- A
A floating static route is configured with a lower administrative distance than the primary dynamic route.
Why wrong: A floating static route must have a higher administrative distance than the primary route to be used as a backup.
- B
A floating static route uses an administrative distance greater than that of the primary dynamic route.
The higher AD ensures the floating static route is less preferred and only used when the primary route fails.
- C
The administrative distance of a floating static route must be less than 1.
Why wrong: The AD for a floating static route must be greater than the primary route's AD; AD values range from 0 to 255, and less than 1 is impossible.
- D
A floating static route becomes active only when the primary route is removed from the routing table.
Because the floating static route has a higher AD, it will not appear in the routing table unless the primary route (with lower AD) is absent.
- E
Floating static routes automatically adjust their administrative distance based on network conditions.
Why wrong: The AD of a floating static route is manually configured and does not change dynamically.
Quick Answer
The correct answer is that a floating static route becomes active only when the primary route is removed from the routing table. This behavior is achieved by configuring the floating static route with an administrative distance (AD) higher than that of the primary dynamic route, making it less preferred and thus a backup. On the CCNA 200-301 v2 exam, this concept tests your understanding of route selection and administrative distance as a tiebreaker; a common trap is confusing the AD logic—remember that a floating static route uses a *higher* AD, not a lower one, to remain inactive until the primary fails. The exam often presents scenarios where you must identify which static route will serve as a backup, so focus on the AD comparison between the dynamic protocol (e.g., OSPF at 110) and the static route (e.g., 125). A useful memory tip: “Float higher to stay lower in the table”—the higher AD keeps the floating route out of the routing table until the primary sinks.
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.
Which TWO statements accurately describe the behavior and configuration of floating static routes?
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
A floating static route uses an administrative distance greater than that of the primary dynamic route.
A floating static route serves as a backup by being configured with an administrative distance (AD) greater than that of the primary dynamic route, making it less preferred (option B). It remains inactive until the primary route is removed from the routing table, at which point the floating static route is installed (option D). Option A is wrong because it reverses the AD logic—a floating static route uses a higher, not lower, AD. Option C is incorrect because the AD of a floating static route is typically a value between 1 and 255, not necessarily less than 1. Option E is false because the AD of a floating static route is a fixed configured value and does not change automatically based on network conditions.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
A floating static route is configured with a lower administrative distance than the primary dynamic route.
Why it's wrong here
A floating static route must have a higher administrative distance than the primary route to be used as a backup.
- ✓
A floating static route uses an administrative distance greater than that of the primary dynamic route.
Why this is correct
The higher AD ensures the floating static route is less preferred and only used when the primary route fails.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
The administrative distance of a floating static route must be less than 1.
Why it's wrong here
The AD for a floating static route must be greater than the primary route's AD; AD values range from 0 to 255, and less than 1 is impossible.
- ✓
A floating static route becomes active only when the primary route is removed from the routing table.
Why this is correct
Because the floating static route has a higher AD, it will not appear in the routing table unless the primary route (with lower AD) is absent.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Floating static routes automatically adjust their administrative distance based on network conditions.
Why it's wrong here
The AD of a floating static route is manually configured and does not change dynamically.
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.
✓A floating static route uses an administrative distance greater than that of the primary dynamic route.Correct answer▾
Why this is correct
The higher AD ensures the floating static route is less preferred and only used when the primary route fails.
✗A floating static route is configured with a lower administrative distance than the primary dynamic route.Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
A lower AD would make the static route preferred over the dynamic route, not floating.
✗The administrative distance of a floating static route must be less than 1.Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
AD values are integers; 0 is directly connected, and 1 is static. A floating static route must be >1 to be less preferred than a static default.
✗Floating static routes automatically adjust their administrative distance based on network conditions.Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
AD is a static value set at configuration time; it does not auto-adjust.
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: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Cisco often tests the misconception that a floating static route uses a lower AD to 'float' above the primary route, when in fact it uses a higher AD to remain inactive until the primary route is lost.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Administrative distance (AD) is a Cisco proprietary metric used to rank the trustworthiness of routing information sources; for example, OSPF has a default AD of 110, while a static route defaults to 1. By configuring a floating static route with an AD of, say, 120, it will only be installed in the routing table if the OSPF-learned route (AD 110) disappears. This mechanism ensures the backup route is passive until needed, without requiring complex failover protocols.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
- Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.
