Question 2,053 of 2,152

Policy-Based Routing (PBR) →hardMultiple ChoiceObjective-mapped

Quick Answer

The answer is that PBR requires the next-hop to be directly connected, and the traffic is dropped because 10.10.10.2 is reachable via a route rather than a directly connected interface. This is a common misconception: many assume that as long as a route to the next-hop exists in the routing table, PBR will forward traffic, but PBR performs a direct lookup for the next-hop address itself, not a recursive route lookup. On the Cisco CCNP ENARSI 300-410 exam, this concept is frequently tested in troubleshooting scenarios where a VPN tunnel fails and traffic is silently dropped, even though the next-hop is reachable through another path. The trap is that `show ip route` shows a valid route, but `debug ip policy` reveals the “no route to next-hop” error because the next-hop is not on a local subnet. To fix this, ensure the next-hop is directly connected or use a static route pointing out the correct interface. Memory tip: PBR is “physically blunt”—it only sees what is directly plugged in, not what is routed beyond.

300-410 Policy-Based Routing (PBR) Practice Question

This 300-410 practice question tests your understanding of policy-based routing (pbr). Examine the command output carefully: the correct answer depends on what the output actually shows, not on general recall alone. 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.

A network uses PBR to route traffic from a specific host (10.1.1.1) through a VPN tunnel (next-hop 10.10.10.2). After a VPN tunnel failure, traffic from this host is being dropped. Router R1 shows: 'show ip policy' shows PBR applied, 'debug ip policy' shows 'PBR: no route to next-hop 10.10.10.2', but 'show ip route 10.10.10.2' shows a route via a different interface. What is the root cause?

Question 1hardmultiple choice

Read the full VPN explanation →

A
The next-hop 10.10.10.2 is not directly connected; it is reachable via a route. PBR requires the next-hop to be directly connected. Use a directly connected next-hop or configure a static route to make it directly connected.
PBR's 'set ip next-hop' command requires the next-hop to be on a directly connected subnet. If it is reachable via a route, PBR will not use it and will drop the packet. This is a common misconfiguration when the next-hop is on a remote subnet.
B
The route-map is missing a 'set ip next-hop verify-availability' command, causing PBR to use the next-hop even when it is not reachable.
Why wrong: The debug output shows 'no route to next-hop', not that the next-hop is unreachable. The issue is that the next-hop is not directly connected, not that it is unreachable.
C
The routing table on R1 has a better route to the destination via the VPN tunnel, overriding PBR.
Why wrong: PBR overrides the routing table for matched traffic. The debug output shows PBR is trying to forward traffic but cannot find a route to the next-hop, so the routing table is not the issue.
D
The VPN tunnel is down, causing the next-hop to be unreachable.
Why wrong: The 'show ip route 10.10.10.2' shows a route via a different interface, indicating the next-hop is reachable, but not directly connected. The VPN tunnel failure is not the root cause.

Full breakdown with real-world context →

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 10.10.10.2 is not directly connected; it is reachable via a route. PBR requires the next-hop to be directly connected. Use a directly connected next-hop or configure a static route to make it directly connected.

PBR requires the next-hop to be directly reachable (i.e., on a directly connected subnet). If the next-hop is reachable via a route (e.g., through another router), PBR will not use it because it expects a direct connection. In this case, 10.10.10.2 is reachable via a route, not directly connected, so PBR drops the traffic. The solution is to ensure the next-hop is directly connected or use a different next-hop that is directly connected.

Key principle: Count usable hosts — not total addresses — and remember that the network and broadcast addresses are not available to hosts in standard IPv4 subnets.

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 next-hop 10.10.10.2 is not directly connected; it is reachable via a route. PBR requires the next-hop to be directly connected. Use a directly connected next-hop or configure a static route to make it directly connected.
Why this is correct
PBR's 'set ip next-hop' command requires the next-hop to be on a directly connected subnet. If it is reachable via a route, PBR will not use it and will drop the packet. This is a common misconfiguration when the next-hop is on a remote subnet.
Related concept
CIDR notation defines the prefix length.
✗
The route-map is missing a 'set ip next-hop verify-availability' command, causing PBR to use the next-hop even when it is not reachable.
Why it's wrong here
The debug output shows 'no route to next-hop', not that the next-hop is unreachable. The issue is that the next-hop is not directly connected, not that it is unreachable.
✗
The routing table on R1 has a better route to the destination via the VPN tunnel, overriding PBR.
Why it's wrong here
PBR overrides the routing table for matched traffic. The debug output shows PBR is trying to forward traffic but cannot find a route to the next-hop, so the routing table is not the issue.
✗
The VPN tunnel is down, causing the next-hop to be unreachable.
Why it's wrong here
The 'show ip route 10.10.10.2' shows a route via a different interface, indicating the next-hop is reachable, but not directly connected. The VPN tunnel failure is not the root cause.

