CCNA Switching and Network Access Practice Question

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 EtherChannel will not form because neither side initiates LACP negotiation.

  Why this is correct

  In LACP, passive mode places the port in a listening state and does not transmit negotiation packets; it only responds to incoming LACP PDUs. Since both switches are configured passive, neither sends an LACP PDU, so the negotiation never begins. Consequently, the EtherChannel remains down and the individual ports stay in their normal operational state as separate access/trunk links.

• ✗

  The EtherChannel always forms because passive mode is preferred.

  Why it's wrong here

  The term passive means the interface will only answer LACP messages it receives; it will never initiate a negotiation, so it is not a 'preferred' or more willing mode. For an EtherChannel to form, at least one side must be in active mode to send LACP PDUs. If both ends are passive, neither speaker initiates the handshake, so the channel cannot come up regardless of how many links are bundled.

  When this WOULD be correct

  In a different scenario where both switches are configured to use LACP but one switch is set to active mode while the other is set to passive, this option could be correct. In such a case, the active switch would initiate the negotiation, allowing the EtherChannel to form successfully.

• ✗

  The links automatically become a routed interface.

  Why it's wrong here

  EtherChannel is purely a Layer 2 link-aggregation mechanism; it aggregates multiple physical links into a single logical port-channel but has no effect on whether the interface is a Layer 3 routed port. LACP negotiation only manages the bundling of physical links, not IP addressing or routing. To make a routed interface, an administrator must manually issue no switchport and assign an IP address, so LACP passive mode never triggers this conversion.

  When this WOULD be correct

  If the question were to state that both switches are configured for LACP but with one switch set to active mode and the other to passive, the links could potentially become routed interfaces if the configuration allows for it. This scenario would require specific routing configurations to be in place.

• ✗

  The switches delete the bundle configuration automatically.

  Why it's wrong here

  The switch does not delete the port-channel or LACP configuration when negotiation fails; the port-channel interface and channel-group commands remain in the running configuration. When LACP cannot form, the physical member ports are simply not added to the logical bundle, but no automatic removal occurs. The administrator must manually change the LACP mode (e.g., to active) or remove the channel-group configuration if the bundle is no longer desired.

  When this WOULD be correct

  In a different scenario where a switch is configured to automatically remove any EtherChannel configurations if no negotiation occurs within a certain timeout period, this option could be correct. For instance, a question could specify that the switches have a timeout setting that triggers deletion of the bundle if no active negotiation is detected.

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.

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?”

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