200-301 · topic practice
IP Routing covers how a Cisco router builds its routing table, chooses a path, and forwards packets between subnets. You must read show ip route output, compare static, OSPF, and default routes, and explain longest-prefix match and administrative distance decisions on Cisco IOS routers.
Courseiva uses original exam-style practice questions designed for learning and revision. The goal is to understand the concepts, recognise exam patterns, and improve through explanations — not memorise copied exam dumps.
What the exam tests
Be able to read a routing table and decide which route installs and forwards a given destination. The single most important thing: longest-prefix match first, then administrative distance, then metric.
Interpreting show ip route codes, next-hop addresses, and outgoing interfaces
Longest-prefix match selection among connected, static, and OSPF routes
Administrative distance comparison, including static routes with modified distance
Static route configuration with ip route, including default and floating routes
Watch out for
Practice set
20 questions · select your answer, then reveal the explanation
Trap 1: Hop count
Hop count is associated with RIP.
Trap 2: Distance
Distance is not the OSPF metric name.
Trap 3: Feasible distance
Feasible distance is an EIGRP term.
Hop count
Why it fails: Hop count is associated with RIP.
Cost
Correct. OSPF uses cost.
Distance
Why it fails: Distance is not the OSPF metric name.
Feasible distance
Why it fails: Feasible distance is an EIGRP term.
Trap 1: It increases the administrative distance of all routes.
Summarization does not change AD by itself.
Trap 2: It forces equal-cost load balancing across all paths.
Summarization and ECMP are unrelated concepts.
Trap 3: It prevents the use of a default route.
Summarization does not prevent default routing.
It increases the administrative distance of all routes.
Why it fails: Summarization does not change AD by itself.
It combines multiple more-specific routes into a shorter prefix advertisement.
Correct. That is the purpose of summarization.
It forces equal-cost load balancing across all paths.
Why it fails: Summarization and ECMP are unrelated concepts.
It prevents the use of a default route.
Why it fails: Summarization does not prevent default routing.
Trap 1: To replace all directly connected routes
Connected routes remain preferred for their networks.
Trap 2: To advertise only loopback interfaces
Default routes are not limited to loopbacks.
Trap 3: To disable dynamic routing updates
A default route does not disable routing protocols.
To replace all directly connected routes
Why it fails: Connected routes remain preferred for their networks.
To forward packets when no more specific match is found
Correct. That is exactly what a default route does.
To advertise only loopback interfaces
Why it fails: Default routes are not limited to loopbacks.
To disable dynamic routing updates
Why it fails: A default route does not disable routing protocols.
Trap 1: It always has the highest bandwidth link
This is wrong because route selection is not based on the phrase “last resort” meaning highest bandwidth.
Trap 2: It is processed before all connected routes
This is wrong because connected and other more specific routes are preferred over the default route.
Trap 3: It disables all dynamic routing protocols
This is wrong because default routes can coexist with dynamic routing protocols.
It is used only when no more specific route matches the destination
This is correct because the default route acts as the fallback when the table lacks a better match.
It always has the highest bandwidth link
Why it fails: This is wrong because route selection is not based on the phrase “last resort” meaning highest bandwidth.
It is processed before all connected routes
Why it fails: This is wrong because connected and other more specific routes are preferred over the default route.
It disables all dynamic routing protocols
Why it fails: This is wrong because default routes can coexist with dynamic routing protocols.
Trap 1: To force every subnet to use the default route only
This is wrong because summarization does not mean all traffic must use only the default route.
Trap 2: To assign IP addresses dynamically to routers
This is wrong because DHCP handles dynamic addressing, not route summarization.
Trap 3: To convert access ports into trunks
This is wrong because summarization is a routing concept, not a switchport mode feature.
To combine multiple routes into a smaller set of broader advertisements
This is correct because summarization reduces and simplifies route information by aggregating prefixes.
To force every subnet to use the default route only
Why it fails: This is wrong because summarization does not mean all traffic must use only the default route.
To assign IP addresses dynamically to routers
Why it fails: This is wrong because DHCP handles dynamic addressing, not route summarization.