Common exam traps

Common exam trap: usable hosts are not the same as total addresses

Subnetting questions often tempt you into counting all addresses. In normal IPv4 subnets, the network and broadcast addresses are not usable host addresses.

Trap categories for this question

Command / output trap
The debug output shows 'no route to next-hop', not that the next-hop is unreachable. The issue is that the next-hop is not directly connected, not that it is unreachable.

Detailed technical explanation

How to think about this question

Subnetting questions test whether you can identify the network, broadcast address, usable range, mask and correct subnet. Slow down enough to calculate the block size correctly.

KKey Concepts to Remember

CIDR notation defines the prefix length.
Block size helps identify subnet boundaries.
Network and broadcast addresses are not usable hosts in normal IPv4 subnets.
The required host count determines the smallest suitable subnet.

TExam Day Tips

Write the block size before choosing the subnet.
Check whether the question asks for hosts, subnets or a specific address range.
Do not confuse /24, /25, /26 and /27 host counts.

Key takeaway

Count usable hosts — not total addresses — and remember that the network and broadcast addresses are not available to hosts in standard IPv4 subnets.

Real-world example

How this comes up in practice

A small business has 20 workstations on the 192.168.1.0/24 network and one public IP from its ISP. The router uses PAT (NAT overload) so all 20 devices share one public address using different source ports. NAT questions test whether you understand the four address terms and which direction each translation applies.

What to study next

Got this wrong? Here's your next step.

Review block sizes, usable host formulas (2^n − 2), and how to find network and broadcast addresses for /24 through /30. Then practise related 300-410 subnetting questions on CIDR, address ranges, and subnet selection.

Related 300-410 practice-question pages

Use these pages to review the topic behind this question. This is how one missed question becomes focused revision.

Layer 3 Technologies practice questions

Practise 300-410 questions linked to Layer 3 Technologies.

EIGRP Troubleshooting practice questions

Practise 300-410 questions linked to EIGRP Troubleshooting.

OSPF Troubleshooting (v2/v3) practice questions

Practise 300-410 questions linked to OSPF Troubleshooting (v2/v3).

BGP Troubleshooting practice questions

Practise 300-410 questions linked to BGP Troubleshooting.

Route Redistribution practice questions

Practise 300-410 questions linked to Route Redistribution.

Policy-Based Routing (PBR) practice questions

Practise 300-410 questions linked to Policy-Based Routing (PBR).

VRF-Lite practice questions

Practise 300-410 questions linked to VRF-Lite.

Route Maps and Route Filtering practice questions

Practise 300-410 questions linked to Route Maps and Route Filtering.

Administrative Distance practice questions

Practise 300-410 questions linked to Administrative Distance.

Route Summarization practice questions

Practise 300-410 questions linked to Route Summarization.

Bidirectional Forwarding Detection (BFD) practice questions

Practise 300-410 questions linked to Bidirectional Forwarding Detection (BFD).

VPN Technologies practice questions

Practise 300-410 questions linked to VPN Technologies.

Practice this exam

Start a free 300-410 practice session

Short sessions build daily habit. Longer sessions build exam-day stamina. Try a timed session to simulate real conditions.

10 questions 20 questions 30 questions 50 questions Timed 30

300-410 practice-test guide →Study guide →Browse all practice tests

FAQ

Questions learners often ask

What does this 300-410 question test?

Policy-Based Routing (PBR) — This question tests Policy-Based Routing (PBR) — CIDR notation defines the prefix length..

What is the correct answer to this question?

The correct answer is: The next-hop 10.10.10.2 is not directly connected; it is reachable via a route. PBR requires the next-hop to be directly connected. Use a directly connected next-hop or configure a static route to make it directly connected. — PBR requires the next-hop to be directly reachable (i.e., on a directly connected subnet). If the next-hop is reachable via a route (e.g., through another router), PBR will not use it because it expects a direct connection. In this case, 10.10.10.2 is reachable via a route, not directly connected, so PBR drops the traffic. The solution is to ensure the next-hop is directly connected or use a different next-hop that is directly connected.

What should I do if I get this 300-410 question wrong?

What is the key concept behind this question?

CIDR notation defines the prefix length.

About these practice questions

Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →

How Courseiva writes practice questions · Editorial policy

Last reviewed: Jun 18, 2026

Question Discussion

Share a tip, memory trick, or ask about the reasoning behind this question. Do not post real exam questions, leaked content, braindumps, or copyrighted exam material. Comments are moderated and may be removed without notice.

Loading comments…

This 300-410 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 300-410 exam.