- A
1. Match the destination IP address with the longest prefix in the routing table. 2. If multiple routes match, select the route with the lowest administrative distance. 3. If still multiple routes, select the route with the lowest metric.
This is correct because the routing table lookup first finds the most specific (longest prefix) match, then breaks ties using administrative distance, and finally metric. This order ensures optimal path selection.
- B
1. Match the destination IP address with the longest prefix in the routing table. 2. If multiple routes match, select the route with the lowest metric. 3. If still multiple routes, select the route with the lowest administrative distance.
Why wrong: This is incorrect because administrative distance is evaluated before metric. Metric is only considered when multiple routes have the same administrative distance.
- C
1. Match the destination IP address with any prefix in the routing table (first match). 2. If multiple routes match, select the route with the lowest administrative distance. 3. If still multiple routes, select the route with the lowest metric.
Why wrong: This is incorrect because the routing table uses longest prefix match, not first match. First match is used in some other contexts like access control lists.
- D
1. Match the destination IP address with the longest prefix in the routing table. 2. If multiple routes match, select the route with the lowest metric. 3. If still multiple routes, select the route with the highest administrative distance.
Why wrong: This is incorrect because administrative distance is evaluated before metric, and the route with the lowest administrative distance is preferred, not the highest.
Quick Answer
The correct order for the routing table lookup process is: longest prefix match first, then lowest administrative distance, then lowest metric. This sequence is rooted in the fundamental principle of route selection, where the router prioritizes the most specific path (longest prefix) to the destination IP address, ensuring traffic follows the most precise route available. If multiple routes share the same prefix length, the router then compares administrative distance, which reflects the trustworthiness of the routing source—for example, a directly connected route (AD 0) is preferred over OSPF (AD 110). Only if routes still tie does the router evaluate metric, such as OSPF cost or EIGRP composite metric, to find the best path. On the CCNA 200-301 v2 exam, this drag-and-drop question tests your ability to sequence these tie-breakers correctly; a common trap is placing metric before administrative distance, or forgetting that longest prefix is the initial filter. Remember the mnemonic "LAM" for Longest, AD, Metric—just like a lamb follows its mother, the router follows this exact order to find the best path.
CCNA IP Routing Practice Question
This 200-301 practice question tests your understanding of ip routing. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. 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.
Drag and drop the following steps into the correct order for the router's routing table lookup process when forwarding a packet to a destination IP address, including the best-path selection logic.
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue:
"best"Why it matters: Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
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
1. Match the destination IP address with the longest prefix in the routing table. 2. If multiple routes match, select the route with the lowest administrative distance. 3. If still multiple routes, select the route with the lowest metric.
The routing table lookup first matches the destination with the longest prefix, then applies tie-breakers: lowest administrative distance, then lowest metric, to determine the best path for forwarding.
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.
- ✓
1. Match the destination IP address with the longest prefix in the routing table. 2. If multiple routes match, select the route with the lowest administrative distance. 3. If still multiple routes, select the route with the lowest metric.
Why this is correct
This is correct because the routing table lookup first finds the most specific (longest prefix) match, then breaks ties using administrative distance, and finally metric. This order ensures optimal path selection.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "best" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
- ✗
1. Match the destination IP address with the longest prefix in the routing table. 2. If multiple routes match, select the route with the lowest metric. 3. If still multiple routes, select the route with the lowest administrative distance.
Why it's wrong here
This is incorrect because administrative distance is evaluated before metric. Metric is only considered when multiple routes have the same administrative distance.
- ✗
1. Match the destination IP address with any prefix in the routing table (first match). 2. If multiple routes match, select the route with the lowest administrative distance. 3. If still multiple routes, select the route with the lowest metric.
Why it's wrong here
This is incorrect because the routing table uses longest prefix match, not first match. First match is used in some other contexts like access control lists.
- ✗
1. Match the destination IP address with the longest prefix in the routing table. 2. If multiple routes match, select the route with the lowest metric. 3. If still multiple routes, select the route with the highest administrative distance.
Why it's wrong here
This is incorrect because administrative distance is evaluated before metric, and the route with the lowest administrative distance is preferred, not the highest.
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.
✓1. Match the destination IP address with the longest prefix in the routing table. 2. If multiple routes match, select the route with the lowest administrative distance. 3. If still multiple routes, select the route with the lowest metric.Correct answer▾
Why this is correct
This is correct because the routing table lookup first finds the most specific (longest prefix) match, then breaks ties using administrative distance, and finally metric. This order ensures optimal path selection.
✗1. Match the destination IP address with the longest prefix in the routing table. 2. If multiple routes match, select the route with the lowest metric. 3. If still multiple routes, select the route with the lowest administrative distance.Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
The order of tie-breakers is reversed; administrative distance takes precedence over metric.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates often confuse the order of tie-breakers, thinking metric is more important because it is a direct measure of path cost.
✗1. Match the destination IP address with any prefix in the routing table (first match). 2. If multiple routes match, select the route with the lowest administrative distance. 3. If still multiple routes, select the route with the lowest metric.Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
The lookup process uses longest prefix match, not first match. This is a fundamental difference from ACL processing.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may confuse routing table lookup with ACL processing, where the first matching entry is used.
✗1. Match the destination IP address with the longest prefix in the routing table. 2. If multiple routes match, select the route with the lowest metric. 3. If still multiple routes, select the route with the highest administrative distance.Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
Administrative distance is evaluated before metric, and lower AD is preferred. Higher AD indicates less trustworthy routes.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates might think that 'higher' is better due to other contexts (e.g., higher bandwidth is better), but for AD, lower is better.
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.
- →
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 — Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: 1. Match the destination IP address with the longest prefix in the routing table. 2. If multiple routes match, select the route with the lowest administrative distance. 3. If still multiple routes, select the route with the lowest metric. — The routing table lookup first matches the destination with the longest prefix, then applies tie-breakers: lowest administrative distance, then lowest metric, to determine the best path for forwarding.
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.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "best". Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
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 →
Last reviewed: Jun 6, 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.