The answer is to configure R1 with the HSRP priority of 110, enable preempt, set the virtual IP to 192.168.1.1, and apply interface tracking on GigabitEthernet0/1 with a decrement of 15. This is correct because HSRP uses an election process where the router with the highest priority becomes the Active router, and without preempt, a higher-priority router cannot take over an existing Active role; by raising R1’s priority above the default of 100 and enabling preempt, you force R1 to become Active immediately, while the interface tracking ensures that if G0/1 fails, R1’s priority drops to 95, allowing R2 to reclaim the Active role. On the CCNA 200-301 v2 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of HSRP election mechanics, the critical role of preempt in dynamic failback, and how interface tracking adjusts priority to trigger a failover—a common trap is forgetting that without preempt, a priority change alone won’t cause a transition. A reliable memory tip is “Priority wins the election, preempt enforces the change, and tracking adjusts the score.”
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.
Network Topology
You are connected to R1, which is part of an HSRP group with R2. The current configuration has both routers active for the same virtual IP, causing instability. Configure R1 with a higher priority, enable preempt, and set the virtual IP to 192.168.1.1. Also, configure interface tracking so that if R1's G0/1 goes down, its priority decreases by 15. Verify with 'show standby brief'.
R1#show running-config | section interface GigabitEthernet0/0
interface GigabitEthernet0/0
ip address 192.168.1.2 255.255.255.0
standby version 2
standby 1 ip 192.168.1.254
standby 1 priority 100
standby 1 preempt
!
interface GigabitEthernet0/1
ip address 10.0.0.1 255.255.255.252
!
R1#show standby brief
P indicates configured to preempt.
|
Interface Grp Pri P State Active Standby Virtual IP
Gi0/0 1 100 Active local 192.168.1.3 192.168.1.254
R2#show standby brief
P indicates configured to preempt.
|
Interface Grp Pri P State Active Standby Virtual IP
Gi0/0 1 100 Active 192.168.1.2 local 192.168.1.254
A
On R1, configure: standby 1 priority 110, standby 1 preempt, standby 1 ip 192.168.1.1, and standby 1 track GigabitEthernet0/1 15
This configuration sets R1's priority to 110 (higher than default 100), enables preempt so R1 will take over as Active, sets the correct virtual IP, and tracks G0/1 with a decrement of 15. This ensures R1 is the Active router and will yield if its tracked interface fails.
B
On R1, configure: standby 1 priority 110, standby 1 preempt, standby 1 ip 192.168.1.254, and standby 1 track GigabitEthernet0/1 15
Why wrong: This is incorrect because the virtual IP address is set to 192.168.1.254, which does not match the required 192.168.1.1. The virtual IP must be consistent across all routers in the HSRP group.
C
On R1, configure: standby 1 priority 110, standby 1 preempt, standby 1 ip 192.168.1.1, and standby 1 track GigabitEthernet0/1 10
Why wrong: This is incorrect because the decrement value for interface tracking is 10, but the requirement specifies a decrement of 15. Using a different decrement value would not meet the exact configuration needed.
D
On R1, configure: standby 1 priority 100, standby 1 preempt, standby 1 ip 192.168.1.1, and standby 1 track GigabitEthernet0/1 15
Why wrong: This is incorrect because the priority is set to 100, which is the default. To ensure R1 becomes the Active router, its priority must be higher than the default (100) of R2. Without a higher priority, both routers may still have equal priority and cause instability.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
On R1, configure: standby 1 priority 110, standby 1 preempt, standby 1 ip 192.168.1.1, and standby 1 track GigabitEthernet0/1 15
The current configuration does not cause both routers to be Active; rather, R2 is likely the Active router because both have default priority (100) and no preempt, so R2 with the higher interface IP (192.168.1.3) wins the election. To ensure R1 becomes Active, set its priority to 110 and enable preempt. Also correct the virtual IP to 192.168.1.1. Interface tracking on G0/1 with a decrement of 15 ensures R1 yields to R2 if its tracked interface fails. Option A correctly applies all these settings. Option B uses the wrong virtual IP (192.168.1.254). Option C uses the wrong decrement value (10). Option D uses default priority (100), which will not make R1 the Active router if R2 retains default priority and higher IP.
