- A
Configure a static route to 172.16.1.0/24 with next-hop 10.0.0.6 and administrative distance 170.
A floating static route with an administrative distance of 170 is higher than EIGRP's default distance of 90, so it will only be used when the EIGRP route is removed from the routing table. This makes the serial link a backup path.
- B
Configure a static route to 172.16.1.0/24 with next-hop 10.0.0.6 and administrative distance 90.
Why wrong: This is incorrect because an administrative distance of 90 is equal to EIGRP's default distance. The router would have two routes with equal AD, leading to load balancing or unpredictable behavior, not a backup.
- C
Configure a static route to 172.16.1.0/24 with next-hop 10.0.0.6 and administrative distance 1.
Why wrong: This is incorrect because an administrative distance of 1 is lower than EIGRP's 90, making the static route preferred over EIGRP. This would cause the serial link to be the primary path, not the backup.
- D
Configure a static route to 172.16.1.0/24 with next-hop 10.0.0.6 and administrative distance 255.
Why wrong: This is incorrect because an administrative distance of 255 is considered unreachable by Cisco routers. The route will not be installed in the routing table at all, so it cannot serve as a backup.
Quick Answer
The answer is to configure a static route to 172.16.1.0/24 with next-hop 10.0.0.6 and an administrative distance of 170. This works because a floating static route uses an administrative distance higher than the dynamic routing protocol’s default, so EIGRP’s distance of 90 keeps the FastEthernet path active, while the static route with distance 170 only appears in the routing table when the EIGRP route fails. On the CCNA 200-301 v2 exam, this tests your understanding of how administrative distance determines route preference and how to create a backup path without altering the primary route’s metric. A common trap is confusing metric with administrative distance—remember that EIGRP’s composite metric selects the best path within the protocol, but AD decides between protocols. A useful memory tip: “Floating static routes sink lower than dynamic routes”—the higher AD (170) makes it float below the active EIGRP route (90) until the dynamic route disappears.
CCNA IP Routing Practice Question
This 200-301 practice question tests your understanding of ip routing. This is a configuration task: choose the command set that satisfies every stated requirement. Small differences — like 'secret' vs 'password' or 'transport input ssh' vs 'all' — change whether the answer is correct. 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.
You are connected to R1 via the console. R1 and R2 are configured with EIGRP AS 100. R1 has two paths to the 172.16.1.0/24 network: one via a FastEthernet link to R2 (bandwidth 100 Mbps, delay 100 microseconds) and another via a serial link to R2 (bandwidth 1.544 Mbps, delay 20000 microseconds). The EIGRP metric is calculated using the default K-values. The FastEthernet link is preferred, but you need to make the serial link the backup by adjusting the administrative distance.
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 a static route to 172.16.1.0/24 with next-hop 10.0.0.6 and administrative distance 170.
A floating static route is configured with an administrative distance of 170, which is higher than EIGRP's default distance of 90. This ensures that the static route is only used when the EIGRP route is not available. The static route points to the next-hop IP address of R2's serial interface.
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.
- ✓
Configure a static route to 172.16.1.0/24 with next-hop 10.0.0.6 and administrative distance 170.
Why this is correct
A floating static route with an administrative distance of 170 is higher than EIGRP's default distance of 90, so it will only be used when the EIGRP route is removed from the routing table. This makes the serial link a backup path.
Related concept
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
- ✗
Configure a static route to 172.16.1.0/24 with next-hop 10.0.0.6 and administrative distance 90.
Why it's wrong here
This is incorrect because an administrative distance of 90 is equal to EIGRP's default distance. The router would have two routes with equal AD, leading to load balancing or unpredictable behavior, not a backup.
- ✗
Configure a static route to 172.16.1.0/24 with next-hop 10.0.0.6 and administrative distance 1.
Why it's wrong here
This is incorrect because an administrative distance of 1 is lower than EIGRP's 90, making the static route preferred over EIGRP. This would cause the serial link to be the primary path, not the backup.
