The correct configuration requires setting the HSRP virtual IP to 192.168.10.1 on R1’s GigabitEthernet0/0, enabling preempt on both routers, and adding interface tracking with a decrement of 60 on R1. This resolves the dual-active instability because the incorrect VIP (192.168.10.254) caused R1 to operate in a separate HSRP group, while preempt ensures R1 reclaims active status after the VIP correction, and tracking lowers R1’s priority below 100 if its G0/0 fails, allowing R2 to take over seamlessly. On the CCNA 200-301 v2 exam, this scenario tests your ability to troubleshoot HSRP misconfigurations and apply preempt with interface tracking—a common trap is forgetting that preempt must be enabled on the standby router to allow it to assume the active role when the primary’s tracked interface goes down. Remember the mnemonic “VIP, Preempt, Track” to sequence your checks: first verify the virtual IP matches, then enable preempt on both sides, and finally apply tracking with a decrement that drops priority below the default of 100.
CCNA IP Routing Practice Question
This 200-301 practice question tests your understanding of ip routing. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. 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.
Exhibit
R1#show running-config | section interface GigabitEthernet0/0
interface GigabitEthernet0/0
ip address 192.168.10.2 255.255.255.0
standby 10 ip 192.168.10.254
standby 10 priority 150
standby 10 preempt
!
R1#show standby brief
P indicates configured to preempt.
|
Interface Grp Pri P State Active Standby Virtual IP
Gi0/0 10 150 P Active local 192.168.10.3 192.168.10.254
R1#show standby
GigabitEthernet0/0 - Group 10
State is Active
2 state changes, last state change 00:00:45
Virtual IP address is 192.168.10.254
Active virtual MAC address is 0000.0c07.ac0a
Local virtual MAC address is 0000.0c07.ac0a (v1 default)
Hello time 3 sec, hold time 10 sec
Next hello sent in 0.816 secs
Preemption enabled
Active router is local
Standby router is 192.168.10.3
Priority 150 (configured 150)
Group name is "hsrp-Gi0/0-10" (default)
R2#show standby brief
Interface Grp Pri P State Active Standby Virtual IP
Gi0/0 10 100 Active local 192.168.10.2 192.168.10.254
You are connected to R1 via the console. R1 and R2 are running HSRP for the VLAN 10 subnet 192.168.10.0/24. Currently both routers are active for group 10, causing instability. Configure R1 so that it becomes the active router when its G0/0 interface is up, and R2 takes over only if R1's G0/0 fails. Also correct the virtual IP address to 192.168.10.1. Verify with show standby brief.
R1#show running-config | section interface GigabitEthernet0/0
interface GigabitEthernet0/0
ip address 192.168.10.2 255.255.255.0
standby 10 ip 192.168.10.254
standby 10 priority 150
standby 10 preempt
!
R1#show standby brief
P indicates configured to preempt.
|
Interface Grp Pri P State Active Standby Virtual IP
Gi0/0 10 150 P Active local 192.168.10.3 192.168.10.254
R1#show standby
GigabitEthernet0/0 - Group 10
State is Active
2 state changes, last state change 00:00:45
Virtual IP address is 192.168.10.254
Active virtual MAC address is 0000.0c07.ac0a
Local virtual MAC address is 0000.0c07.ac0a (v1 default)
Hello time 3 sec, hold time 10 sec
Next hello sent in 0.816 secs
Preemption enabled
Active router is local
Standby router is 192.168.10.3
Priority 150 (configured 150)
Group name is "hsrp-Gi0/0-10" (default)
R2#show standby brief
Interface Grp Pri P State Active Standby Virtual IP
Gi0/0 10 100 Active local 192.168.10.2 192.168.10.254
A
On R1: interface GigabitEthernet0/0, standby 10 ip 192.168.10.1, standby 10 preempt, standby 10 track GigabitEthernet0/0 decrement 60. On R2: standby 10 preempt.
This configuration corrects the virtual IP to 192.168.10.1, enables preempt on R1 (already done) and R2 so that R1 can reclaim active role after a failure, and tracks R1's G0/0 interface with a decrement of 60 to drop its priority below R2's default 100 when the interface fails, allowing R2 to become active.
