CCNA IP Routing Practice Question
Exhibit
R1# show ip route
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
192.0.2.0/30 is subnetted, 1 subnets
C 192.0.2.0/30 is directly connected, GigabitEthernet1/0/1
L 192.0.2.1/32 is directly connected, GigabitEthernet1/0/1
198.51.100.0/30 is subnetted, 1 subnets
C 198.51.100.0/30 is directly connected, GigabitEthernet1/0/2
L 198.51.100.1/32 is directly connected, GigabitEthernet1/0/2
S 203.0.113.0/24 [1/0] via 192.0.2.2
S 203.0.113.0/24 [200/0] via 198.51.100.2
R1# show running-config | section ip route
ip route 203.0.113.0 255.255.255.0 192.0.2.2
ip route 203.0.113.0 255.255.255.0 198.51.100.2
R1# show ip interface brief
Interface IP-Address OK? Method Status Protocol
GigabitEthernet1/0/1 192.0.2.1 YES manual up up
GigabitEthernet1/0/2 198.51.100.1 YES manual up up
(Simulate that after failure, show ip interface brief shows Gi1/0/1 down/down, but show ip route still shows the static route via 192.0.2.2 as the best route.)
R1# show ip route
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
198.51.100.0/30 is subnetted, 1 subnets
C 198.51.100.0/30 is directly connected, GigabitEthernet1/0/2
L 198.51.100.1/32 is directly connected, GigabitEthernet1/0/2
S 203.0.113.0/24 [1/0] via 192.0.2.2
S 203.0.113.0/24 [200/0] via 198.51.100.2
(Note: The connected route for 192.0.2.0/30 is missing, but the static route via 192.0.2.2 remains with AD 1, blocking the floating static from being installed.)You are troubleshooting connectivity from R1 to the 203.0.113.0/24 network. R1 is a multilayer switch running routed ports. Currently, R1 has two paths to reach that network: one via R2 (192.0.2.2) and one via R3 (198.51.100.2). The path via R2 is preferred, but after a link failure between R1 and R2, traffic should automatically fail over to the R3 path. However, after the failure, traffic is still being sent to R2. Examine the routing table and configuration, then fix the issue so that the floating static route takes over correctly when the primary route is lost.
⚠ Common exam trap
Be careful: static routes with only a next-hop IP address may remain in the routing table if the next-hop is still reachable via a recursive route. Always consider using an exit interface or a track object to ensure proper failover. Also, the 'permanent' keyword prevents route removal even if the next-hop is unreachable.
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
✓
Replace the primary static route with one that uses an exit interface: ip route 203.0.113.0 255.255.255.0 GigabitEthernet1/0/1 192.0.2.2
The issue is that the primary static route to 203.0.113.0/24 via 192.0.2.2 has an administrative distance of 1 (default), and the backup floating static route via 198.51.100.2 has an AD of 200. When the next-hop interface (Gi1/0/1) goes down, the route via 192.0.2.2 should be removed from the routing table because its next-hop is unreachable. However, the show output indicates that the route remains, which suggests that the static route is configured with the 'permanent' keyword or that the next-hop is still considered reachable via some other mechanism (e.g., a recursive lookup to a still-active route). In this case, the most common fix is to add the 'track' option or to remove the static route and re-add it without the 'permanent' keyword, or to ensure that the static route uses an interface instead of just an IP address. The correct solution is to replace the primary static route with one that uses an exit interface, so that the route is automatically removed when the interface goes down. For example: 'ip route 203.0.113.0 255.255.255.0 GigabitEthernet1/0/1 192.0.2.2'. This causes the route to be directly dependent on the interface state.
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 primary static route with one that uses an exit interface: ip route 203.0.113.0 255.255.255.0 GigabitEthernet1/0/1 192.0.2.2
Why this is correct
This is correct because when a static route specifies an exit interface, the route is directly dependent on the interface state. If the interface goes down, the route is automatically removed from the routing table, allowing the floating static route with a higher AD to take over.
- ✗
Increase the administrative distance of the floating static route to 255
Why it's wrong here
Raising the administrative distance of the floating static route to 255 is incorrect because an AD of 255 is interpreted by Cisco IOS as a route that is unreachable and therefore it will never be installed in the IP routing table, regardless of whether the primary route is available or fails. Since the floating static route is meant to serve as a backup, this configuration would make it perpetually inactive, defeating the entire purpose of having a redundant path. Additionally, even if the primary route were removed, the router would not consider a route with AD 255 as a valid candidate, so it would not failover to the backup.
- ✗
Add the permanent keyword to the floating static route
Why it's wrong here
This is incorrect because the permanent keyword keeps a static route in the routing table even if the next-hop becomes unreachable. This would prevent the floating static route from taking over, as the primary route would remain.
- ✗
Change the administrative distance of the primary static route to 200 and the floating static route to 1
Why it's wrong here
This is incorrect because swapping the AD values would make the floating static route the primary route (lower AD) and the original primary route the backup. This does not fix the issue of the primary route not being removed when the interface fails.
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.
✓Replace the primary static route with one that uses an exit interface: ip route 203.0.113.0 255.255.255.0 GigabitEthernet1/0/1 192.0.2.2Correct answer▾
Why this is correct
This is correct because when a static route specifies an exit interface, the route is directly dependent on the interface state. If the interface goes down, the route is automatically removed from the routing table, allowing the floating static route with a higher AD to take over.
✗Increase the administrative distance of the floating static route to 255Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
The specific factual error: An administrative distance of 255 is reserved for routes that are not considered valid; they are not installed in the routing table.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates might think that increasing the AD further ensures the backup route is only used when the primary is gone, but 255 makes it unusable.
✗Add the permanent keyword to the floating static routeWrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
The specific factual error: The permanent keyword forces the route to stay in the routing table regardless of reachability, which is the opposite of what is needed.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may confuse 'permanent' with 'persistent' or think it ensures the route is always available, but it actually prevents failover.
✗Change the administrative distance of the primary static route to 200 and the floating static route to 1Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
The specific factual error: The AD values determine route preference; swapping them changes which route is preferred but does not address the removal of the route when the next-hop is unreachable.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates might think that adjusting AD is the only way to control route selection, but they overlook the need for the route to be removed when the interface goes down.
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
OSPFv3 Single-Area Configuration for IPv6
Key term
Interface
An interface is a point of connection or interaction between two systems, devices, or software components that allows them to exchange information or signals.
Key term
Route
A route is a path that data takes through a network from one device or network to another, determined by routing protocols and configured rules.
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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.