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CCNA Network Services and Security Practice Question
Drag and drop the following steps into the correct order to configure PAT (Port Address Translation) on a Cisco IOS-XE router and describe the translation process for an outbound packet.
⚠ Common exam trap
Candidates often confuse the order of steps, especially thinking that creating the pool or marking interfaces can be done before entering global configuration mode. Remember: you must always be in global configuration mode before issuing any configuration commands. Also, the global address pool must be created before it can be referenced in the ip nat inside source list overload command.
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
✓
Enter global configuration mode, mark inside and outside interfaces, create a pool of global addresses, then enable PAT with overload.
For PAT configuration on a Cisco IOS-XE router, the correct order is: first enter global configuration mode (configure terminal), then define inside and outside interfaces (ip nat inside / ip nat outside under interface configuration), then create the global address pool (ip nat pool), and finally enable PAT with overload (ip nat inside source list ... pool ... overload). This sequence matches only option A. Option B is incorrect because creating the pool must be done after entering global configuration mode, not before. Option C is incorrect because marking interfaces must be done from global configuration mode, and enabling PAT requires a pool to exist. Option D is incorrect because enabling PAT without a pool will fail, and marking interfaces must be done before enabling PAT.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Enter global configuration mode, mark inside and outside interfaces, create a pool of global addresses, then enable PAT with overload.
Why this is correct
Correct sequence: enter global config, mark inside/outside interfaces, create pool, enable PAT with overload.
- ✗
Create a pool of global addresses, mark inside and outside interfaces, enter global configuration mode, then enable PAT with overload.
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect: creating the pool before entering global config is not possible; also marking interfaces should be done before creating the pool.
- ✗
Mark inside and outside interfaces, enter global configuration mode, enable PAT with overload, then create a pool of global addresses.
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect: marking interfaces before entering global config is not possible; and enabling PAT before creating the pool will fail.
- ✗
Enter global configuration mode, enable PAT with overload, create a pool of global addresses, then mark inside and outside interfaces.
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect: enabling PAT before creating the pool will fail; and marking interfaces should be done before enabling PAT.
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.
✓Enter global configuration mode, mark inside and outside interfaces, create a pool of global addresses, then enable PAT with overload.Correct answer▾
Why this is correct
Correct sequence: enter global config, mark inside/outside interfaces, create pool, enable PAT with overload.
✗Create a pool of global addresses, mark inside and outside interfaces, enter global configuration mode, then enable PAT with overload.Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
The specific factual error is that the steps are out of order. You must enter configuration mode first before any configuration commands.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates might think that creating the pool is the first step because it defines the addresses, but they forget that you need to be in configuration mode first.
✗Mark inside and outside interfaces, enter global configuration mode, enable PAT with overload, then create a pool of global addresses.Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
The specific factual error is that you cannot mark interfaces without being in configuration mode, and the pool must exist before enabling overload.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates might think that marking interfaces is the first step because it defines the NAT boundaries, but they overlook the need to be in configuration mode first.
✗Enter global configuration mode, enable PAT with overload, create a pool of global addresses, then mark inside and outside interfaces.Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
Enabling PAT with overload before creating the pool will fail because the overload command must reference an existing pool.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates might think that creating the pool and enabling PAT are the core steps and that interface marking can be done later, but the order matters for proper operation.
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?”
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Related to this question
Learn chapter
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Key term
Interface
An interface is a point of connection or interaction between two systems, devices, or software components that allows them to exchange information or signals.
Key term
Router
A router is a networking device that connects different networks together and directs data traffic between them by choosing the best path for data to travel.
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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.