address to elect the active router; priority is the primary determinant, followed by highest IP address as a tiebreaker.

  • HSRP priority can be configured from 0 to 100, with 100 being the highest.

    Why it's wrong here

    HSRP priority range is 0–255, with 100 as the default.

  • Preemption is enabled by default on all HSRP interfaces.

    Why it's wrong here

    Preemption is disabled by default in HSRP; it must be explicitly configured with the 'standby preempt' command.

  • If preemption is enabled, a router with a higher priority can take over the active role from a router with a lower priority that is already active.

    Why this is correct

    Preemption allows a higher-priority router to become active immediately, overriding the current active router.

    Related concept

    Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.

  • The standby router uses a priority of 0 to indicate it will never become active.

    Why it's wrong here

    Priority 0 is used to indicate that the router should not become active (e.g., during a shutdown), but it is not the default standby role.

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 router with the highest priority becomes the active router.Correct answer

Why this is correct

HSRP uses a priority value (0–255, default 100) to determine the active router; the highest priority wins.

The router with the lowest IP address in the standby group becomes the active router.Wrong answer — click to see why

Why this is wrong here

This describes a different mechanism (e.g., VRRP uses IP address as a tiebreaker only after priority).

HSRP priority can be configured from 0 to 100, with 100 being the highest.Wrong answer — click to see why

Why this is wrong here

The range is 0–255, not 0–100.

Preemption is enabled by default on all HSRP interfaces.Wrong answer — click to see why

Why this is wrong here

Preemption is not a default behavior.

The standby router uses a priority of 0 to indicate it will never become active.Wrong answer — click to see why

Why this is wrong here

Priority 0 is a special value, not the normal standby priority.

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

Many certification questions include familiar terms but test a specific constraint. Read the exact wording before choosing an answer that is generally true but wrong for this case.

Trap categories for this question

  • Command / output trap

    Preemption is disabled by default in HSRP; it must be explicitly configured with the 'standby preempt' command.

Detailed technical explanation

How to think about this question

This question should be treated as a scenario, not a definition check. Identify the problem, the constraint and the best action. Then compare each option against those facts.

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.
  • Use explanations to understand the rule behind the answer.

TExam Day Tips

  • Underline the problem statement mentally.
  • 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 practitioner preparing for the 200-301 exam encounters this exact type of scenario on the job. The correct answer here is not the most general option — it is the best answer for the specific constraint described. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Real exam questions reward reading the full scenario before eliminating options, because the constraint defines which answer fits.

What to study next

Got this wrong? Here's your next step.

Identify which 200-301 exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.

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FAQ

Questions learners often ask

What does this 200-301 question test?

Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.

What is the correct answer to this question?

The correct answer is: The router with the highest priority becomes the active router. — In HSRP, the router with the highest priority (default 100) becomes the active router. Preemption allows a higher-priority router to take over the active role from a lower-priority router that is already active. Option A is correct because a router with priority 150 will win the election over a router with priority 100. Option E is correct because preemption enables a higher-priority router to become active even if a lower-priority router is already active.

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

Identify which 200-301 exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.

What is the key concept behind this question?

Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.

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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.