TExam Day Tips
- Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
- Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A practitioner preparing for the 200-301 exam encounters this exact type of scenario on the job. The correct answer here is not the most general option — it is the best answer for the specific constraint described. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Real exam questions reward reading the full scenario before eliminating options, because the constraint defines which answer fits.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
- →
IP Routing — study guide chapter
Learn the concepts, then practise the questions
- →
IP Routing practice questions
Targeted practice on this topic area only
- →
All 200-301 questions
1,819 questions across all exam domains
- →
CCNA 200-301 v2 study guide
Full concept coverage aligned to exam objectives
- →
200-301 practice test guide
How to use practice tests most effectively before exam day
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.
Network Infrastructure and Connectivity practice questions
Practise 200-301 questions linked to Network Infrastructure and Connectivity.
Switching and Network Access practice questions
Practise 200-301 questions linked to Switching and Network Access.
IP Routing practice questions
Practise 200-301 questions linked to IP Routing.
Network Services and Security practice questions
Practise 200-301 questions linked to Network Services and Security.
AI and Network Operations practice questions
Practise 200-301 questions linked to AI and Network Operations.
CCNA subnetting practice questions
Practise IPv4 subnetting, CIDR, masks, host ranges and subnet selection.
CCNA OSPF practice questions
Practise OSPF neighbours, router IDs, metrics, areas and routing-table interpretation.
CCNA VLAN practice questions
Practise VLANs, access ports, trunks, allowed VLANs and switching scenarios.
CCNA STP practice questions
Practise spanning tree, root bridge election, port roles and STP troubleshooting.
CCNA EtherChannel practice questions
Practise LACP, PAgP, port-channel behaviour and bundle requirements.
CCNA ACL practice questions
Practise standard and extended ACLs, permit/deny logic and traffic filtering.
CCNA NAT practice questions
Practise static NAT, dynamic NAT, PAT and inside/outside address translation.
Practice this exam
Start a free 200-301 practice session
Short sessions build daily habit. Longer sessions build exam-day stamina. Try a timed session to simulate real conditions.
FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this 200-301 question test?
IP Routing — This question tests IP Routing — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: A floating static route uses an administrative distance greater than that of the primary dynamic route. — A floating static route serves as a backup by being configured with an administrative distance (AD) greater than that of the primary dynamic route, making it less preferred (option B). It remains inactive until the primary route is removed from the routing table, at which point the floating static route is installed (option D). Option A is wrong because it reverses the AD logic—a floating static route uses a higher, not lower, AD. Option C is incorrect because the AD of a floating static route is typically a value between 1 and 255, not necessarily less than 1. Option E is false because the AD of a floating static route is a fixed configured value and does not change automatically based on network conditions.
What should I do if I get this 200-301 question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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
1 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. Which two statements accurately describe floating static routes?
medium- ✓ A.They are static routes configured with higher administrative distance so they act as backups.
- ✓ B.They can become active automatically if the preferred route is lost.
- C.They always override dynamic routes immediately.
- D.They are identical to equal-cost load balancing.
- E.They remove the need for routing tables.
Why A: The two correct statements describe floating static routes as backup routes with higher administrative distance that activate when the preferred route is lost. Option C is wrong because floating static routes have a higher administrative distance, so they do not override dynamic routes immediately; they only activate if the dynamic route is lost. Option D is wrong because floating static routes are for backup, not equal-cost load balancing. Option E is wrong because floating static routes are entries in the routing table that provide backup, not a replacement for it.
Keep practising
More 200-301 practice questions
- A switchport connected to another switch should carry multiple VLANs, but it was manually configured as an access port.…
- What problem is HSRP designed to solve?
- Which TWO statements correctly describe the causes or implications of CRC errors, runts, giants, or output errors as see…
- You are connected to R1. Configure IPv4 and IPv6 addressing on R1's interfaces and verify reachability to R2. The curren…
- Which TWO statements accurately describe how AI/ML concepts are applied to network operations in modern enterprise netwo…
- Which TWO switch port configurations are required when connecting a Cisco IP phone and a desktop PC to a single access p…
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.