CCNA Network Services and Security Practice Question
Exhibit
show ip route 203.0.113.0 Routing entry for 203.0.113.0/24 Known via "static", distance 5, metric 0 * 198.51.100.2 Configured route: ip route 203.0.113.0 255.255.255.0 192.0.2.2 10 name ISP-A ip route 203.0.113.0 255.255.255.0 198.51.100.2 5 name ISP-B
Two static routes exist for the 203.0.113.0/24 network: one pointing to ISP-A with an administrative distance of 10, and another pointing to ISP-B with an administrative distance of 5. Packets for that subnet are leaving through ISP-B. What explains this behavior?
⚠ Common exam trap
A frequent exam trap is assuming that the next-hop IP address or the order in which static routes are configured affects route selection. Candidates might incorrectly believe that a higher next-hop IP or the last configured route is preferred, but Cisco routers do not use these factors in route preference. Another common mistake is thinking that route names or descriptions influence routing decisions or enforce policy-based routing, which they do not. The key is to remember that administrative distance is the primary factor in route selection when multiple routes to the same prefix exist.
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 ISP-B route has a lower administrative distance.
The route via ISP-B has a lower administrative distance, so it wins for the identical /24 prefix. For routes to the same destination and mask, the router compares AD before considering anything else between different route sources.
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 ISP-B route has a lower administrative distance.
Why this is correct
Cisco routers select the best route by administrative distance first for identical prefixes. The ISP-B static route has AD 5 while ISP-A has AD 10, so ISP-B is deemed more trustworthy and wins, causing packets to bypass the intended ISP-A link. This precedence overrides any other preferences like configuration order or next-hop address.
- ✗
Static routes with a higher next-hop IP are preferred.
Why it's wrong here
A higher next-hop IP address carries no routing preference whatsoever. Next-hop IP is simply the forwarding address for the packet, not a ranking value. Cisco routers compare administrative distance and metric, never the numeric value of the next-hop IP, to choose between same-prefix routes.
When this WOULD be correct
In a different scenario where a question states that a router has multiple static routes to the same destination with different next-hop IPs, and the exam asks which route would be preferred, this option could be correct if the context specifies that the next-hop IP is a determining factor in the selection process.
- ✗
The router always prefers the route configured last.
Why it's wrong here
In Cisco IOS, routing decisions never depend on the order in which routes were entered. Each route is evaluated by longest prefix match, administrative distance, then metric; configuration order is irrelevant. Even a newly added static route cannot displace an existing route unless it has a lower AD or better metric.
When this WOULD be correct
In a different scenario where a router is configured to prefer the most recently added static route over existing routes with the same administrative distance, a question could ask about the behavior of routes when multiple static routes exist. In this case, the last configured route would indeed be preferred.
- ✗
The route names force policy-based routing.
Why it's wrong here
Route names, set via the ip route ... name command, are purely descriptive labels used for documentation and troubleshooting. They do not activate policy-based routing or any filtering logic. PBR requires explicit route-map statements with match and set clauses, not a name field on a static route.
When this WOULD be correct
In a different scenario where a question specifies that routes are being selected based on named policies or configurations that directly influence routing decisions, such as in a policy-based routing setup, this option could be correct.
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 ISP-B route has a lower administrative distance.Correct answer▾
Why this is correct
Cisco routers select the best route by administrative distance first for identical prefixes. The ISP-B static route has AD 5 while ISP-A has AD 10, so ISP-B is deemed more trustworthy and wins, causing packets to bypass the intended ISP-A link. This precedence overrides any other preferences like configuration order or next-hop address.
✗Static routes with a higher next-hop IP are preferred.Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
The preference for a static route is not determined by the next-hop IP address value. Route selection is based on administrative distance and metric, not the numeric value of the next-hop IP.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
In a different scenario where a question states that a router has multiple static routes to the same destination with different next-hop IPs, and the exam asks which route would be preferred, this option could be correct if the context specifies that the next-hop IP is a determining factor in the selection process.
Why candidates choose this
Students might mistakenly think that higher IP addresses are preferred due to some ordering or because of a misunderstanding of how routers compare routes, but IP address values are irrelevant to route preference.
✗The router always prefers the route configured last.Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
Configuration order does not influence route selection. Routers use administrative distance and metric to choose the best route, not the order in which routes were configured.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
In a different scenario where a router is configured to prefer the most recently added static route over existing routes with the same administrative distance, a question could ask about the behavior of routes when multiple static routes exist. In this case, the last configured route would indeed be preferred.
Why candidates choose this
Some students might confuse the order of operations in routing tables or think that the last configured route overwrites previous ones, but routing decisions are based on metrics and AD, not configuration sequence.
✗The route names force policy-based routing.Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
Route names are purely descriptive labels and do not affect routing decisions. Policy-based routing requires explicit configuration using route maps or PBR commands, not route names.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
In a different scenario where a question specifies that routes are being selected based on named policies or configurations that directly influence routing decisions, such as in a policy-based routing setup, this option could be correct.
Why candidates choose this
Students might assume that route names have functional significance, similar to how interface names or ACL names can be used in policy, but route names are only for administrative identification.
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?”
Visual reference
Quick reference
Routing Protocol Comparison
| Protocol | Metric | Max Hops | Algorithm | Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RIP v2 | Hop count | 15 | Bellman-Ford | Distance vector |
| OSPF | Cost (bandwidth) | Unlimited | Dijkstra (SPF) | Link state |
| EIGRP | Composite metric | Unlimited | DUAL | Hybrid |
| IS-IS | Cost | Unlimited | Dijkstra | Link state |
| BGP | Policy / attributes | Unlimited | Path vector | Path vector |
RIP's 15-hop limit makes it unsuitable for large networks. OSPF and EIGRP dominate modern enterprise deployments.
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Key term
Administrative distance
Administrative distance is a number that a router uses to decide which routing protocol's route to trust when it learns about the same destination from multiple different routing protocols.
Key term
Router
A router is a networking device that connects different networks together and directs data traffic between them by choosing the best path for data to travel.
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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.