Question 1,486 of 1,389
CCNA IP Routing Practice Question
Exhibit
R1# show ip route 10.0.0.5
Routing entry for 10.0.0.0/24
Known via "connected", distance 0, metric 0 (connected)
Routing Descriptor Blocks:
* 10.0.0.1, via GigabitEthernet0/1
Route metric is 0, traffic share count is 1
R1# show ip route | begin Gateway
Gateway of last resort is not set
10.0.0.0/8 is variably subnetted, 3 subnets, 3 masks
C 10.0.0.0/24 is directly connected, GigabitEthernet0/1
O 10.0.0.0/16 [110/2] via 192.168.2.2, 00:00:15, GigabitEthernet0/0
O 10.0.0.0/8 [110/3] via 192.168.3.2, 00:00:20, GigabitEthernet0/2A network administrator is troubleshooting connectivity from a PC (192.168.1.10/24) to a server at 10.0.0.5/24. The PC's default gateway is 192.168.1.1. Router R1 has a directly connected route to 10.0.0.0/24 via interface GigabitEthernet0/1, which is connected to another VLAN. The server is actually located on the 10.0.0.0/16 network, reachable via a static route through 192.168.1.2. What is the most likely cause of the connectivity issue?
⚠ Common exam trap
Cisco often tests the concept that the longest prefix match overrides administrative distance and metric, leading candidates to incorrectly assume that a lower AD or metric route will be chosen when a more specific but incorrect route exists.
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 directly connected route to 10.0.0.0/24 is the most specific match but is incorrect for the destination.
The router's routing table contains a directly connected route to 10.0.0.0/24, which is the most specific match (longest prefix) for the destination 10.0.0.5. However, if that directly connected subnet is not actually the network where the server resides (e.g., it points to a different interface or VLAN), traffic will be forwarded incorrectly. The router always prefers the most specific prefix, even if another route (like a summary) is administratively preferred or has a lower metric.
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 route to 10.0.0.0/16 has a lower administrative distance than the directly connected route.
Why it's wrong here
This statement reverses the administrative distance values. A directly connected route always has an AD of 0, while an OSPF-injected route (such as the /16) has an AD of 110. Even if the /16 had a better AD, AD is only a tiebreaker among routes for the exact same destination prefix; here the /24, /16, and /8 are different prefixes, so LPM decides first.
- ✓
The directly connected route to 10.0.0.0/24 is the most specific match but is incorrect for the destination.
Why this is correct
The router uses a longest-prefix-match lookup on the destination 10.0.0.5. The /24 route is the most specific match, so it is selected even though it points to an interface from which 10.0.0.5 is unreachable. The packet is therefore forwarded out the wrong interface rather than being processed by one of the longer, less-specific routes.
- ✗
The route to 10.0.0.0/8 has a higher metric, so it is not used.
Why it's wrong here
The metric of 3 on the /8 route is irrelevant because OSPF metric (cost) is only compared when multiple OSPF routes exist for the same exact prefix. Here the /8 is less specific than the /24, so the /24 is preferred regardless of metric. Even if the /8 had a lower metric, it would still not be used because LPM takes priority over metric comparisons.
- ✗
The router does not have a default route, so traffic to 10.0.0.5 is dropped.
Why it's wrong here
The router does not need a default route; it already has a matching route for the destination. The /24 route is a valid match for 10.0.0.5, so the router forwards the packet according to that entry. The problem isn't a missing route but a wrong next-hop/interface on the most specific route, which causes the packet to be sent to an unreachable location.
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 directly connected route to 10.0.0.0/24 is the most specific match but is incorrect for the destination.Correct answer▾
Why this is correct
The router uses a longest-prefix-match lookup on the destination 10.0.0.5. The /24 route is the most specific match, so it is selected even though it points to an interface from which 10.0.0.5 is unreachable. The packet is therefore forwarded out the wrong interface rather than being processed by one of the longer, less-specific routes.
✗The route to 10.0.0.0/16 has a lower administrative distance than the directly connected route.Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
You might think that OSPF routes are more reliable, but directly connected routes are always preferred regardless of AD.
✗The route to 10.0.0.0/8 has a higher metric, so it is not used.Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
You might confuse metric with prefix length; metric only matters when prefix lengths are equal.
✗The router does not have a default route, so traffic to 10.0.0.5 is dropped.Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
A default route is only used when no more specific route exists; here a specific route 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
About these practice questions
Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
Last reviewed: Jun 11, 2026
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.
Question Discussion
Share a tip, memory trick, or ask about the reasoning behind this question. Do not post real exam questions, leaked content, braindumps, or copyrighted exam material. Comments are moderated and may be removed without notice.
Sign in to join the discussion.