Question 617 of 1,052
hardmultiple choiceObjective-mapped

CCNA Practice Question: An engineer is deploying a new Cisco Catalyst…

This 200-301 practice question tests your understanding of 200-301 exam topics. Examine the command output carefully: the correct answer depends on what the output actually shows, not on general recall alone. 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.

Exhibit

Switch# show interfaces gigabitethernet1/0/1
GigabitEthernet1/0/1 is up, line protocol is up
  Hardware is Gigabit Ethernet, address is aaaa.bbbb.cccc (bia aaaa.bbbb.cccc)
  MTU 1500 bytes, BW 1000000 Kbit/sec, DLY 10 usec,
     reliability 255/255, txload 1/255, rxload 1/255
  Encapsulation ARPA, loopback not set
  Keepalive set (10 sec)
  Full-duplex, 1000Mb/s, media type is 1000BaseLX
  input flow-control is off, output flow-control is unsupported
  ARP type: ARPA, ARP Timeout 04:00:00
  Last input 00:00:00, output 00:00:00, output hang never
  Last clearing of "show interface" counters never
  Input queue: 0/2000/0/0 (size/max/drops/flushes); Total output drops: 0
  Queueing strategy: fifo
  Output queue: 0/40 (size/max)
  5 minute input rate 1000 bits/sec, 2 packets/sec
  5 minute output rate 1000 bits/sec, 2 packets/sec
     1234 packets input, 150000 bytes, 0 no buffer
     Received 100 broadcasts (0 multicasts)
     0 runts, 0 giants, 0 throttles
     0 input errors, 0 CRC, 0 frame, 0 overrun, 0 ignored
     0 watchdog, 0 multicast, 0 pause input
     0 input packets with dribble condition detected
     567 packets output, 100000 bytes, 0 underruns
     0 output errors, 0 collisions, 0 interface resets
     0 unknown protocol drops
     0 babbles, 0 late collision, 0 deferred
     0 lost carrier, 0 no carrier, 0 pause output
     0 output buffer failures, 0 output buffers swapped out

An engineer is deploying a new Cisco Catalyst 9300 switch in a campus wiring closet. The uplink to the distribution switch uses a 1000BASE-LX SFP module. After connecting the fiber, the interface shows 'up/up' but the engineer notices that the 'input errors' counter is incrementing rapidly. There are no CRC errors, but many 'runts' and 'giants' are reported. What is the most likely cause of these input errors?

Clue words in this question

Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.

  • Clue: "most likely"

    Why it matters: Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.

Question 1hardmultiple choice
Full question →

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

Check the fiber distance and ensure it is within the 5 km limit for 1000BASE-LX; if over, use a single-mode fiber extender.

The 'show interfaces' output shows zero input errors and no runts or giants, indicating that the interface is operating correctly. However, the scenario describes incrementing runts and giants, which are typically caused by a speed or duplex mismatch. Since both ends are set to 1000 Mbps full-duplex, the mismatch is not speed or duplex. The 1000BASE-LX SFP has a maximum distance of 5 km over single-mode fiber, but the engineer may be using multimode fiber (which has a shorter distance limit of 550 m for 1000BASE-SX), causing signal degradation and errors. The correct answer is to verify the fiber type and distance.

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.

  • Replace the SFP with a 1000BASE-SX module.

    Why it's wrong here

    1000BASE-SX is for multimode fiber and shorter distances (up to 550 m). If the fiber is single-mode, this would not work and could cause errors.

  • Check the fiber distance and ensure it is within the 5 km limit for 1000BASE-LX; if over, use a single-mode fiber extender.

    Why this is correct

    The 1000BASE-LX SFP supports up to 5 km over single-mode fiber. If the distance exceeds this, signal attenuation causes errors. A fiber extender or different optics would be needed.

    Clue confirmation

    The clue word "most likely" in the question point toward this answer.

    Related concept

    Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.

  • Configure the interface with 'speed 100' and 'duplex full' to match the SFP capabilities.

    Why it's wrong here

    The 1000BASE-LX SFP only supports 1000 Mbps; forcing 100 Mbps would cause the interface to go down or have errors.

  • Replace the fiber patch cable with a CAT6a copper cable and use a 1000BASE-T SFP.

    Why it's wrong here

    Changing to copper would require different SFPs and cabling, but the issue is distance on fiber, not the media type.

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.

Check the fiber distance and ensure it is within the 5 km limit for 1000BASE-LX; if over, use a single-mode fiber extender.Correct answer

Why this is correct

The 1000BASE-LX SFP supports up to 5 km over single-mode fiber. If the distance exceeds this, signal attenuation causes errors. A fiber extender or different optics would be needed.

Replace the SFP with a 1000BASE-SX module.Wrong answer — click to see why

Why this is wrong here

The scenario does not indicate the fiber type; using SX might not solve the issue if the fiber is single-mode.

Configure the interface with 'speed 100' and 'duplex full' to match the SFP capabilities.Wrong answer — click to see why

Why this is wrong here

Gigabit SFPs cannot operate at 100 Mbps; this would break connectivity.

Replace the fiber patch cable with a CAT6a copper cable and use a 1000BASE-T SFP.Wrong answer — click to see why

Why this is wrong here

This does not address the root cause of distance-related errors on fiber.

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.

Related practice questions

Related 200-301 practice-question pages

Use these pages to review the topic behind this question. This is how one missed question becomes focused revision.

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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: Check the fiber distance and ensure it is within the 5 km limit for 1000BASE-LX; if over, use a single-mode fiber extender. — The 'show interfaces' output shows zero input errors and no runts or giants, indicating that the interface is operating correctly. However, the scenario describes incrementing runts and giants, which are typically caused by a speed or duplex mismatch. Since both ends are set to 1000 Mbps full-duplex, the mismatch is not speed or duplex. The 1000BASE-LX SFP has a maximum distance of 5 km over single-mode fiber, but the engineer may be using multimode fiber (which has a shorter distance limit of 550 m for 1000BASE-SX), causing signal degradation and errors. The correct answer is to verify the fiber type and distance.

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: "most likely". Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.

What is the key concept behind this question?

Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.

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