To convert access ports into trunks
Why it fails: This is wrong because summarization is a routing concept, not a switchport mode feature.
Trap 1: It forces every packet to use the default route
This is wrong because summarization does not automatically replace all specific routing with a default route.
Trap 2: It automatically encrypts routing updates
This is wrong because summarization is about route aggregation, not encryption.
Trap 3: It converts all access links into routed ports
This is wrong because summarization has nothing to do with switchport mode.
It reduces the number of routes that routers must carry and exchange
This is correct because summarization aggregates routes into broader advertisements.
It forces every packet to use the default route
Why it fails: This is wrong because summarization does not automatically replace all specific routing with a default route.
It automatically encrypts routing updates
Why it fails: This is wrong because summarization is about route aggregation, not encryption.
It converts all access links into routed ports
Why it fails: This is wrong because summarization has nothing to do with switchport mode.
Trap 1: It stores secure user passwords for AAA login
This is wrong because routing tables do not store AAA credentials.
Trap 2: It maps every MAC address on the LAN to a switch port
This is wrong because that is the role of a switch MAC address table, not a router routing table.
Trap 3: It defines STP root bridge election values
This is wrong because STP elections are unrelated to the routing table.
It helps the router choose where to forward packets toward destination networks
This is correct because the routing table is used to determine the best forwarding path.
It stores secure user passwords for AAA login
Why it fails: This is wrong because routing tables do not store AAA credentials.
It maps every MAC address on the LAN to a switch port
Why it fails: This is wrong because that is the role of a switch MAC address table, not a router routing table.
It defines STP root bridge election values
Why it fails: This is wrong because STP elections are unrelated to the routing table.
Trap 1: Because default routes always have the lowest bandwidth
This is wrong because specificity, not bandwidth, explains why defaults are used last.
Trap 2: Because default routes are processed only after STP converges
This is wrong because STP is unrelated to default-route selection logic.
Trap 3: Because default routes can be used only on switches and not routers
This is wrong because routers commonly use default routes.
Because the default route is the least specific match and is meant to be a fallback
This is correct because longest-prefix match causes more specific routes to be preferred before the default route.
Because default routes always have the lowest bandwidth
Why it fails: This is wrong because specificity, not bandwidth, explains why defaults are used last.
Because default routes are processed only after STP converges
Why it fails: This is wrong because STP is unrelated to default-route selection logic.
Because default routes can be used only on switches and not routers
Why it fails: This is wrong because routers commonly use default routes.
Trap 1: To identify the MAC address of the next hop
This is wrong because administrative distance is unrelated to MAC resolution.
Trap 2: To determine trunk native VLAN behavior
This is wrong because administrative distance has nothing to do with VLAN trunking.
Trap 3: To encrypt routing updates between routers
This is wrong because administrative distance is a route preference value, not encryption.
To rank the trustworthiness of different route sources
This is correct because administrative distance helps the router choose between routes learned from different sources.
To identify the MAC address of the next hop
Why it fails: This is wrong because administrative distance is unrelated to MAC resolution.
To determine trunk native VLAN behavior
Why it fails: This is wrong because administrative distance has nothing to do with VLAN trunking.
To encrypt routing updates between routers
Why it fails: This is wrong because administrative distance is a route preference value, not encryption.
Trap 1: The router always discards all but the first route learned
This is wrong because many routing platforms support equal-cost multipath.
Trap 2: Equal-cost multipath means every route source is trusted equally
This is wrong because route-source trust is a separate administrative-distance concept.
Trap 3: Equal-cost multipath works only when no routing table exists
This is wrong because ECMP is a routing-table behavior, not the absence of one.
The router may install multiple equally good routes to the same destination and use them for forwarding
This is correct because equal-cost multipath allows use of more than one equivalent route.
The router always discards all but the first route learned
Why it fails: This is wrong because many routing platforms support equal-cost multipath.
Equal-cost multipath means every route source is trusted equally
Why it fails: This is wrong because route-source trust is a separate administrative-distance concept.
Equal-cost multipath works only when no routing table exists
Why it fails: This is wrong because ECMP is a routing-table behavior, not the absence of one.
