CCNA IP Routing Practice Question
Exhibit
R1# show ip route static
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
Gateway of last resort is not set
S* 0.0.0.0/0 [1/0] via 192.168.1.2
S 10.10.10.0/24 [200/0] via 192.168.2.2
R1# show running-config | include ip route
ip route 0.0.0.0 0.0.0.0 192.168.1.2
ip route 10.10.10.0 255.255.255.0 192.168.2.2 200A junior network engineer configured a floating static route on Router R1 to provide backup connectivity to a remote network 10.10.10.0/24. The primary connection uses OSPF. However, after the primary link fails, hosts on R1 cannot reach the remote network. The OSPF adjacency is down, and the floating static route is not appearing in the routing table. Based on the exhibit, what is the most likely cause of the issue?
⚠ Common exam trap
Cisco often tests the misconception that a floating static route will automatically appear when the primary route fails, without considering that the next-hop must be directly connected or recursively resolvable via a remaining route.
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 static route's next-hop becomes unreachable after the primary OSPF link fails.
The floating static route's next-hop becomes unreachable after the primary OSPF link fails. In the exhibit, the next-hop IP is likely configured to an address that is only reachable via OSPF; when that adjacency drops, the router has no route to the next-hop, so it cannot recursively resolve the static route. As a result, the route does not appear in the routing table. Option A is wrong because the route is present in the configuration (as a floating static route). Option C is wrong because the administrative distance of the floating static route is intentionally higher than OSPF's so that it only installs when OSPF fails; this is correct behavior. Option D is wrong because a default route would not override a more specific static route to 10.10.10.0/24.
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 floating static route is missing from the configuration.
Why it's wrong here
The exhibit explicitly shows a configured static route to 10.10.10.0/24 with an administrative distance of 200. That configuration is exactly a floating static route, which is defined as a static route with a higher AD than the dynamic routing protocol's default, so it is meant to be a backup. While OSPF is active, the static route is present in the configuration but not installed in the routing table because OSPF's AD of 110 is more preferred. Therefore, the backup route is not missing; it is simply dormant until the OSPF route disappears.
- ✓
The static route's next-hop becomes unreachable after the primary OSPF link fails.
Why this is correct
The floating static route points to a next-hop that is only reachable via the OSPF-learned path. Once the primary link fails and OSPF is down, the router loses the route to that next-hop, preventing the static route from being installed.
- ✗
The administrative distance of the static route is too high.
Why it's wrong here
An administrative distance of 200 is intentionally set for a floating static route to act as a backup to OSPF, which has a default AD of 110. The value is not too high because it is supposed to be less preferred; the static route will be installed only if OSPF fails and the route is withdrawn. In this scenario, the static route fails to appear because its next-hop is learned via OSPF, so once the OSPF link fails, the router cannot resolve that next-hop. If the next-hop were directly connected and reachable, the static route with AD 200 would successfully take over when OSPF goes down.
- ✗
The default route is overriding the static route to 10.10.10.0/24.
Why it's wrong here
The default route to 0.0.0.0/0 uses a /0 prefix length, which is the least specific match possible. When forwarding traffic for 10.10.10.0/24, routers always prefer the longest prefix match, so the /24 static route will always be selected over the default route, regardless of administrative distance. Since the prefix lengths differ, the default route cannot override the static route, and the packet would only use the default route if the /24 route were absent from the routing table.
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 static route's next-hop becomes unreachable after the primary OSPF link fails.Correct answer▾
Why this is correct
The floating static route points to a next-hop that is only reachable via the OSPF-learned path. Once the primary link fails and OSPF is down, the router loses the route to that next-hop, preventing the static route from being installed.
✗The floating static route is missing from the configuration.Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
The exhibit shows the static route is configured, so the issue is not that it is missing.
Why candidates choose this
Students might think the route is missing because it does not appear in the routing table, but the configuration is present.
✗The administrative distance of the static route is too high.Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
An administrative distance of 200 is appropriate for a floating static route to be less preferred than OSPF (AD 110) but still usable as a backup.
Why candidates choose this
Students may confuse administrative distance values and think 200 is too high, but it is actually correct for backup purposes.
✗The default route is overriding the static route to 10.10.10.0/24.Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
A default route (0.0.0.0/0) does not override a more specific route like 10.10.10.0/24; the longest prefix match rule ensures the specific route is preferred.
Why candidates choose this
Students might think a default route can override other routes, but it only applies when no more specific match exists.
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.
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
OSPFv3 Single-Area Configuration for IPv6
Key term
Static route
A static route is a manually configured path in a router's routing table that tells the router exactly where to send packets for a specific destination network.
Key term
OSPF
OSPF is a link-state routing protocol that uses the SPF algorithm to compute the shortest path to each destination within a single autonomous system.
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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.