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Question 662 of 1,052
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CCNA Practice Question: Which TWO statements correctly describe how a…
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 correctly describe how a router selects the best path for a destination network when multiple routing table entries exist?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue:
"best"Why it matters: Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
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
✓
Routes with the longest prefix length (most specific) are preferred over routes with a shorter prefix.
When a router has multiple routes to the same destination network, it first applies the longest-prefix match rule to select the most specific route. If multiple routes still exist, the router then compares the administrative distance (AD); the route with the lowest AD is preferred. Metric is only compared when routes have the same AD and prefix length. Directly connected routes are always preferred over dynamic routes because they have an AD of 0.
Key principle: NAT direction and interface roles matter as much as the IP address mapping. Inside/outside designation controls which traffic is translated.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Routes with the longest prefix length (most specific) are preferred over routes with a shorter prefix.
Why this is correct
The router always uses the longest-prefix match first. A /24 route is preferred over a /16 route for the same destination.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "best" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
- ✗
If two routes have the same prefix length, the route with the higher administrative distance is selected.
Why it's wrong here
A lower administrative distance indicates a more trustworthy source. The route with the lower AD is preferred, not higher.
- ✓
When the administrative distance is identical, the router compares the metric and selects the route with the lowest metric.
Why this is correct
After matching prefix length and AD, if multiple routes still exist (e.g., from the same routing protocol), the router uses the metric (e.g., hop count, bandwidth) and picks the lowest metric.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "best" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
- ✗
A directly connected route has an administrative distance of 1, making it more trustworthy than any dynamic route.
Why it's wrong here
Directly connected routes actually have an AD of 0, not 1. An AD of 0 is the most trustworthy, but the value is 0.
- ✗
Dynamic routes are always preferred over directly connected routes because they can adapt to network changes.
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.
✓Routes with the longest prefix length (most specific) are preferred over routes with a shorter prefix.Correct answer▾
Why this is correct
The router always uses the longest-prefix match first. A /24 route is preferred over a /16 route for the same destination.
✗If two routes have the same prefix length, the route with the higher administrative distance is selected.Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
This statement reverses the AD comparison logic. The router selects the route with the smallest AD value.
✗A directly connected route has an administrative distance of 1, making it more trustworthy than any dynamic route.Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
The AD for a directly connected interface is 0, not 1. An AD of 1 is used for static routes.
✗Dynamic routes are always preferred over directly connected routes because they can adapt to network changes.Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
Directly connected routes are more trustworthy due to their AD of 0, so they are preferred over dynamic routes.
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: NAT rules depend on direction and matching traffic
NAT is not only about the public address. The inside/outside interface roles and the ACL or rule that matches traffic are just as important.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
NAT questions usually test address translation, overload/PAT behaviour, static mappings and whether the right traffic is being translated. Read the interface direction and address terms carefully.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
- PAT allows many inside hosts to share one public address using ports.
- Inside local and inside global describe the private and translated addresses.
- NAT ACLs identify traffic for translation, not always security filtering.
TExam Day Tips
- Identify inside and outside interfaces first.
- Check whether the scenario needs static NAT, dynamic NAT or PAT.
- Do not confuse NAT matching ACLs with normal packet-filtering intent.
Key takeaway
NAT direction and interface roles matter as much as the IP address mapping. Inside/outside designation controls which traffic is translated.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A small business has 20 workstations on the 192.168.1.0/24 network and one public IP from its ISP. The router uses PAT (NAT overload) so all 20 devices share one public address using different source ports. NAT questions test whether you understand the four address terms and which direction each translation applies.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Review the four NAT address types (inside local, inside global, outside local, outside global), PAT port overload, and static vs dynamic NAT use cases. Then practise related 200-301 NAT questions on configuration and troubleshooting.
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this 200-301 question test?
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Routes with the longest prefix length (most specific) are preferred over routes with a shorter prefix. — When a router has multiple routes to the same destination network, it first applies the longest-prefix match rule to select the most specific route. If multiple routes still exist, the router then compares the administrative distance (AD); the route with the lowest AD is preferred. Metric is only compared when routes have the same AD and prefix length. Directly connected routes are always preferred over dynamic routes because they have an AD of 0.
What should I do if I get this 200-301 question wrong?
Review the four NAT address types (inside local, inside global, outside local, outside global), PAT port overload, and static vs dynamic NAT use cases. Then practise related 200-301 NAT questions on configuration and troubleshooting.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "best". Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
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