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220-1201 Practice Question: A technician is configuring a small office…
A technician is configuring a small office network with 15 computers and a single router. The router's WAN port is connected to a cable modem, and the LAN port is connected to a switch. All computers are connected to the switch. The technician assigns the router's LAN interface the IP 192.168.0.1/24. What should be the default gateway setting on each computer?
⚠ Common exam trap
The 220-1201 exam often tests the misconception that the default gateway should be the IP of the cable modem or the switch, confusing the roles of Layer 2 and Layer 3 devices in a simple SOHO network.
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
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192.168.0.1
The default gateway is the router's LAN interface IP address because it is the next-hop device that forwards traffic from the local subnet to external networks. Since the router's LAN interface is configured as 192.168.0.1/24, all computers on the 192.168.0.0/24 subnet must use that address as their default gateway to reach the internet via the cable modem.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
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The IP address of the cable modem.
Why it's wrong here
The cable modem's IP address is typically assigned by the Internet Service Provider (ISP) and resides on the Wide Area Network (WAN) side of the network. Devices on the local area network (LAN) cannot directly use the modem's IP as a gateway because the router performs Network Address Translation (NAT) and acts as the default gateway, bridging the LAN to the WAN. Therefore, the modem's IP is not the address clients would use to reach other networks.
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192.168.0.1
Why this is correct
In a typical small office or home network, 192.168.0.1 is a common default IP address assigned to the router's internal (LAN) interface. This IP address functions as the default gateway for all client devices on the local network, enabling them to forward traffic destined for external networks, such as the internet, through the router. Without this gateway, local devices would be unable to communicate beyond their immediate subnet.
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The IP address of the switch.
Why it's wrong here
A network switch primarily operates at Layer 2 (Data Link Layer) of the OSI model, forwarding Ethernet frames based on MAC addresses within the same local network segment. While managed switches may possess an IP address for administrative access and configuration, they do not perform routing functions or act as a default gateway for client devices to access different IP networks. Their role is to facilitate communication within the LAN, not between different networks.
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192.168.0.255
Why it's wrong here
The IP address 192.168.0.255 is the broadcast address for the 192.168.0.0/24 network. This address is reserved for sending data to all hosts simultaneously within that specific subnet and cannot be assigned to any individual network device, including a router's gateway interface. Assigning a broadcast address as a default gateway would prevent proper unicast routing and network communication.
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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