B
On R1: interface GigabitEthernet0/0, standby 10 ip 192.168.10.1, standby 10 preempt, standby 10 track GigabitEthernet0/0 decrement 10. On R2: no additional configuration.
Why wrong: This is incorrect because decrementing by 10 is insufficient to drop R1's priority below R2's default of 100 if R1's priority is 100 (default). R1 would still have priority 90, which is still lower than R2's 100, but R2 lacks preempt, so R2 would not take over. Also, R2 needs preempt to allow R1 to reclaim active role.
C
On R1: interface GigabitEthernet0/0, standby 10 ip 192.168.10.1, standby 10 preempt, standby 10 track GigabitEthernet0/0 decrement 60. On R2: no additional configuration.
Why wrong: This is incorrect because while R1's tracking and preempt are correct, R2 does not have preempt enabled. Without preempt on R2, if R1 fails and later recovers, R1 will not be able to reclaim the active role because R2 will remain active even if R1 has higher priority.
D
On R1: interface GigabitEthernet0/0, standby 10 ip 192.168.10.254, standby 10 preempt, standby 10 track GigabitEthernet0/0 decrement 60. On R2: standby 10 preempt.
Why wrong: This is incorrect because the virtual IP address remains 192.168.10.254 instead of being corrected to 192.168.10.1 as required. The virtual IP must match the subnet's default gateway address.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
On R1: interface GigabitEthernet0/0, standby 10 ip 192.168.10.1, standby 10 preempt, standby 10 track GigabitEthernet0/0 decrement 60. On R2: standby 10 preempt.
The dual-active state was caused by R1 having an incorrect virtual IP address (192.168.10.254 instead of 192.168.10.1), making it active for a different HSRP group. Correcting the VIP to 192.168.10.1 on R1 aligns both routers to the same group. Enabling preempt on R2 (and it should already be enabled on R1) allows R1 to reclaim the active role after the VIP correction. Additionally, interface tracking with a decrement of 60 ensures that if R1's G0/0 fails, R1's priority drops below 100, allowing R2 to take over.
Key principle: A trunk being up does not mean the VLAN is allowed across it. Always verify the allowed VLAN list and whether the VLAN exists on both switches.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
✓
On R1: interface GigabitEthernet0/0, standby 10 ip 192.168.10.1, standby 10 preempt, standby 10 track GigabitEthernet0/0 decrement 60. On R2: standby 10 preempt.
Why this is correct
This configuration corrects the virtual IP to 192.168.10.1, enables preempt on R1 (already done) and R2 so that R1 can reclaim active role after a failure, and tracks R1's G0/0 interface with a decrement of 60 to drop its priority below R2's default 100 when the interface fails, allowing R2 to become active.
Related concept
Access ports place end devices into a single VLAN.
✗
On R1: interface GigabitEthernet0/0, standby 10 ip 192.168.10.1, standby 10 preempt, standby 10 track GigabitEthernet0/0 decrement 10. On R2: no additional configuration.
Why it's wrong here
This is incorrect because decrementing by 10 is insufficient to drop R1's priority below R2's default of 100 if R1's priority is 100 (default). R1 would still have priority 90, which is still lower than R2's 100, but R2 lacks preempt, so R2 would not take over. Also, R2 needs preempt to allow R1 to reclaim active role.
✗
On R1: interface GigabitEthernet0/0, standby 10 ip 192.168.10.1, standby 10 preempt, standby 10 track GigabitEthernet0/0 decrement 60. On R2: no additional configuration.
Why it's wrong here
This is incorrect because while R1's tracking and preempt are correct, R2 does not have preempt enabled. Without preempt on R2, if R1 fails and later recovers, R1 will not be able to reclaim the active role because R2 will remain active even if R1 has higher priority.
✗
On R1: interface GigabitEthernet0/0, standby 10 ip 192.168.10.254, standby 10 preempt, standby 10 track GigabitEthernet0/0 decrement 60. On R2: standby 10 preempt.
Why it's wrong here
This is incorrect because the virtual IP address remains 192.168.10.254 instead of being corrected to 192.168.10.1 as required. The virtual IP must match the subnet's default gateway address.
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.