Trap 1: Because less specific routes are always invalid.
This is wrong because summary and default routes are valid and useful; they are just less specific.
Trap 2: Because more specific routes always have a lower administrative…
This is wrong because specificity and administrative distance are separate concepts.
Trap 3: Because OSPF requires every route to be /32.
This is wrong because OSPF supports many prefix lengths and does not require /32 routes.
Because routing prefers the most specific matching prefix.
This is correct because longest-prefix match is the rule that gives more specific routes priority.
Because less specific routes are always invalid.
Why it fails: This is wrong because summary and default routes are valid and useful; they are just less specific.
Because more specific routes always have a lower administrative distance.
Why it fails: This is wrong because specificity and administrative distance are separate concepts.
Because OSPF requires every route to be /32.
Why it fails: This is wrong because OSPF supports many prefix lengths and does not require /32 routes.
Trap 1: Because administrative distance is meaningful only for MAC…
This is wrong because administrative distance is a route-source trust concept, not a MAC-address concept.
Trap 2: Because default routes are considered more specific than host…
This is wrong because default routes are the least specific, not the most specific.
Trap 3: Because OSPF requires it only on Ethernet links.
This is wrong because longest-prefix match is general routing logic, not an Ethernet-only OSPF rule.
Because the router first prefers the route that most precisely matches the destination.
This is correct because longest-prefix match is based on specificity.
Because administrative distance is meaningful only for MAC addresses.
Why it fails: This is wrong because administrative distance is a route-source trust concept, not a MAC-address concept.
Because default routes are considered more specific than host routes.
Why it fails: This is wrong because default routes are the least specific, not the most specific.
Because OSPF requires it only on Ethernet links.
Why it fails: This is wrong because longest-prefix match is general routing logic, not an Ethernet-only OSPF rule.
Trap 1: It always overrides dynamic routing because it is static.
This is wrong because floating statics are given higher administrative distance so they do not override the preferred route.
Trap 2: It removes the need for any default route.
This is wrong because floating statics do not eliminate other route-design choices.
Trap 3: It converts dynamic routes into connected routes.
This is wrong because floating statics do not change route types in that way.
It provides a backup route that becomes active if the preferred route is lost.
This is correct because floating static routes are designed as standby paths.
It always overrides dynamic routing because it is static.
Why it fails: This is wrong because floating statics are given higher administrative distance so they do not override the preferred route.
It removes the need for any default route.
Why it fails: This is wrong because floating statics do not eliminate other route-design choices.
It converts dynamic routes into connected routes.
Why it fails: This is wrong because floating statics do not change route types in that way.
Trap 1: It determines the MAC address of the next hop.
This is wrong because MAC resolution is not the purpose of administrative distance.
Trap 2: It specifies the native VLAN for trunk links.
This is wrong because administrative distance is unrelated to VLAN trunking.
Trap 3: It defines the subnet mask of the learned route.
This is wrong because prefix length is part of the route itself, not the administrative-distance function.
It ranks the trustworthiness of different route sources advertising the same destination.
This is correct because administrative distance is a source-preference value.
It determines the MAC address of the next hop.
Why it fails: This is wrong because MAC resolution is not the purpose of administrative distance.
It specifies the native VLAN for trunk links.
Why it fails: This is wrong because administrative distance is unrelated to VLAN trunking.
It defines the subnet mask of the learned route.
Why it fails: This is wrong because prefix length is part of the route itself, not the administrative-distance function.
Trap 1: To make every route in the table equally specific.
This is wrong because a default route is the least specific route, not something that equalizes specificity.
Trap 2: To disable dynamic routing automatically.
This is wrong because a default route can coexist with dynamic routing.
Trap 3: To replace the need for subnet masks on hosts.
This is wrong because host subnet masks are unrelated to whether the router has a default route.
To provide a fallback next hop for destinations that do not match any more specific route.
This is correct because that is the essential purpose of a default route.
To make every route in the table equally specific.
Why it fails: This is wrong because a default route is the least specific route, not something that equalizes specificity.
To disable dynamic routing automatically.
Why it fails: This is wrong because a default route can coexist with dynamic routing.