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.
✓
On R1, configure: standby 1 priority 110, standby 1 preempt, standby 1 ip 192.168.1.1, and standby 1 track GigabitEthernet0/1 15
Why this is correct
This configuration sets R1's priority to 110 (higher than default 100), enables preempt so R1 will take over as Active, sets the correct virtual IP, and tracks G0/1 with a decrement of 15. This ensures R1 is the Active router and will yield if its tracked interface fails.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
On R1, configure: standby 1 priority 110, standby 1 preempt, standby 1 ip 192.168.1.254, and standby 1 track GigabitEthernet0/1 15
Why it's wrong here
This is incorrect because the virtual IP address is set to 192.168.1.254, which does not match the required 192.168.1.1. The virtual IP must be consistent across all routers in the HSRP group.
✗
On R1, configure: standby 1 priority 110, standby 1 preempt, standby 1 ip 192.168.1.1, and standby 1 track GigabitEthernet0/1 10
Why it's wrong here
This is incorrect because the decrement value for interface tracking is 10, but the requirement specifies a decrement of 15. Using a different decrement value would not meet the exact configuration needed.
✗
On R1, configure: standby 1 priority 100, standby 1 preempt, standby 1 ip 192.168.1.1, and standby 1 track GigabitEthernet0/1 15
Why it's wrong here
This is incorrect because the priority is set to 100, which is the default. To ensure R1 becomes the Active router, its priority must be higher than the default (100) of R2. Without a higher priority, both routers may still have equal priority and cause instability.
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 sets R1's priority to 110 (higher than default 100), enables preempt so R1 will take over as Active, sets the correct virtual IP, and tracks G0/1 with a decrement of 15. This ensures R1 is the Active router and will yield if its tracked interface fails.
✗On R1, configure: standby 1 priority 110, standby 1 preempt, standby 1 ip 192.168.1.254, and standby 1 track GigabitEthernet0/1 15Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
The virtual IP address is wrong; it should be 192.168.1.1, not 192.168.1.254.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates might confuse the virtual IP with the standby IP or default gateway often used in labs.
✗On R1, configure: standby 1 priority 110, standby 1 preempt, standby 1 ip 192.168.1.1, and standby 1 track GigabitEthernet0/1 10Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
The decrement value is 10 instead of the required 15.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates might mistakenly use a common decrement value like 10 without reading the exact requirement.
✗On R1, configure: standby 1 priority 100, standby 1 preempt, standby 1 ip 192.168.1.1, and standby 1 track GigabitEthernet0/1 15Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
The priority is not increased; it remains at the default 100, so R1 may not become the Active router.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates might think enabling preempt alone is enough to make R1 Active, but without a higher priority, preempt has no effect.
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
Many certification questions include familiar terms but test a specific constraint. Read the exact wording before choosing an answer that is generally true but wrong for this case.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
This question should be treated as a scenario, not a definition check. Identify the problem, the constraint and the best action. Then compare each option against those facts.
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.
Use explanations to understand the rule behind the answer.
TExam Day Tips
→Underline the problem statement mentally.
→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.
Related glossary terms
Concepts from this question explained
These glossary pages explain the core terms tested in this 200-301 question in full detail.
Identify which 200-301 exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
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: On R1, configure: standby 1 priority 110, standby 1 preempt, standby 1 ip 192.168.1.1, and standby 1 track GigabitEthernet0/1 15 — The current configuration does not cause both routers to be Active; rather, R2 is likely the Active router because both have default priority (100) and no preempt, so R2 with the higher interface IP (192.168.1.3) wins the election. To ensure R1 becomes Active, set its priority to 110 and enable preempt. Also correct the virtual IP to 192.168.1.1. Interface tracking on G0/1 with a decrement of 15 ensures R1 yields to R2 if its tracked interface fails. Option A correctly applies all these settings. Option B uses the wrong virtual IP (192.168.1.254). Option C uses the wrong decrement value (10). Option D uses default priority (100), which will not make R1 the Active router if R2 retains default priority and higher IP.
What should I do if I get this 200-301 question wrong?
Identify which 200-301 exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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