- A
The IP address of the cable modem.
Why wrong: The cable modem is on the WAN side and is not reachable from the LAN without going through the router.
- B
192.168.0.1
This is the router's LAN IP, which serves as the gateway for all computers on the local network to access other networks.
- C
The IP address of the switch.
Why wrong: A switch typically does not have an IP address that functions as a gateway; it is a Layer 2 device.
- D
192.168.0.255
Why wrong: This is the broadcast address for the 192.168.0.0/24 network and cannot be assigned to a device.
Question 877 of 1,020
What Should the Default Gateway Be on Each Computer?
This 220-1201 practice question tests your understanding of ip addressing. This is a configuration task: choose the command set that satisfies every stated requirement. Small differences — like 'secret' vs 'password' or 'transport input ssh' vs 'all' — change whether the answer is correct. 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 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?
Quick Answer
The answer is 192.168.0.1. This is correct because the default gateway setting on each computer must match the IP address of the router’s LAN interface, which serves as the exit point for traffic destined outside the local subnet. In a /24 network, any packet with a destination IP outside the 192.168.0.0–192.168.0.255 range is forwarded to this gateway, enabling internet access through the router’s WAN connection to the cable modem. On the CompTIA A+ Core 1 220-1201 exam, this concept tests your understanding of basic TCP/IP configuration and subnetting—a common trap is confusing the gateway with the router’s WAN IP or the switch’s management address. Remember, the default gateway is always the LAN-side IP of the router that connects the local network to the outside world. A handy memory tip: “Gateway goes to the router’s LAN, not the WAN.”
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
✓
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.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
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 IP address of the cable modem.
Why it's wrong here
The cable modem is on the WAN side and is not reachable from the LAN without going through the router.
- ✓
192.168.0.1
Why this is correct
This is the router's LAN IP, which serves as the gateway for all computers on the local network to access other networks.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
The IP address of the switch.
Why it's wrong here
A switch typically does not have an IP address that functions as a gateway; it is a Layer 2 device.
- ✗
192.168.0.255
Why it's wrong here
This is the broadcast address for the 192.168.0.0/24 network and cannot be assigned to a device.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Cisco 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.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
The default gateway is defined in the host's routing table as the next-hop IP for any destination not in the local subnet (0.0.0.0/0 route). In a typical SOHO setup, the router performs NAT (RFC 3022) to translate private addresses to the public IP assigned by the ISP, so the gateway must be the router's LAN IP. A common misconfiguration is setting the gateway to the switch's management IP, but that only works if the switch is a Layer 3 device with routing enabled, which is not the case here.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
- Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.
TExam Day Tips
- Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
- Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A network engineer segments a warehouse floor into three subnets: 20 scanners, 5 printers, and 2 management hosts. Picking the wrong mask wastes addresses or leaves too few usable hosts. Exam questions test whether you can apply CIDR notation, calculate block size, and identify the correct usable-host range for a given prefix.
Visual reference
What to study next
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this 220-1201 question test?
IP Addressing — This question tests IP Addressing — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: 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.
What should I do if I get this 220-1201 question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jul 4, 2026
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