XK0-006 Troubleshooting Practice Question
After adding a new static route to a server, an administrator notices that traffic to 10.20.0.0/16 still leaves through the default gateway. The route appears in 'ip route' output but is not used. The administrator confirms the interface is up. Which command should be run to verify that the kernel is selecting the intended route for that destination?
⚠ Common exam trap
The trap here is inspecting the routing table or interface list when the real question is which route the kernel resolves for a specific destination.
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
✓
ip route get 10.20.5.10
The kernel consults the routing table using longest-prefix match, so a more specific static route should normally beat the default gateway. When behavior disagrees with the table, the fastest way to see the actual decision is a route lookup for a representative address with ip route get. It reports the chosen interface, gateway, and preferred source, exposing whether a conflicting or less-specific entry is winning.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
ip neigh show
Why it's wrong here
ip neigh show displays the ARP or neighbor cache mapping IP addresses to link-layer addresses. It reflects resolved next-hop hardware addresses but says nothing about which route the kernel chooses for a destination prefix. This command cannot confirm whether the static route or the default gateway is selected.
- ✗
ip addr show
Why it's wrong here
ip addr show lists interface addresses, link state, and related attributes. It does not perform a route lookup or reveal which gateway a given destination would use. Since the administrator already confirmed the interface is up, this command adds no information about route selection and does not explain why the static route is ignored.
- ✓
ip route get 10.20.5.10
Why this is correct
ip route get performs a route lookup for a specific destination and reports which interface, source address, and gateway the kernel would actually use. This directly answers whether the new static route wins over the default gateway. Unlike listing the routing table, it shows the resolved decision, making it the right verification tool here.
- ✗
ss -rn
Why it's wrong here
ss -rn shows socket statistics and routing information for existing sockets, not a forward lookup for an arbitrary destination. It reports established connections and their cached routes, which may not include 10.20.5.10 if no traffic has been attempted. It cannot authoritatively answer which route a new connection would take.
Go deeper
Related to this question
Key term
Kernel
The kernel is the core program of an operating system that manages hardware resources and provides essential services for all other software to run.
Key term
Output
In IT service management, output is the result or deliverable produced by a process, system, or component, such as data, reports, or services delivered to a customer.
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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 CompTIA exam blueprint
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