To replace the need for subnet masks on hosts.
Why it fails: This is wrong because host subnet masks are unrelated to whether the router has a default route.
Trap 1: It always overrides the dynamic route because static routes are…
This is wrong because floating statics are given higher administrative distance so they do not override the preferred route.
Trap 2: It removes the need for administrative distance.
This is wrong because floating static behavior depends directly on administrative-distance tuning.
Trap 3: It converts dynamic routes into connected routes.
This is wrong because a floating static route does not change the type of other routes.
It acts as a backup path that becomes active if the preferred dynamic route is lost.
This is correct because floating static routes are designed as standby routes.
It always overrides the dynamic route because static routes are preferred by definition.
Why it fails: This is wrong because floating statics are given higher administrative distance so they do not override the preferred route.
It removes the need for administrative distance.
Why it fails: This is wrong because floating static behavior depends directly on administrative-distance tuning.
It converts dynamic routes into connected routes.
Why it fails: This is wrong because a floating static route does not change the type of other routes.
Trap 1: To force static routing to override the dynamic protocol all the…
This is wrong because floating statics are deliberately given higher distance so they do not normally override the preferred route.
Trap 2: To eliminate the need for routing metrics entirely.
This is wrong because floating statics do not remove the role of metrics inside dynamic routing.
Trap 3: To convert default routes into connected routes.
This is wrong because floating static routes do not change route types in that way.
To provide a backup route that takes over if the preferred dynamic route is lost.
This is correct because floating static routes are designed as standby paths.
To force static routing to override the dynamic protocol all the time.
Why it fails: This is wrong because floating statics are deliberately given higher distance so they do not normally override the preferred route.
To eliminate the need for routing metrics entirely.
Why it fails: This is wrong because floating statics do not remove the role of metrics inside dynamic routing.
To convert default routes into connected routes.
Why it fails: This is wrong because floating static routes do not change route types in that way.
Trap 1: It forces every subnet to use only a default route.
This is wrong because summarization does not replace all specific routes with a default.
Trap 2: It automatically encrypts route updates.
This is wrong because summarization and encryption are separate ideas.
Trap 3: It removes the need for subnet masks.
This is wrong because summarization does not eliminate addressing structure.
It reduces the number of individual routes that must be advertised or stored.
This is correct because summarization aggregates multiple routes into fewer broader entries.
It forces every subnet to use only a default route.
Why it fails: This is wrong because summarization does not replace all specific routes with a default.
It automatically encrypts route updates.
Why it fails: This is wrong because summarization and encryption are separate ideas.
It removes the need for subnet masks.
Why it fails: This is wrong because summarization does not eliminate addressing structure.
Trap 1: It guarantees every packet uses only the default route.
This is wrong because summarization does not replace all routing with a default route.
Trap 2: It automatically encrypts route updates.
This is wrong because summarization and encryption are unrelated functions.
Trap 3: It removes the need for subnet masks.
This is wrong because summarization does not eliminate addressing structure.
It reduces the number of specific routes that must be carried or advertised.
This is correct because summarization aggregates routes into fewer entries.
It guarantees every packet uses only the default route.
Why it fails: This is wrong because summarization does not replace all routing with a default route.
It automatically encrypts route updates.
Why it fails: This is wrong because summarization and encryption are unrelated functions.
It removes the need for subnet masks.
Why it fails: This is wrong because summarization does not eliminate addressing structure.
Trap 1: It makes every route more specific.
This is wrong because the default route is the least specific route.
Trap 2: It removes the need for addressing on the router.
This is wrong because interfaces still need valid IP addressing.
Trap 3: It forces all hosts into one VLAN.
This is wrong because default routing is unrelated to VLAN assignment.
It provides a simple next hop for unknown destinations toward the upstream connection.
This is correct because that is the standard role of a default route at a branch edge.
It makes every route more specific.
Why it fails: This is wrong because the default route is the least specific route.
It removes the need for addressing on the router.
Why it fails: This is wrong because interfaces still need valid IP addressing.
It forces all hosts into one VLAN.
Why it fails: This is wrong because default routing is unrelated to VLAN assignment.
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