- A
The router with the highest priority becomes the active router.
HSRP uses priority (0–255, default 100) to determine the active router; the highest priority wins.
- B
If priorities are equal, the router with the highest MAC address becomes active.
Why wrong: HSRP tie-breaking uses the highest IP address on the HSRP interface, not the MAC address.
- C
Preemption is enabled by default on all HSRP routers.
Why wrong: Preemption is disabled by default in HSRP; it must be explicitly configured with the 'standby preempt' command.
- D
The 'show standby' command can be used to verify the active and standby routers, priority, and preemption status.
The 'show standby' command displays detailed HSRP status, including active/standby roles, priority, and whether preemption is enabled.
- E
The router with the lowest priority becomes the standby router.
Why wrong: The standby router is the router with the second-highest priority, not the lowest. The lowest priority router would likely never become active or standby unless others fail.
Quick Answer
The answer is that the router with the highest priority becomes the active HSRP router. This is because HSRP uses a priority value (default 100, range 0-255) as the primary determinant in the active/standby election process; if priorities are equal, the tie is broken by the highest IP address on the subnet, not the MAC address. On the CCNA 200-301 v2 exam, this concept tests your understanding of how redundancy protocols elect forwarding routers, and a common trap is assuming preemption is enabled by default—it is not, and you must configure the standby preempt command for a higher-priority router to reclaim the active role. The show standby command is the go-to verification tool, displaying current roles, priority values, and preemption status. For a quick memory tip, remember: “Highest priority wins the active seat; without preempt, the king keeps the crown.”
CCNA IP Routing Practice Question
This 200-301 practice question tests your understanding of ip routing. 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.
Which TWO statements about HSRP active/standby election, priority, and preempt are true?
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
The router with the highest priority becomes the active router.
In HSRP, the router with the highest priority (default 100, range 0-255) becomes the active router (A). If priorities are equal, the router with the highest IP address on the subnet wins, not the highest MAC address (B). Preemption is disabled by default; 'standby preempt' must be configured for a higher-priority router to take over (C). The 'show standby' command displays active/standby router roles, priority values, and preemption status, verifying D. The standby router is the one with the second-highest priority, not the lowest (E).
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.
- ✓
The router with the highest priority becomes the active router.
Why this is correct
HSRP uses priority (0–255, default 100) to determine the active router; the highest priority wins.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
If priorities are equal, the router with the highest MAC address becomes active.
Why it's wrong here
HSRP tie-breaking uses the highest IP address on the HSRP interface, not the MAC address.
- ✗
Preemption is enabled by default on all HSRP routers.
Why it's wrong here
Preemption is disabled by default in HSRP; it must be explicitly configured with the 'standby preempt' command.
- ✓
The 'show standby' command can be used to verify the active and standby routers, priority, and preemption status.
Why this is correct
The 'show standby' command displays detailed HSRP status, including active/standby roles, priority, and whether preemption is enabled.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
The router with the lowest priority becomes the standby router.
Why it's wrong here
The standby router is the router with the second-highest priority, not the lowest. The lowest priority router would likely never become active or standby unless others fail.
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.
✓The router with the highest priority becomes the active router.Correct answer▾
Why this is correct
HSRP uses priority (0–255, default 100) to determine the active router; the highest priority wins.
✗If priorities are equal, the router with the highest MAC address becomes active.Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
HSRP tie-breaking uses the highest IP address on the HSRP interface, not the MAC address. The MAC address is used for virtual MAC assignment but does not influence election.
Why candidates choose this
Students may confuse HSRP with other protocols like VRRP or GLBP, or mistakenly think that MAC address is used for election since it is a unique identifier.
✗Preemption is enabled by default on all HSRP routers.Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
Preemption is disabled by default in HSRP; it must be explicitly configured with the 'standby preempt' command. Without preemption, a higher priority router will not take over active role from a lower priority router that is already active.
Why candidates choose this
Many students assume preemption is enabled by default because it is a common feature in other redundancy protocols or because they think the highest priority router should always be active.
✗The router with the lowest priority becomes the standby router.Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
The standby router is the router with the second-highest priority, not the lowest. The lowest priority router would only become standby if all other routers fail, as it is the least preferred.
Why candidates choose this
Students may incorrectly think that the standby router is the one with the lowest priority because they associate 'standby' with a backup role that is less important, but HSRP elects the standby as the next best candidate.
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 HSRP uses MAC address as a tiebreaker (it uses IP address) and that preemption is enabled by default (it is not).
Trap categories for this question
Command / output trap
Preemption is disabled by default in HSRP; it must be explicitly configured with the 'standby preempt' command.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
HSRP uses a virtual MAC address (0000.0c07.acXX where XX is the group number) and a virtual IP address. The active router responds to ARP requests for the virtual IP and forwards traffic. Preemption allows a higher-priority router to take over as active after a failure, but it is disabled by default to prevent flapping; in production, preemption is often enabled with a delay to stabilize the network.
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 network engineer segments a warehouse floor into three subnets: 20 scanners, 5 printers, and 2 management hosts. Picking the wrong mask wastes addresses or leaves too few usable hosts. Exam questions test whether you can apply CIDR notation, calculate block size, and identify the correct usable-host range for a given prefix.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
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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: The router with the highest priority becomes the active router. — In HSRP, the router with the highest priority (default 100, range 0-255) becomes the active router (A). If priorities are equal, the router with the highest IP address on the subnet wins, not the highest MAC address (B). Preemption is disabled by default; 'standby preempt' must be configured for a higher-priority router to take over (C). The 'show standby' command displays active/standby router roles, priority values, and preemption status, verifying D. The standby router is the one with the second-highest priority, not the lowest (E).
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
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Last reviewed: Jun 11, 2026
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