350-401 Infrastructure Practice Question
A network engineer configured a router with the command `ip route 0.0.0.0 0.0.0.0 192.168.1.1` and also has a specific static route for 10.1.1.0/24 pointing to 192.168.1.1. A packet arrives destined for 10.1.1.5. Which route will the router use to forward the packet?
⚠ Common exam trap
The trap here is assuming that a default route takes precedence because it is configured first or because it is a default route, but longest prefix match always wins regardless of configuration order.
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 specific static route for 10.1.1.0/24 because it has a longer prefix length.
The correct answer is the specific static route for 10.1.1.0/24. Cisco IOS uses longest prefix match to select the best route. A default route (0.0.0.0/0) is the least specific and is only used when no other route matches. Since a more specific route exists for the destination, that route is chosen.
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 specific static route for 10.1.1.0/24 because it has a longer prefix length.
Why this is correct
The router uses the longest prefix match rule. The specific route 10.1.1.0/24 has a prefix length of 24, while the default route has a prefix length of 0. The more specific route wins, so the packet is forwarded using the static route for 10.1.1.0/24 via 192.168.1.1.
- ✗
The default route because it is less specific and matches all destinations.
Why it's wrong here
The default route matches all destinations but is less specific. Cisco IOS uses longest prefix match, so a more specific route will always be preferred. The default route would only be used if no other route matched, which is not the case here because the 10.1.1.0/24 route exists.
- ✗
The router will load-balance the packet across both routes.
Why it's wrong here
Load balancing occurs only when there are multiple routes to the same destination with equal cost and prefix length. Here, the routes have different prefix lengths, so the router will not load-balance. It will choose the more specific route based on longest prefix match.
- ✗
The packet will be dropped because of conflicting static routes.
Why it's wrong here
There is no conflict; the router simply prefers the more specific route. Static routes with different prefix lengths can coexist. The router will not drop the packet; it will forward it using the route with the longest prefix match, which is the 10.1.1.0/24 route.
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JA
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
This 350-401 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 350-401 exam.