- ✗
Configure a static route to 172.16.1.0/24 with next-hop 10.0.0.6 and administrative distance 255.
Why it's wrong here
This is incorrect because an administrative distance of 255 is considered unreachable by Cisco routers. The route will not be installed in the routing table at all, so it cannot serve 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 a static route to 172.16.1.0/24 with next-hop 10.0.0.6 and administrative distance 170.Correct answer▾
Why this is correct
A floating static route with an administrative distance of 170 is higher than EIGRP's default distance of 90, so it will only be used when the EIGRP route is removed from the routing table. This makes the serial link a backup path.
✗Configure a static route to 172.16.1.0/24 with next-hop 10.0.0.6 and administrative distance 90.Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
The specific factual error is that an AD of 90 does not make the static route less preferred than EIGRP; it creates equal preference.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates might think that matching the AD of EIGRP is sufficient, but they overlook that the static route must be less preferred to serve as a backup.
✗Configure a static route to 172.16.1.0/24 with next-hop 10.0.0.6 and administrative distance 1.Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
The specific factual error is that a lower AD makes the route more preferred, so the static route would override EIGRP.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates might think that a low AD is always good, but they fail to understand that backup routes require a higher AD.
✗Configure a static route to 172.16.1.0/24 with next-hop 10.0.0.6 and administrative distance 255.Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
The specific factual error is that AD 255 means the route is not trusted and is effectively ignored.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates might think that a very high AD ensures it is only used as a last resort, but they miss that AD 255 is reserved for routes that are not usable.
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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IP Routing — study guide chapter
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this 200-301 question test?
IP Routing — This question tests IP Routing — Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Configure a static route to 172.16.1.0/24 with next-hop 10.0.0.6 and administrative distance 170. — A floating static route is configured with an administrative distance of 170, which is higher than EIGRP's default distance of 90. This ensures that the static route is only used when the EIGRP route is not available. The static route points to the next-hop IP address of R2's serial interface.
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.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
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 →
Same concept, more angles
2 more ways this is tested on 200-301
These questions test the same concept from different angles. Work through them to make sure you can recognise it however the exam phrases it.
Variation 1. A static default route is configured on R1 toward ISP-A, and a second default route toward ISP-B is configured with a higher administrative distance. Which two statements are correct during normal operation and after ISP-A failure?
hard- ✓ A.The route through ISP-A is preferred during normal operation
- ✓ B.The route through ISP-B acts as a floating backup
- C.Both defaults are always installed and used equally
- D.The backup route is ignored permanently because only one default route can exist
Why A: This is a classic floating static design. The lower-AD default route is primary, and the higher-AD default waits in reserve.
Variation 2. You are connected to R1 via console. R1 is connected to R2 via GigabitEthernet0/0 (10.0.0.1/30) and to R3 via GigabitEthernet0/1 (10.0.0.5/30). R1 has a management subnet 192.168.1.0/24 connected to GigabitEthernet0/2. The network administrator wants to ensure that traffic from the management subnet to the Internet (203.0.113.0/24) uses R2 as the primary path and R3 as a backup. Currently, OSPF is running with default metrics. You must configure a floating static route that will be used only if the OSPF route fails.
medium- ✓ A.ip route 203.0.113.0 255.255.255.0 10.0.0.6 150
- B.ip route 203.0.113.0 255.255.255.0 10.0.0.2 150
- C.ip route 203.0.113.0 255.255.255.0 10.0.0.6 110
- D.ip route 0.0.0.0 0.0.0.0 10.0.0.6 150
Why A: The floating static route is configured with an administrative distance of 150, which is higher than OSPF's default AD of 110. This ensures that the static route is only installed in the routing table when the OSPF route is not present (e.g., due to a failure). The next-hop is R3's IP on the directly connected link.
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Last reviewed: Jun 7, 2026
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