This configuration corrects the virtual IP to 192.168.10.1, enables preempt on R1 (already done) and R2 so that R1 can reclaim active role after a failure, and tracks R1's G0/0 interface with a decrement of 60 to drop its priority below R2's default 100 when the interface fails, allowing R2 to become active.
✗On R1: interface GigabitEthernet0/0, standby 10 ip 192.168.10.1, standby 10 preempt, standby 10 track GigabitEthernet0/0 decrement 10. On R2: no additional configuration.Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
The decrement value of 10 does not cause R1's priority to drop below R2's default priority of 100 (assuming R1 starts at 100, it becomes 90, still above R2's 100? Actually 90 < 100, but without preempt on R2, R2 won't become active. The main error is missing preempt on R2 and insufficient decrement to ensure R2 takes over.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may think a small decrement is enough and forget that preempt is needed on both routers for proper failover and reclamation.
✗On R1: interface GigabitEthernet0/0, standby 10 ip 192.168.10.1, standby 10 preempt, standby 10 track GigabitEthernet0/0 decrement 60. On R2: no additional configuration.Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
Missing preempt on R2 prevents R1 from becoming active again after a failure, which violates the requirement that R1 should be active when its interface is up.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates might think preempt is only needed on the desired active router, but both routers need preempt for proper preemption behavior.
✗On R1: interface GigabitEthernet0/0, standby 10 ip 192.168.10.254, standby 10 preempt, standby 10 track GigabitEthernet0/0 decrement 60. On R2: standby 10 preempt.Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
The virtual IP is not corrected to 192.168.10.1; it stays at 192.168.10.254, which is not the correct gateway address for the subnet.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may overlook the virtual IP correction and focus only on preempt and tracking, assuming the IP is already correct.
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: an active trunk can still block the VLAN you need
A trunk being up does not prove every VLAN is crossing it. Check allowed VLAN lists, native VLAN mismatch, VLAN existence and access-port assignment.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
VLAN questions usually combine access-port and trunking clues. The key is to identify whether the issue is local to one switchport, caused by the trunk, or caused by the VLAN not existing where it needs to exist.
KKey Concepts to Remember
Access ports place end devices into a single VLAN.
Trunk ports carry multiple VLANs between switches.
Allowed VLAN lists decide which VLANs can cross a trunk.
Native VLAN mismatch can create confusing symptoms.
TExam Day Tips
→Use show vlan brief to verify access VLANs.
→Use show interfaces trunk to verify trunk state and allowed VLANs.
→Do not treat every same-VLAN issue as a routing problem.
Key takeaway
A trunk being up does not mean the VLAN is allowed across it. Always verify the allowed VLAN list and whether the VLAN exists on both switches.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A help-desk technician troubleshoots why a newly connected PC cannot reach shared printers on the same floor. The cable is good, the switch port is active, but the PC is in VLAN 20 and the printers are in VLAN 10. The uplink trunk only allows VLAN 10. A trunk being up does not mean every VLAN crosses it.
Related glossary terms
Concepts from this question explained
These glossary pages explain the core terms tested in this 200-301 question in full detail.
Review VLAN allowed lists, native VLAN mismatch detection, and how to verify VLAN membership with show vlan brief and show interfaces trunk. Then practise related 200-301 questions on switching, trunking, and access-port configuration.
IP Routing — This question tests IP Routing — Access ports place end devices into a single VLAN..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: On R1: interface GigabitEthernet0/0, standby 10 ip 192.168.10.1, standby 10 preempt, standby 10 track GigabitEthernet0/0 decrement 60. On R2: standby 10 preempt. — The dual-active state was caused by R1 having an incorrect virtual IP address (192.168.10.254 instead of 192.168.10.1), making it active for a different HSRP group. Correcting the VIP to 192.168.10.1 on R1 aligns both routers to the same group. Enabling preempt on R2 (and it should already be enabled on R1) allows R1 to reclaim the active role after the VIP correction. Additionally, interface tracking with a decrement of 60 ensures that if R1's G0/0 fails, R1's priority drops below 100, allowing R2 to take over.
What should I do if I get this 200-301 question wrong?
Review VLAN allowed lists, native VLAN mismatch detection, and how to verify VLAN membership with show vlan brief and show interfaces trunk. Then practise related 200-301 questions on switching, trunking, and access-port configuration.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Access ports place end devices into a single VLAN.
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