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Quick Answer
The answer is that a recursive static route requires the router to perform multiple routing table lookups to forward the packet. This happens because a recursive route specifies only the next-hop IP address, forcing the router to consult the routing table again to determine the correct exit interface, whereas a fully specified static route includes both the exit interface and next-hop IP to eliminate that extra lookup. On the CCNA 200-301 v2 exam, this topic tests your understanding of how static routes interact with the routing table and administrative distance, often appearing in multiple-choice questions that ask you to distinguish between default, floating, fully specified, and recursive types. A common trap is confusing a floating static route—which uses a higher administrative distance like 150 to act as a backup—with a default route. For a quick memory tip, remember that “recursive” means “re-cursing” the lookup, while “fully specified” means “fully set” with both interface and IP.
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.
Which four of the following statements about IPv4 static routing are true? (Choose all that apply. There are four correct answers.)
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
✓
A default static route uses 0.0.0.0/0 as the destination network.
A default static route with destination 0.0.0.0/0 matches all packets when no more specific route exists, acting as a gateway of last resort. A floating static route uses a higher administrative distance (e.g., 150) than the dynamic protocol's default (e.g., 110 for OSPF), so it only appears in the routing table if the dynamic route fails. A fully specified static route includes both the exit interface and next-hop IP, eliminating recursive lookups. A recursive static route specifies only the next-hop IP, forcing the router to perform multiple routing table lookups to find the exit interface.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Cisco often tests the distinction between recursive and fully specified static routes, tricking candidates into thinking that a next-hop-only route uses ARP directly, when in fact it requires a recursive lookup first.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
When a static route specifies only the next-hop IP (recursive route), the router performs a lookup in the routing table for that next-hop IP to find the exit interface, then uses ARP to resolve the next-hop MAC address on that interface. This recursive behavior can cause performance overhead in large networks. Cisco IOS uses the 'ip route' command with syntax like 'ip route 0.0.0.0 0.0.0.0 serial0/0/0 192.168.1.1' for a fully specified route, which avoids recursion.
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.
TExam Day Tips
- 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 network engineer at a university connects two campus buildings via a fibre link. Both routers run OSPF, but no adjacency forms — even though both routers can ping each other. The engineer finds one router is in area 0 and the other in area 1. OSPF adjacency requires matching area numbers, hello/dead timers, and network type. IP reachability alone is not enough.
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this 200-301 question test?
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: A default static route uses 0.0.0.0/0 as the destination network. — A default static route with destination 0.0.0.0/0 matches all packets when no more specific route exists, acting as a gateway of last resort. A floating static route uses a higher administrative distance (e.g., 150) than the dynamic protocol's default (e.g., 110 for OSPF), so it only appears in the routing table if the dynamic route fails. A fully specified static route includes both the exit interface and next-hop IP, eliminating recursive lookups. A recursive static route specifies only the next-hop IP, forcing the router to perform multiple routing table lookups to find the exit interface.
What should I do if I get this 200-301 question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 11, 2026
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