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CCNA Network Services and Security Practice Question
Drag and drop the following steps into the correct order to configure a Cisco IOS-XE router as a DHCP server for a VLAN 10 subnet and enable DHCP relay for a remote client on VLAN 20.
⚠ Common exam trap
Many learners mistakenly think DHCP relay must be enabled before pool creation or that exclusions are a sub‑mode command inside the pool; in fact, exclusions are configured globally and should be defined before the pool to avoid accidental assignment of excluded IPs.
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
✓
1. Exclude addresses from the pool. 2. Configure the DHCP pool for VLAN 10 with network, default-router, and DNS. 3. Enable DHCP relay on the VLAN 20 interface. 4. Verify DHCP operations.
The correct sequence is to globally exclude IP addresses first, preventing the DHCP server from assigning reserved addresses. Then define the DHCP pool for VLAN 10 with network parameters, enable DHCP relay on the VLAN 20 interface so it forwards requests to the server, and finally verify the service is functioning. Options that place relay before pool or exclusions after pool misorder these essential configuration steps and deviate from recommended practice.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
1. Exclude addresses from the pool. 2. Configure the DHCP pool for VLAN 10 with network, default-router, and DNS. 3. Enable DHCP relay on the VLAN 20 interface. 4. Verify DHCP operations.
Why this is correct
Global exclusions are configured first to protect specific addresses; the DHCP pool is then created to define the dynamic range; relay is enabled afterwards to forward remote client requests to the now‑configured server; finally, verification ensures the services are operational.
- ✗
1. Enable DHCP relay on the VLAN 20 interface. 2. Configure the DHCP pool for VLAN 10. 3. Exclude addresses from the pool. 4. Verify DHCP operations.
Why it's wrong here
This is incorrect because DHCP relay should be configured after the DHCP server pool is set up. Enabling relay before the server is ready may cause clients to send requests that cannot be answered.
- ✗
1. Exclude addresses from the pool. 2. Enable DHCP relay on the VLAN 20 interface. 3. Configure the DHCP pool for VLAN 10. 4. Verify DHCP operations.
Why it's wrong here
This is incorrect because the DHCP pool must be created before excluding addresses. Exclusions are part of the pool configuration and cannot be applied before the pool exists.
- ✗
1. Configure the DHCP pool for VLAN 10. 2. Enable DHCP relay on the VLAN 20 interface. 3. Exclude addresses from the pool. 4. Verify DHCP operations.
Why it's wrong here
This is incorrect because exclusions should be configured before enabling relay. Although the pool is created first, exclusions are part of the pool configuration and should be done before moving to relay.
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.
✓1. Exclude addresses from the pool. 2. Configure the DHCP pool for VLAN 10 with network, default-router, and DNS. 3. Enable DHCP relay on the VLAN 20 interface. 4. Verify DHCP operations.Correct answer▾
Why this is correct
Global exclusions are configured first to protect specific addresses; the DHCP pool is then created to define the dynamic range; relay is enabled afterwards to forward remote client requests to the now‑configured server; finally, verification ensures the services are operational.
✗1. Enable DHCP relay on the VLAN 20 interface. 2. Configure the DHCP pool for VLAN 10. 3. Exclude addresses from the pool. 4. Verify DHCP operations.Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
Relay is configured before the DHCP pool exists, so the relay agent will have no server to point to initially, and the pool creation step is out of order.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates might think relay must be configured first to forward requests to the server, but the server must be ready to respond.
✗1. Exclude addresses from the pool. 2. Enable DHCP relay on the VLAN 20 interface. 3. Configure the DHCP pool for VLAN 10. 4. Verify DHCP operations.Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
The relay is enabled before the pool is created, breaking the logical dependency: the relay should forward requests only after the server pool is fully configured.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates might think exclusions are a global step that can be done independently, but they are tied to the pool.
✗1. Configure the DHCP pool for VLAN 10. 2. Enable DHCP relay on the VLAN 20 interface. 3. Exclude addresses from the pool. 4. Verify DHCP operations.Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
Address exclusions occur after pool configuration, risking that excluded IPs might already be assigned before the exclusion is applied.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates might think relay can be enabled immediately after pool creation, but exclusions are still part of the server setup.
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
RA Guard — IPv6 First-Hop Security
Key term
VLAN
A VLAN logically segments a physical network into isolated broadcast domains without requiring separate physical switches.
Key term
DHCP server
A DHCP server is a network device or service that automatically assigns IP addresses and other network configuration parameters to devices on a network, eliminating the need for manual configuration.
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JA
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.