CCNA IP Routing Practice Question
Network Topology
You are connected to R1. The network consists of three routers: R1, R2, and R3. R1 must reach the loopback network 203.0.113.0/24 on R3 via two paths: a primary static route through R2's G0/0 (192.0.2.2) and a floating static route through R2's G0/1 (198.51.100.2) with an administrative distance of 150. Additionally, R1 already has a default route pointing to 192.0.2.2. Configure the two static routes to 203.0.113.0/24 on R1 as described. The default route does not need to be changed. Verify that the primary route is active and the floating route is used only if the primary fails.
⚠ Common exam trap
A common trap is confusing which route gets the higher administrative distance. Remember: the floating (backup) route gets the higher AD, so it is only used when the primary route fails. Also, do not modify the default route unless specified. Always verify that the next-hop addresses are directly connected to avoid recursive routing issues.
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
✓
Configure ip route 203.0.113.0 255.255.255.0 192.0.2.2 and ip route 203.0.113.0 255.255.255.0 198.51.100.2 150. The default route is already configured. No further changes needed.
Option A because it correctly configures the primary static route to 203.0.113.0/24 via 192.0.2.2 (default AD 1) and the floating static route via 198.51.100.2 with AD 150, ensuring the primary route is preferred. The default route to 192.0.2.2 is already configured and does not need modification. Options B, C, and D are incorrect: B wrongly adds a higher AD to the default route, C inverts the ADs on the two routes, and D omits the required AD on the floating route, causing both routes to have equal AD and potential load balancing or conflict.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Configure ip route 203.0.113.0 255.255.255.0 192.0.2.2 and ip route 203.0.113.0 255.255.255.0 198.51.100.2 150. The default route is already configured. No further changes needed.
Why this is correct
This configuration creates a primary static route with default AD 1 via 192.0.2.2 and a floating static route with AD 150 via 198.51.100.2. The floating route will only appear in the routing table if the primary route's next-hop becomes unreachable. The default route is already correctly configured, so no additional changes are required.
- ✗
Configure ip route 203.0.113.0 255.255.255.0 192.0.2.2 and ip route 203.0.113.0 255.255.255.0 198.51.100.2 150. Also, remove the existing default route and re-add it with a higher administrative distance.
Why it's wrong here
This is incorrect because the default route is already correctly configured and does not need to be removed or changed. The default route should point to 192.0.2.2 with default AD 1, which is already in place.
- ✗
Configure ip route 203.0.113.0 255.255.255.0 192.0.2.2 150 and ip route 203.0.113.0 255.255.255.0 198.51.100.2. The default route is already configured.
Why it's wrong here
This is incorrect because it assigns AD 150 to the primary route (via 192.0.2.2) and default AD 1 to the floating route (via 198.51.100.2). This would make the floating route preferred, which is the opposite of the requirement.
- ✗
Configure ip route 203.0.113.0 255.255.255.0 192.0.2.2 and ip route 203.0.113.0 255.255.255.0 198.51.100.2. The default route is already configured. No administrative distance is needed because the router will automatically prefer the route with the lower metric.
Why it's wrong here
This is incorrect because without specifying an AD for the floating route, both static routes will have the same default AD of 1. This causes them to be equal-cost paths, and traffic will be load-balanced or one will be chosen arbitrarily, not as a backup.
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.
✓Configure ip route 203.0.113.0 255.255.255.0 192.0.2.2 and ip route 203.0.113.0 255.255.255.0 198.51.100.2 150. The default route is already configured. No further changes needed.Correct answer▾
Why this is correct
This configuration creates a primary static route with default AD 1 via 192.0.2.2 and a floating static route with AD 150 via 198.51.100.2. The floating route will only appear in the routing table if the primary route's next-hop becomes unreachable. The default route is already correctly configured, so no additional changes are required.
✗Configure ip route 203.0.113.0 255.255.255.0 192.0.2.2 and ip route 203.0.113.0 255.255.255.0 198.51.100.2 150. Also, remove the existing default route and re-add it with a higher administrative distance.Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
The specific factual error is that the default route configuration is correct as given; there is no need to modify it. Changing the AD of the default route could cause routing issues.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates might think that the default route needs adjustment to avoid conflict with the floating static route, but the floating route has a higher AD and does not interfere.
✗Configure ip route 203.0.113.0 255.255.255.0 192.0.2.2 150 and ip route 203.0.113.0 255.255.255.0 198.51.100.2. The default route is already configured.Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
The specific factual error is swapping the administrative distances: the primary route should have a lower AD than the floating route. Here, the primary route has AD 150 and the floating route has AD 1, causing the backup to be preferred.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates might confuse which route should have the higher AD, thinking the floating route should have the default AD and the primary a higher one, but that is incorrect.
✗Configure ip route 203.0.113.0 255.255.255.0 192.0.2.2 and ip route 203.0.113.0 255.255.255.0 198.51.100.2. The default route is already configured. No administrative distance is needed because the router will automatically prefer the route with the lower metric.Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
The specific factual error is that static routes without an AD default to 1, so both routes would have equal AD. The floating route must have a higher AD (e.g., 150) to act as a backup.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates might think that the router automatically distinguishes between primary and backup routes, but without different AD values, both routes are considered equal.
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?”
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Interpreting HSRP and VRRP Operational Status
Key term
Floating static route
A floating static route is a backup route in a routing table that is only used when the primary route fails, because it has a higher administrative distance (lower priority).
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.
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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.