300-410 Layer 3 Technologies Practice Question
A network technician is configuring a Cisco router to forward traffic to a remote network. The technician enters the command 'ip route 172.16.0.0 255.255.0.0 10.0.0.1'. However, the router does not install the route in its routing table. What is the most likely reason?
⚠ Common exam trap
The trap here is assuming that a static route is always installed regardless of next-hop reachability, when in fact the router must have a valid path to the next-hop.
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 next-hop address 10.0.0.1 is not reachable.
A static route is only installed in the routing table if its next-hop address is reachable. If the next-hop 10.0.0.1 is not reachable (e.g., no route to it, or interface down), the route will not be installed. The default administrative distance is low, the mask is correct, and the 'permanent' keyword is not required for installation. Therefore, the most likely cause is an unreachable next-hop.
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 administrative distance of the static route is too high.
Why it's wrong here
The default administrative distance for a static route is 1, which is very low and only surpassed by connected routes. Unless another route with a lower distance exists, the static route would be preferred. A high administrative distance is not the issue here because the default is used.
- ✗
The subnet mask is incorrect.
Why it's wrong here
The subnet mask 255.255.0.0 corresponds to a /16 prefix, which is valid for the network 172.16.0.0. An incorrect mask would result in a different network, but here it is correct. The mask is not the reason the route is not installed.
- ✗
The static route is missing the 'permanent' keyword.
Why it's wrong here
The 'permanent' keyword keeps a static route in the routing table even if the interface goes down, but it is not required for installation. Without it, the route is still installed as long as the next-hop is reachable. The absence of 'permanent' does not prevent installation.
- ✓
The next-hop address 10.0.0.1 is not reachable.
Why this is correct
For a static route to be installed in the routing table, the next-hop address must be reachable via a valid route. If 10.0.0.1 is not reachable, the static route remains in the configuration but is not installed. This is a common issue when the next-hop is not directly connected or no route to it exists.
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Written and reviewed by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
Last reviewed September 2026 · checked against the official Cisco exam blueprint
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